Which percentage of all parrot species are threatened by extinction?

One-third (33%) of all parrot species are threatened by extinction, with a higher aggregate extinction risk (International Union for Conservation of Nature, Red List Index) than any other comparable bird group. Parrots are birds of the roughly 393 species in 92 genera (taxonomic rank) found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The greatest diversity of parrots is in South American and Australia, New Zealand and some neighboring islands.

A characteristic feature of parrots is a strong curved bill (picture) used for climbing in tree canopies. They also often use their bills for climbing by gripping or hooking on branches and other supports. Many parrots exhibit vivid colors and some are multi-colored. Diets include seeds, nuts, fruit, buds, and other plant material. A few species sometimes eat animals and carrion.

Parrots are among the most intelligent birds, and the ability of some species to imitate human speech enhances their popularity as pets. Pet parrots invariably require an enormous amount of attention, care and intellectual stimulation to thrive, akin to what is required by a three-year-old child.

Numerous challenges are encountered when trying to study parrots as they are difficult to catch and once caught, they are difficult to mark. Most wild bird studies rely on banding or wing tagging, but parrots chew off such attachments. Parrots also tend to range widely, and consequently many gaps occur in knowledge of their behavior.

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org

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10 Comments

klmilles

Here in Miami, I get various parrots at my bird feeders, mostly cherry-headed conures, but also canary-winged parakeets and, rarely, chestnut-fronted macaws. The big birds (macaws and African Greys) hang out and destroy the mangos, in season. Quakers build their ginormous colonial nests on telephone poles. You can always hear the birds calling as they fly by in their numbers. All feral. Our only native parrot, the Carolina Parakeet, we exterminated in the early years of the last century.

Leapy Lee

I live in an urban area (Melbourne Australia) and we now have parrots in all our local parks which were never there when I was growing up. Rather than that being a good thing, it is not because they are so desperate for food and water they have been driven into urban areas due to intense farming and land degradation.

Special Patrol Group

The question should have been date stamped as the answer will change in the future.

Julie Allen

I think !00% would be the best answer because if they aren't threatened now they soon will be,

Patricia Viater

Agree with all comments. 50% is the correct answer

stevemanning

Another trick question perhaps since 50% are endangered and 25% are critically endangered. There isn't 33% left?????

LibraryLady

The key word here is "threatened". There is a distinction between endangered and threatened. I incorrectly chose the endangered percentage.

Pat Askew

Almost 50% of all parrot species are endangered and almost 25% of the species are critically endangered. The main reasons for this are persistent habitat destruction, such as land clearance with fire or settlement, on one hand and on the other the continuing trade in birds, which still offers wild-caught stock.