Home » 25 Different Types of Green Parrots (with Pictures)
what are green parrots called?

25 Different Types of Green Parrots (with Pictures)

(Last Updated On: March 11, 2023)

Green is among the most dominant parrot colors. Finding a completely green parrot is rare, as other shades are usually mixed into the feathers, creating a colorful kaleidoscope that makes each bird unique.

Parrots only have red and yellow pigments, but they appear green because light hits the feathers’ structures and reflects off them. This light-scattering process creates the illusion of green.

The Journal of Experimental Biology explains that green feathers have spongy cells that reflect blue-green light. A blue-absorbing pigment that acts as a short wavelength filter restricts the wavelength range of the reflected light, resulting in green feathers.

Similarly, Science Illustrated explains how melanin and feather structure affect a parrot’s coloring. Melanin determines the lightness and darkness of parrots’ feathers.

Carotenoids produce red, yellow, and orange feathers, which are achieved by eating certain plants (bell peppers, carrots, kale, etc.) When the pigments combine with melanin, a broader spectrum of colors is produced, including the various green shades seen on parrots.

Green Parrot Varieties

Parrots are colorful animals, and many have vivid green feathers. They’re rarely green all over but have blue, yellow, and red flashes alongside a predominantly green plumage.

Many are only found in the wild, as their limited numbers make them unsuitable as captive animals. However, if you’re wondering, “are green parrots good pets?” we’ve got that covered.

Quaker Parrots

The quaker parrot is also known as the quaker parakeet, monk parrot, and monk parakeet. The scientific name is Myiopsitta monachus.

Quaker parrots are native to South America. Adult parrots are bright green on the head, wings, and back. Also, their breast, cheeks, and throat are gray, while their flight feathers are blue. The underside of their tails is light green.

They get their name due to the gray section on the front of their neck looking like an old-fashioned Quaker bib. Quaker parrots are illegal in several states, but they make great pets. They’re active and need attention but respond well to interaction and games.

While they’re only 12 inches long, they have larger-than-life personalities and love to talk to their owners.

Quaker Parrot

Amazon Parrots

Amazon parrots are among the most popular green pet birds. Most have bright green bodies with distinct markings on their heads and foreheads. The feathers range in color and differ depending on the species.

Amazons enjoy being the center of attention. They’re playful and curious and love spending time with their owners. However, they can nip at your fingers if not appropriately trained.

Unfortunately, Amazon parrots are threatened by the pet trade. Capturing wild parrots is illegal, so you can only find them at reputable breeders, increasing prices in recent years.

Amazon Parrot

Military Macaw

Military macaws are green all over, and the feathers are brighter on the top of the head, with olive-green feathers on the body. They also have light blue and yellow flight and tail feathers, and there’s usually a bright red flash of color above their beak.

Military macaws are easy to train and love to learn new tricks. They don’t like being alone for too long and can become nippy and aggressive. Also, they pick up on their owners’ moods.

Lovebird

Lovebirds are one of the smallest parrot species with short, blunt feathers and a stocky build. They’re primarily green with various other colors on the upper body.

Lovebirds are commonly known as pocket parrots. As their name suggests, they’re charming and lovable but have a playful side. They form deep bonds with their owners and, if nurtured, can be affectionate pets.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, lovebirds mate for life and pine for each other. Despite this, you don’t need a pair, but they sometimes cope better in captivity with a friend.

Lovebird

Senegal Parrot

Senegal parrots are native to western Africa and dwell in woodlands. They breed well in captivity and are fun, entertaining pets.

They have a green chest and wings and a grey head. They also have a red, orange, or yellow V-shaped patch on their bellies.

Senegal parrots are calm and collected. They’re quieter than most parrots, but these parrots can talk and mimic their human owners.

They do well in small spaces due to their size, so they make good pets for people living in apartments and small houses. They won’t bother your neighbors as they don’t make much noise.

Senegal Parrot

Maroon-Bellied Conure

Maroon-bellied conures are popular parrots. Green is the dominant color; it’s darker on the wings and back and lighter on the belly.

Underneath the tail, the feathers are a mesmerizing mix of blue, purple, and crimson. The lower abdomen usually features two parallel patches that are a soft crimson color.

