You must admit that among all the animal and bird diversity that inhabits the globe, parrots stand out for their intelligence, charm and ingenuity. Today I would like to tell you about the most prominent representatives of this species. We will talk about who he is - the largest parrot in the world, who he is and whether he is the only one in the world.
Cacapo
One of the largest parrots is kakapo. But this view is slightly different from the usual parrots that fly around the apartment and sit on their shoulders in order to bite the owner's ear. Kakapo can't fly. He leads mainly a nocturnal lifestyle and looks more like an owl than a parrot. In the daytime, they try to hide somewhere, but at night they go on a “hunt” for plant shoots, for berries or tree shoots.
Kakapo habitat
Where do kakapo parrots live ? The only place to meet these amazingly beautiful creatures is the few islands in New Zealand. In these places, scientists carefully monitor the population. Sadly, this parrot species is on the verge of extinction. The thing is that they do not lay eggs every year, like other species. In addition, there are very few female parrots; males predominate, which also does not lead to an increase in the population.
Despite the fact that some of them are considered to be one of the most ancient birds on Earth that have passed many tests, they are dying. In the world, scientists counted about 125 individuals. Specialists watching them carefully try to protect birds from predators and other dangers. Every bird even has a name.
View Features
If we talk about the size, then somehow it is not for nothing that it bears the title of "the largest parrot in the world." Its weight reaches four and a half kilograms. The body length is about sixty centimeters. In appearance, these parrots resemble a soft plush toy-owlet, only a decent size.
Another unique feature is the smell. As a rule, the birds do not smell very nice, but not kakapo. From its feathers comes a surprisingly pleasant floral aroma with notes of honey, which leaves no one indifferent and forever falls in love with these birds.
Great Hyacinth Macaw
The largest parrot in the world is the large hyacinth macaw. This representative of the species is more like a parrot as it is. It flies perfectly, unlike kakapo. The body length of this parrot is about a meter.
Why is the largest parrot called hyacinth? All because of its coloring. Great Macaw has a nice blue feather color.
Where does the big macaw live?
This species is quite numerous. The largest parrot lives in impenetrable forests of Brazil, in the palm groves of Paraguay, in Bolivia. Unlike cacapo, the macaw is a daytime bird. Flights for food, communication with the opposite sex and other “activities” useful for the life of a parrot take place exclusively during the day. At night, this species leaves for the night in the thick of the forest, where it is safer and calmer.
Family Colonies
Hyacinth macaws get along well with each other, and the ratio of males to females is approximately equal. Hence the offspring, numerous and healthy. When the male finds a mate, they go together to the gathering place of the parrot family colonies. As a rule, in such colonies there are up to ten individuals. Birds lay eggs either in a hollow or dig holes in the ground with clawed paws.
Unfortunately, these birds are not such frequent guests in people's homes. Unlike, for example, cockatoos, the macaw loves freedom and feels more comfortable in the wild than on the shoulder of a person or in a cage.
The largest parrot lays eggs several times a year. Probably, it is precisely this fact that protects the macaw from extinction. As a rule, only one or two small cubs remain from the entire litter, the rest, unfortunately, die. But because of the frequency of the birth of chicks, the population remains unchanged.
Cockatoo
This type of parrot can also be classified as the largest. This is one of those birds that can easily get along with people under one roof. It should be noted that the cockatoo is completely unpretentious and its contents will not cause much trouble to the owners.
The only thing that the pet will constantly require is increased attention. Parrots grown by people become very attached to them, they get bored when they leave home or because of employment they pay little attention.
Because of their decent size, cockatoos require a spacious cage area. Aviaries should always be tall and wide so that the bird feels as comfortable as possible. You can feed a cockatoo:
- vegetables (carrots, cucumbers);
- cereals (millet, millet, corn, hemp, oats, seeds);
- fruits (bananas, pears, apples);
- berries;
- nuts.
There are special sets of feeds that are designed specifically for such a large parrot.
Cockatoo parrots get along well with children. They can learn up to twenty words and apply them correctly. They perfectly mastered the ability to imitate sounds.
If you decide to purchase a similar bird for your family, then we advise you to choose a young individual. The earlier the bird is with the person, the calmer its character will be. As you know, this species lives up to one hundred years, so your grandchildren will also be able to enjoy communication with an amazing creature.