Scientific Facts
| Common Name: | Singing Parrot |
| Scientific Name: | Geoffroyus heteroclitus |
| Life Span: | – |
| Size: | 10 inches and 6.8 oz |
| Habitat: | Subtropical and tropical lowland forests |
| Country of Origin: | The Bismarck Archipelago and Bougainville Island in Papua, New Guinea |
Singing Parrot Information
The Singing Parrot or the Song Parrot is a type of parrot that is native to tropical and subtropical areas in the Bismarck Archipelago and in certain parts of Papua, New Guinea. These birds prefer to live in moist forests with a lot of rainfall. As such, they are best kept in environments that are close to tropical in terms of temperature and humidity levels. The Singing Parrots are small types of parrots that rarely grow bigger than 10 inches.
Physical Description
When it comes to size, you can distinguish the Singing Parrot from all of the other types of parrots that grow in the wild. Compared to its macaw cousins, the Singing Parrot is quite small in size and barely grows longer than 10 inches. In that sense, they are considered as mini parrots due to how small they are in comparison to other parrots.
The color of a Singing Parrot is actually predominantly green but with different shades of it. Its back and the outer portion of its wings are more than likely to have a standard shade of green. Meanwhile, its belly is usually a lighter shade of green. However, it may have a bluish-gray chest area. The body and the head are separated by a bluish and grayish band behind the back of the neck. However, this band will gradually fade into a greenish color as it merges with the body. The underside of the wing of the Singing Parrot actually departs from the usual green coloration in the sense that it looks bluish and may sometimes be close to violet. This is more evident when it flaps its wings or if you happen to be under one when it is flying.
An amazing part about the Singing Parrot is that this bird actually changes color schemes depending on the sex. Males have the usual green body, and the bluish underside of the wing, but its head, which is separated by a bluish and grayish band, is actually light yellow. Its tail may also have a yellowish color in the underside portion.
A female Singing Parrot is similar to a male in terms of almost every aspect you can think of. However, female Singing Parrots do not have the bluish-gray collar or mantle that males have. Instead, the greenish body will immediately transition into a bluish or grayish brown head that looks totally different compared to the male Singing Parrot’s light yellow head. Females also have cheeks that are grayish in terms of appearance and may sometimes look olive.
Young Singing Parrots may also have their own distinct appearance. These birds can look more like adult females than adult males, but they do have a few aspects that make them look unique. For one, young Singing Parrots have crowns and napes that are similar to adult males in the sense that they are bluish-gray. Another difference you can clearly notice is the fact that young Singing Parrots have lower beaks that look brownish or grayish but may also have hints of yellow at the base. That is in contrast to the usual predominantly yellow beaks that adult male and female Singing Parrots have.
Personality
The Singing Parrot is aptly named as such because of its tendency to “sing.” However, this is not the type of singing you might be used to when you are listening to conventional music as the Singing Parrot is known for its melodic sounds and very delightfully harmonious chirps. The Singing Parrot is actually very vocal regardless of where it is. So, whether it is perched on top of a branch or in its cage or whether it is in flight, it will most likely chirp and make the musical noises that made it so popular as a pet for different kinds of bird lovers out there. And the surprising part about the Singing Parrot is that it can even make such noises at night when it is supposed to be not as active as it should be.
But the one thing that should be noted about the Singing Parrot’s calls is that these songs may not be suitable for everyone. Some would say that this bird is so raucous and loud that it can get too annoying or irritating. That is because the Singing Parrot’s calls or songs are mostly high-pitched and consists of only two notes that are both high enough to cause a bit of irritation to the most sensitive types of ears. As such, those who do not like the noise emitted by this loud type of parrot should best stay away from the Singing Parrot. But if you do not mind the noise that it tends to make or if you actually like it, this bird might be suitable for you.
In terms of its personality, the Singing Parrot is not expected to be as friendly and as compassionate as some of the other species of parrots. It is not the smartest type of parrot, but it actually is still pretty smart compared to some of the other species of birds out there. It also is not the most playful parrot, but it is friendly enough to want to make you play with it from time to ,time depending on the situation.
When owning a Singing Parrot, the most important part you should take note of is that they are easily stressed. Singing Parrots are actually pretty shy, especially if they are wild-caught or if they are still adjusting to a new environment. As mentioned, they are not particularly very friendly and will easily get stressed if forced to be friendly due to how shy their nature tends to be. In that sense, a lot of Singing Parrots die for unknown causes that are believed to be most likely due to the stress they undergo when adjusting to life in captivity or when forced to interact with humans and other types of animals in their new environment.
Life Span
The sad part about the Singing Parrot is that it is believed to be not as hardy and as resilient as other types of parrots. They do not get to live for as long as some of their cousins do, but there is no certainty as to how long Singing Parrots actually get to live. Nevertheless, the general consensus or belief is that these parrots have a particularly shorter lifespan and are not expected to be able to live longer than perhaps a decade.
There are actually many reasons as to why Singing Parrots do not get to live very long. The one thing that is noteworthy is the fact that they are very susceptible to stress. In captivity, Singing Parrots tend to struggle to adjust to an entirely new environment, especially when they are wild-caught and if the climate conditions are not similar to what they are used to in the wild. This tends to stress them out too much and will cause a lot of health complications that most vets find difficult to remedy. In that regard, it is better to go for a captive-bred Singing Parrots, which are more used to life in captivity but are still just as susceptible to stress as wild-caught ones. Meanwhile, those found in the wild naturally do not live very long due to the fact that their small sizes make them susceptible to getting preyed on by all sorts of predators such as snakes, large lizards, and feral creatures found in the wild.