The maroon-bellied conure is one of the friendliest and quietest parrot breeds. They love exploring small spaces and enjoy being outside their cage to roam and wander.

As maroon-bellied conures are only small, they can get lost and hide in small gaps, so they need monitoring whenever they’re out of their cage.

Maroon-Bellied Conure

Budgerigar

Budgies are one of the most common and popular parrots to keep as pets. They’re small, have short lifespans, and are easy to train, making great starter birds.

Green is the only natural color for budgies, but they have flashes of yellow on their heads and bodies. Blue, white, and other colored budgies are bred for the pet trade and can’t be found in the wild.

Budgies can easily pick up on words and phrases and use them in context. They’re also inexpensive, making them ideal for families with children.

Budgerigar

Great Green Macaw

Great green macaws have lime-green feathers and a red forehead. They also have pale blue feathers around the lower back and upper tail, and the rest of the tail is a brown-red color with a soft blue tip.

Great green macaws are rarely seen as pets. They’re bred in captivity but are expensive as they’re one of the least common parrots seen outside the wild. They fly in pairs or small groups of up to 8 parrots.

They’re noisy birds you can hear from far away, so they shouldn’t be kept in homes with thin walls.

Great Green Macaw

Red-Shouldered Macaw

Also known as Hahn’s macaws, red-shouldered macaws are small and compact.

They’re mostly bright green with many turquoise or aqua feathers on the top of their head. They get their name from the bright red feathers found underneath their wings.

Red-shouldered macaws form strong bonds with their owners. They’re spirited birds that like to learn new tricks to keep everyone entertained.

Although small, they’re loud and prone to high-pitched screaming.

Red-Shouldered Macaw

Little Lorikeet

Little lorikeets are mostly green with a striking red face that’s lovingly called its mask. Some have yellow feathers on their shoulders, the back of the neck, and toward the tail.

They’re sweet and affectionate birds that enjoy interacting with their owners. They can learn tricks but are prone to escaping their cage, which is made easier by their small stature.

They can become territorial and jealous in a cage with other birds, especially smaller lorikeets.

They’re noisy birds with a shrill, high-pitched tone that some owners can’t bear. They talk well and mimic some words and phrases.

Little Lorikeet

Indian Ringneck Parakeet

The Indian ringneck parakeet is bright lime green with yellow feathers underneath the wings. They sometimes also have blue tail feathers.

Male Indian redneck parakeets have red beaks, black facial markings, and coloring around the neck. Females lack these traits.

Indian ringneck parakeets can be nippy because they get bored quickly. They need toys and puzzles to play with to keep them entertained. Without enough attention, they chew things and become destructive.

However, they can be sweet pets with the right training and form close bonds with their owners.

Indian Ringneck Parakeet

Male Eclectus Parrot

The male Eclectus parrot is a bright emerald green with red and blue feathers underneath its wings. They differ from females, who are mostly bright red. Their feathers are fuzzy, fluffy, and soft to the touch.

Eclectus parrots get on well with children. They’re loving and gentle, but loud noises can upset them.

As relatively large birds, they need space, particularly as they enjoy being active. If you’re lucky enough to acquire one, offer the parrot the opportunity to roam outside its cage.

Pacific Parrotlet

Pacific parrotlets are a small parrot species, reaching only 4.5 – 5.5 inches in length. They live in tropical rainforests in Central and South America.

Most Pacific parrotlets are bright green. Unlike females, male parrotlets have bright blue splashes on their backs and behind their eyes. Some color mutations can occur, ranging from blue and albino and many other shades.

While only small, Pacific parrotlets are high-maintenance. To make them tame, they require daily handling. They’re good at keeping themselves occupied but don’t like being alone for too long. They’re prone to accidents and injuries if not monitored outside their cage.

Pacific Parrotlet

Painted Parakeet

The painted parakeet (painted conure) is mostly green, with a maroon-red belly and tail tip and patches of blue on the head and throughout the body. They also have a signature scaly breast that looks reptilian.

They’re rarely seen in captivity, but painted parakeets are quiet and sweet-natured. They also have lots of energy and love to play games. These active birds require a large cage that allows them to move around.

Painted parakeets enjoy bathing, which can become a part of their weekly routine.

