CHAPTER XX 
THE ORDER OF PARROTS AND MACAWS 
PS ITT AC I 
The parrots, parrakeets, macaws and cocka- 
toos form a large group, containing in all more 
than 500 species. Of these, about, 150 inhabit 
the New World, but only one species is found 
in the United States. South America contains 
the greatest number of species; Africa and Asia 
are but poorly supplied, and Europe has none. 
The widest departures from the standard types 
are found in New Zealand and Australia. 
Drawn by Edmund J. Sawyer. 
CAROLINA PARRAKEET. 
Although these birds are by nature thoroughly 
tropical, some of them range far into the tem- 
perate zones. This Order contains a larger pro- 
portion of beautifully colored birds than any 
other. Among the parrots, parrakeets, ma- 
caws and lories, there is a lavish display of brill- 
iant scarlet, crimson, blue, green, yellow and 
purple, while all save a few of the cockatoos are 
snowy white. 
216 
The members of this Order are specially dis- 
tinguished by their bills and feet. Of the for- 
mer, the lower mandible is a short but power- 
ful gouge, while the upper mandible is a big hook, 
with a thick and heavy base, and a long, sharp 
point. 
The foot of a bird of this Order is evenly di- 
vided, with the second and third toes pointing 
forward, and the first and fourth pointing back. 
The tails of most parrots are rather short, and 
square at the end, and the legs are very short. 
With but one or two exceptions, all the 500 spe- 
cies of this Order feed upon fruit, seeds and 
flowers. 
The Parrots are celebrated by reason of the 
natural inclination of some species to mimicry, 
and their ability to learn to talk. They are 
naturally sedate and observant, possess ex- 
cellent memories, and are fond of the companion- 
ship of man. The broad, fleshy tongue of a 
parrot renders possible the articulation of many 
vocal sounds, and when a certain phrase is end- 
lessly repeated to a parrot that is secluded from 
other sounds, the bird is sometimes moved to 
remember and repeat them. The African Gray 
Parrot is the most celebrated talker, and its 
value is from $15 upward. Next in rank comes 
the Mexican Double Yellow-Head, although the 
Carthagena Parrot, being a good talker and a 
more hardy bird, is rapidly becoming more popu- 
lar. Of both these species, the price in the New 
York bird-stores is from $10 to $12. 
The parrot of the most remarkable habits 
is the Kea, of New Zealand, a bird with very 
large and strong feet, which not only loves fresh 
mutton, but sometimes kills sheep on its own 
account, for food purposes. 
The Parrakeets are really small, trim-built 
parrots, with long, sharp-pointed tails. Ex- 
cepting the Thick-Billed Parrot, which has been 
seen in southern Arizona, this Family contains 
the only member of the Order Psittaci which 