Reproduction
In the wild, Singing Parrots usually breed during the wet seasons in tropical climates and regions. This usually starts sometime during the month of October and may go on for about three more months. The pregnant female Singing Parrot usually nests in the holes of dead limbs of different types of trees found in their natural habitat. They may also small branches of dead trees for nesting.
Behavior
Singing Parrots are not the most physically active types of birds regardless of whether they are in the wild or in captivity. They are mostly found perched on top of a branch or in an elevated spot in their cage. They may fly around from time to time, but they usually like staying still and are not always on the go, unlike some other types of parrot species.
But what the Singing Parrot lacks in physical activity, it more than makes up for with the noise it makes. This bird is so loud and noisy that it does not matter whether or not you like the sounds that it emits. Singing Parrots will make you know that they are around by producing high-pitched noises that may or may not be appealing to the ears, depending on the person. This is where the “singing” in its name comes from as the Singing Parrot will always find every opportunity it can get to boasts its vocal cords. Regardless of whether it is in place or in flight, the Singing Parrot will sing. At times, this bird may even get too annoying not only because of the high-pitched noise it makes but also because it may try to sing in the evening.
As for their singing, these parrots can easily pick up different types of tunes and even play them back if they get used to the song. Some animal trainers love Singing Parrots because of how intelligently they can pick up certain melodies and then play them back.
Singing Parrots are well-behaved birds in captivity except for their singing. While some may mistake their lack of activity to their nature, the most common reason as to why they tend to behave in captivity is that their health may not be holding up well due to the stress they are under. Singing Parrots easily get stressed in captivity. That means that potential pet owners should be wary of where they get their parrots from and of how they are planning to take care of these birds.
Eating Habits
While birds are known to be generally omnivorous eaters, the Singing Parrot is primarily a herbivore and will most likely prefer to eat anything that is not meat-based. That means that its diet is regularly composed of different types of fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts found in the wild.
In their natural habitat, Singing Parrots love to eat fruits. Since these birds are usually perched high up on trees, they will most likely eat any kind of tropical fruit they can get their beaks on. That means that they are very fond of any kind of banana and also will not mind eating mangoes, berries, apples, oranges, and pears. They will also feast on the seeds of the fruits they eat and may even eat greens from time to time.
When feeding your Singing Parrot in captivity, make sure you give it a very healthy diet to make up for the stress it may be undergoing. In some cases, a good diet can help get it through stressful periods. Fruits such as bananas, mangoes, apples, pears, and oranges should regularly be a big part of their diet, but you can also feed them with other types of food such as oats. Some pet owners love to make their own porridge made out of oats, multigrain flakes, honey, pollen, and fruits so that their parrots get a complete type of meal that has all of the essential vitamins and nutrients they need. In some cases, biscuits or crackers softened in milk may also be good for Singing Parrots.
Water
Like any pet bird or parrot, it is essential to keep a clean bowl or dish of water inside the Singing Parrot’s cage as getting a good drink of water to rehydrate itself can help it cope up with stress. Also, those vocal cords need to be rehydrated from time to time.
Cage
Singing Parrots are not too particular when it comes to the type of cage you provide them. A standard birdcage that can fit a 10-foot long parrot may be good enough for this type of bird. You may opt to use a cage that is about 2.5 feet long and 1.5 feet wide as the Singing Parrot is not particularly active and will most likely love to spend its time perched instead of flying around.
Decorations are not essential. Just provide your Singing Parrot with a good spot to perch, and it will be just fine. These birds are extremely shy and are not too fond of playing with toys, unlike their macaw cousins. As such, providing them with chew toys or puzzle toys is all up to your discretion, but you will find that giving them such will not make too much of a difference since the Singing Parrot is not particularly playful.
Availability – Where to Get one?
While Singing Parrots are part of the least concerned types of animals and are fairly common in the wild, it may take some deep digging to find one available for sale either online or in your locality. These birds are not too common as pets for many households, particularly because of how noisy they can get. As such, they are not popular pets for breeders to try to breed for profit. But, even so, you may be able to find some in parrot specialty stores or if you ask for some references from bird stores that may know someone who breeds these types of parrots.
How to Care for a Singing Parrot?
Singing Parrots are not the easiest types of pet birds to take care of. They are very susceptible to stress and are easy to get sick or weak for reasons that are quite difficult to trace. In that sense, it is important to provide them with a good home and environment that will not easily stress them out. Also, you can forget about giving your Singing Parrot the best kind of diet because this can help keep their health up when they are undergoing periods of stress.
As much as possible, try not to force handle your Singing Parrot or force it to play with you. These birds are very shy and are not the friendliest parrots around. In that case, if you force them to socialize with you or with other animals, it can only put them under a lot of stress. This can perhaps lead to poor health.
Multivitamins are quite important when it comes to your Singing Parrot’s overall health because of how such supplements help keep their health up. A stressed Singing Parrot may be able to cope up with stress more if you provide it with a good and balanced type of diet that is complete in terms of nutrition and vitamins. Most people mix multivitamin supplements together with the Singing Parrot’s porridge.
FAQ Section?
Does the Singing Parrot talk?
The Singing Parrot may or may not talk, but the one thing that is sure is that it is good at mimicking all sorts of musical sounds.
Can the Singing Parrot eat meat?
Singing Parrots prefer a diet that is based mostly on fruits and grains and is not known to enjoy eating meat-based food.
Are Singing Parrot’s good pets to have?
Generally, Singing Parrots are difficult to take care of because of how they are susceptible to stress. For most people, Singing Parrots are not the best types of pets because of how noisy they can get at night.
Do Singing Parrots love to play?
As shy as they are, Singing Parrots are not the most playful types of birds, but there are instances wherein such parrots may, in fact, play with their owners once they are already used to the environment.