Painted Parakeet

Red-Fronted Macaw

Red-fronted macaws are green parrots with red patches on the head, ears, and bend of the wing. They’re native to the east-Andean slopes of south-central Bolivia.

In the wild, red-fronted macaws are threatened by habitat destruction, illegal trapping for the pet trade, and firewood cutting. Overgrazing by goats has also depleted the parrot’s food source.

If you want to get a red-fronted macaw as a pet, ensure it’s been appropriately bred through a reputable breeding program and hasn’t been captured from the wild.

They’re tough to find as pets and are most commonly found in zoos as part of a conservation program.

Red-Fronted Macaw

Green-Cheeked Conure

The green-cheeked conure boasts a kaleidoscope of beautiful colors. Their feathers come in various green shades on their backs, wings, chest, neck, and cheeks. They also have red, white, and blue patches, making them a stunning parrot breed.

Green-cheeked conures enjoy spending time with their owners. They’re easy-going and affectionate when handled from an early age.

They’re quiet birds, which suits owners in apartments or terraced houses because most never talk. They’re quick and easy to train, so focus on showing the green-cheeked conure how to do tricks.

Green-Cheeked Conure

Scaly-Breasted Lorikeet

The scaly-breasted lorikeet hails from eastern Australia and makes its home in woodland. They have a mix of yellow and bright green feathers that combine to look like scales, hence the name. The crown and sides of the head are bright green, tinged with blue.

Scaly-breasted lorikeets require a high-moisture diet. As a result, their feces are often watery and messy. Frequent cleaning is needed to prevent bacterial infections, so they’re high-maintenance birds.

Scaly-breasted lorikeets can be aggressive, so they don’t cope well in aviaries with too many birds. To avoid any issues, keep them in single pairs.

Scaly-Breasted Lorikeet

Australian Ringneck Parrot

Australian ringneck parrots are almost entirely green with a thick yellow band around the neck. There are four subspecies of Australian ringneck with varying yellow, red, and turquoise plumage.

They’re mostly found in pairs or small groups in open woodlands or areas with many trees.

They’re intelligent birds and, with proper handling, can become tame and affectionate. They learn tricks quickly and enjoy performing.

However, they need many toys to keep them stimulated, especially ones they can chew. Opt for wooden toys to distract them from destructive behaviors.

Australian Ringneck Parrot

Spectacled Parrotlet

Spectacled parrotlets have all-over green feathers that get lighter toward the tail. They have blue circles around the eyes and rose beaks and feet.

Spectacled parrotlets are only 5 inches tall, making them one of the smallest parrot breeds. As a result, they’re affectionately known as pocket parrots.

They also make good beginner pets because they’re easy to care for and quiet. They’re healthy birds that don’t experience too many health conditions.

They can learn simple tricks, but most people love them because they burrow in blankets and cuddle into their owners.

Spectacled Parrotlet

Thick-Billed Parrot

Thick-billed parrots are apple green, which helps them blend in with pine needles found in their natural habitat in northern Mexico.

They have a bright red stripe at the top of the wing and around the leg. There’s a flash of yellow underneath the wing, while the tail’s underside is jet black.

Thick-billed parrots adopt a strict pecking order in the wild. They’re close to extinction due to climate change, predation, and the illegal pet trade.

As a result, you’re more likely to find thick-billed parrots in zoos.

Thick-Billed Parrot

Short-Tailed Parrot

Short-tailed parrots are noisy birds found along the banks of the Amazon river.

They’re medium-sized birds with uniform bright green feathers and short, stubby tails. The feathers are a lighter green color around the wings.

They fly in large groups of around 50 birds. Short-tailed parrots are social birds that associate with other birds in their natural habitat. They’re rare in captivity, so you’ll be lucky to find one as a pet.

Short-Tailed Parrot

Scarlet-Shouldered Parrotlet

Also known as the red-winged parrot, scarlet-shouldered parrotlets are green with brown and yellow tones on the head and forehead.

They have blue and red shoulders that are sometimes hidden but can be seen when the bird is in flight.

Scarlet-shouldered parrotlets live in rainforests and partially deforested woodland areas. They’re quiet and shy birds that often appear in trees without warning.

They’re another rare bird, so they’re not common pet parrots. In recent years, they’ve been affected by deforestation and loss of habitat, which has caused their numbers to dwindle.

