There are more and more places where you can interact with birds, such as bird cafes and flower gardens. Cute baby birds accustomed to humans will come to you on your shoulders. Have you ever wondered whether these birds are parrots or parakeets?

Parrots and Parakeets difference

The difference between parrots and parakeets is due to the families classified as birds. A parrot is a bird of the parrot family parrot family and a parakeet is a bird of the parrot family parakeet family.

The taxonomy of this bird is classified by the International Ornithological Congress (IOC). Recent advances in genetic research have revealed that even if they look similar, they have completely different ancestors, and it is becoming more common for them to change families. Some bird enthusiasts are following the changes that occur regularly, and recently there has been a lot of talk about big changes in the flycatcher and thrush families.

Even if we are in different departments, we cannot always carry around a classification book. Here's an easy way to tell parrots from parrots by their appearance.

Large parrots, small parakeets

There are exceptions depending on the individual, but roughly speaking, the larger one is the parrot, and the smaller one is the parakeet.

As for the body size of birds, in general, wild birds such as sparrows, starlings, turtle doves, and large-billed crows are called “ruler birds,” and their size is expressed as being smaller than a sparrow or about the size of a crow. If it's bigger than a crow, it's a parrot.

In addition, there are two sizes of birds: (1) total length from beak to tail, and (2) wingspan, which is the length from tip to tip when wings are spread. Size is usually expressed in total length.

Parrots are plain, parakeets are colorful

As a way to distinguish parrots and parrots, there is an easy-to-understand distinction by color.

Most parrots are white, black, or other solid colors (some parrots come in colorful hues), but parakeets are colorful and vivid, such as blue, yellow, yellow-green, and purple. The colors of the wings and body are different, and the color gradation is beautiful.

Parakeets with gorgeous and beautiful colors. For bird lovers, one of the pleasures of birds is the difference in feather colors.

A parrot has hair on it, and a parakeet doesn't.

There are also feathers on the head that represent the difference between parrots and parakeets. A parrot has a crown-shaped decorative feather called a crown feather.

Cockatiels, which are very popular as pets, are characterized by the crest feathers on their heads. When excited or surprised, it raises its crown feathers to show its feelings. Cockatiels are called parakeets, but they are classified as parrots.

Cockatiel Normal is so popular that even a bird specialty store has a one-year waiting period.

The name is a parakeet, but there are birds that are parrots!

In addition to cockatiels, galahs are actually members of the parrot family, even though they are called parakeets. Galahs also have pale pink crests.

In addition, although it is not possible to distinguish them from their appearance, the difference between parrots and parakeets in terms of anatomy can be determined by whether they have a gallbladder or not. Cockatiels belong to the parrot family because they have gall bladders.

Cockatiels, galahs, and other birds are called parrots, but are classified as parrots. For example, the rock-eared bulbul is not a member of the brown-eared bulbul. It seems that such differences in names and classifications are one of the factors that make birds difficult to understand.

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