If you are looking for a companion bird but have limited space to devote to your new friend, then maybe a parrotlet is the bird for you.  This little bird has been described as “the tiny parrot with the big personality.”  You will find this statement quite accurate as you get to know more about these fascinating birds.

It is said that this little bundle of intelligence and energy is a descendent of the larger Amazon Parrot.  Your parrotlet can realistically be part of your family for more than twenty years.  In all varieties of parrotlets, it will be evident if the bird you choose is a male or a female.  If you are prepared to offer the proper training and care as well as the ability to live with a bright child of around 3 years of age for more than twenty years, than a parrotlet is the bird for you.

These birds have also been called pocket parrots because of their fondness for nestling in their human’s clothes and pockets of their shirts.  The parrotlet comes in many varieties, so you are sure to find the right color and personality to fit your family unit.

The Pacific Parrotlet is commonly kept as a companion bird.  This little guy is just 4 ¾-5 ½ inches.  He is a mostly green bird that has a thin streak of blue that extends from his eyes to the back of his neck.  The hen or female will lack the blue coloring in the wings and she will sport a lighter shade of blue stripe that runs from her eyes to the back of her neck.

You can choose from many color mutations when you decide that a pacific parrotlet is going to be your companion.  They come in colors such as albino, pastels, yellow and blue.  You can expect to pay a high price……… for these mutations as the breeding program for these types of birds are limited.  As a companion, you can expect your pacific parrotlet to be more adaptable than its equally popular green-rumped cousin.  The Green-Rumped Parrotlet is often delicate and has a streak of timidity in them.  All birds personalities are shaped by their human flock, so the more dedicated you are to training and spending quality time with your bird, the better behaved and socialized he/she will be.

If you are looking for a talking bird, few parrotlets have this ability.  They are mostly mimickers and if you do get your parrotlet talking, the sound of their voice is said to be robotic and difficult to understand.  If you are basing your decision of what species of parrot you should buy by speaking ability alone, then the parrotlet is not the bird for you.

If you have other birds in your home, be extra careful when you introduce the other members because they are so tiny and can be easily injured. We’re sure you will find that owning a parrotlet is all you had hoped it would be and more.