Scarlet-Shouldered Parrotlet

Edward’s Fig Parrot

The Edward’s fig parrot is native to Indonesia and north-eastern New Guinea. It lives in tropical forest areas and moist hill forests.

Edwards fig parrots are small, green parrots with blue and yellow patches. They have a greenish-blue flash under their eyes and a violet-blue horizontal stripe on the chest. Males have red breasts that appear when the bird is ten months old.

Edward’s fig parrots are rarely seen in the pet trade. However, they make good parents and, when hand-reared, become loving and affectionate.

Edward’s Fig Parrot

Blue-Bellied Parrot

Blue-bellied parrots live in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. They have long tails, bright green feathers, and a white beak. Males have a blue-purple patch on their bellies, which gives the breed its name. Females are entirely green all over.

Sadly, the species is near-threatened due to habitat loss and capture for the illegal pet trade. Therefore, you’re unlikely to see reputably sourced blue-bellied parrots as pets.

Blue-Bellied Parrot

Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot

The Sri Lanka hanging parrot is a small bird with a short, stubby tail and bright green feathers. The nape and back both have a soft orange tint. Both males and females have a red bill and rump, but males have an additional red crown.

They usually live alone or in small groups outside the breeding season. They have a recognizable whistle and fly fast to their destination.

Unfortunately, Sri Lanka hanging parrots make easy prey for larger predator birds due to their size, which has affected their numbers.

Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot

How Much Do Green Parrots Cost?

If you want to make a green parrot a new pet, you’re probably wondering how much they cost.

Some green parrots, including the blue-bellied military macaw and thick-billed parrot, are on the brink of extinction and are almost impossible to get hold of due to conservation efforts.

However, many other green parrots make fun and affectionate pets. To help you budget the cost, we’ve put the most common green parrots from the lowest price to the highest.

Parrot SpeciesAverage Cost
Great Green Macaw$3,000 – $4,000
Amazon Parrot$1,000 – $3,000 (depending on the breed)
Male Eclectus Parrot$1,000 – $3,000
Military Macaw$2,500
Red-Shouldered Macaw$800 – $2,000
Red-Fronted Macaw$1,500
Indian Ringneck Parakeet$400 – $700
Little Lorikeet$400 – $700
Quaker Parakeet$250 – $550
Australian Ringneck Parrot$400 – $500
Spectacled Parrotlet$300 – $500
Senegal Parrot$200 – $500
Green-Cheeked Conure$150 – $350
Pacific Parrotlet$100 – $350
Scaly-Breasted Lorikeet$150 – $300
Maroon-Bellied Conure$125 – $250
Lovebird$40 – $130
Painted Parakeet$40 – $70
Budgerigar$10 – $35

How Many Years Do Green Parrots Live?

The average life expectancy of parrots varies depending on the breed. 

Smaller parrots tend to have a shorter lifespan, whereas large parrots can live for 60 years. As a result, some species outlive their owners.

Before choosing a parrot, consider how long you can commit to a pet. When you have a parrot, it relies on you for the duration of its life for specialized care.

The expected lifespan of the most common green parrot species is as follows:

Parrot SpeciesExpected Lifespan (in years)
Red-Fronted Parrot80
Military Macaw60
Great Green Macaw50 – 60
Amazon Parrot50
Male Eclectus Parrot30 – 50
Red-shouldered Macaw30 – 50
Maroon-Bellied Conure35
Green-Cheeked Conure30
Thick Billed Parrot30
Senegal Parrot30
Indian Ringneck Parakeet20 – 30
Spectacled Parrotlet20 – 30
Short-Tailed Parrot10 – 30
Scarlet-Shouldered Parrotlet25
Quaker Parakeet20 – 30
Little Lorikeet15 – 20
Pacific Parrotlet15 – 20
Scaly-Breasted Lorikeet15 – 20
Australian Ringneck Parrot15
Edward’s Fig Parrot15
Lovebird10 – 15
Painted Parakeet5 – 14
Blue-Bellied Parrot12
Budgerigar5 – 10
Sri Lanka Hanging ParrotUnknown

While striking, not all green parrots are suitable as pets. Don’t just base your decision on the way the bird looks. Use our guide to learn more about their personality and temperament, and choose one that will fit your family, lifestyle, and household.