Parrots: The Animal Answer Guide

Contents

Acknowledgments xiii Introduction xv 1 Introducing Parrots 1 What are parrots? 1 Are cockatoos also parrots? 3 How many kinds of parrot are there? 4 Where do parrots live? 5 What is the current classification of parrots? 12 When did parrots evolve? 13 What is the oldest fossil parrot? 15 2 Form and Function 17 What are the largest and smallest living parrots? 17 What does a parrot’s bill tell us about its diet? 20 Do all parrots have the same type of bill? 21 How fast can parrots fly? 23 Are there any flightless parrots? 24 Do a parrot’s feathers wear out? 25 Are there any bald parrots? 26 3 Parrot Colors 29 Why are so many parrots green? 29 What causes the colors of parrots? 30 Do parrots see the same colors as humans? 33 What are the benefits of UV vision? 34 Do glowing parrots really exist? 35 Is there a reason for the color patterns of parrots? 35 Are there color differences between males and females? 38 Do a parrot’s colors change as they age? 41 Is there much geographic variation in the color of a parrot species? 42 4 Parrot Behavior 46 Are parrots social? 46 Why do parrots form flocks? 50 Contents How do parrots spend their day? 53 How do parrots communicate? 57 How smart are parrots? 64 Can parrots talk? 70 Do parrots play? 73 Do parrots fight? 75 How do parrots avoid predators? 77 5 Parrot Ecology 82 Do parrots migrate? 82 Which geographic regions have the most species of parrot? 87 How many parrot species live in an area? 89 How many parrots live in the Australian desert? 92 How do parrots survive in the desert? 93 Are there parrots in alpine areas? 94 How do parrots survive droughts? 96 Do parrots get sick? 99 Are any parrot species nocturnal? 102 Are parrots good for the environment? 104 Is it true that some moths depend on parrots? 108 6 Reproduction and Development 110 Where do parrots nest? 110 Do parrots nest at the same time every year? 115 Do parrots use the same nest every year? 118 How do parrots reproduce? 120 How many eggs do parrots lay? 121 Are nestlings in a brood all the same age? 125 What proportion of eggs hatch? 127 How fast do parrots grow? 128 Do both parents care for their young? 131 How long do young birds stay with their parents? 132 Do parrots pair for life? 134 Do any parrots have unusual breeding systems? 135 How long do parrots live? 137 7 Foods and Feeding 139 What do parrots eat? 139 Are there any predatory parrots? 143 How much food does a parrot need? 143 Are parrots fussy eaters? 144 x Contents How do parrots find food? 146 Why do some parrots eat soil? 147 8 Parrots and Humans 150 Do parrots make good pets? 150 What is the best way to take care of a pet parrot? 152 What should I do if I find an injured or orphaned parrot? 153 How can I see parrots in the wild? 153 Should people feed wild parrots? 155 9 Parrot Problems (from a human viewpoint) 159 Are some parrots agricultural pests? 159 Can parrots be a nuisance in urban areas? 163 Are parrots ever invasive species? 163 Do parrots have diseases and are they contagious? 166 10 Human Problems (from a parrot’s viewpoint) 169 Are any parrots endangered? 169 Have any parrot species gone extinct? 173 What is the world’s rarest parrot? 176 Will parrots be affected by global warming? 177 Why do people hunt parrots? 178 What impact does the wildlife trade have on parrot populations? 179 Can captive breeding benefit wild populations of parrots? 182 11 Parrots in Stories and Literature 184 What roles do parrots play in religion and mythology? 184 Did any early explorers or naturalists mention parrots in their writings? 186 What roles do parrots play in popular culture? 190 What roles have parrots played in literature? 191 How long have humans kept and bred parrots? 194 12 “Parrotology” 196 Why study parrots? 196 Who studies parrots? 198 Which species are best known? 199 Which species are least known? 201 How do scientists recognize individual parrots? 202 Contents xi What is being done to save endangered parrot species? 203 What can people do to help parrots? 205 Appendix: Common and Scientific...