Parrot vs Parakeet
It is true that Elephants, Whales, Dolphins, Whale Sharks, Giant Pandas, Polar Bears are flagship species albeit, the glamour of parrots and parakeets is something that could never be disregarded. The beauty of the features with wonderful colours along with their excellent talkativeness, parrots and parakeets have been producing a great and never ending fascination among people. No one would ever get tired of their nonstop loquaciousness.
Parrots
Parakeets, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Lorries, Macaws, Amazons, and Cockatoos are some of the parrot groups. There are more than 370 species of 86 genera of parrots (Order: Psittaciformes). Tropical and subtropical regions have been their preferred climates while, for some species temperate areas have been the home. Parrots are highly diversified group of birds and the highest in South American and next, in Australasia. The strong and curved bill with their slightly leaning upright posture makes them unique. Parrots have zygodactyle feet (two digits directed forward and the other two towards back) which are clawed. They are famed of their contrasting and attractive colours along with the lovable talkativeness. There is very low or no sexual dimorphism in parrots. The body sizes and weights vary within a wide range. The smallest member of the group (buff-faced pygmy parrot) weighs only one gram and 8 centimetres long whereas, a kakapo weighs about 4 kilograms and a Hyacinth macaw is more than one metre long. Parrots have been associated with the human culture for a very long time. According to depictions of Buddhist folklore and ancient Persian writings, parrots have been gaining attraction and interest among people.
Parakeets
Parakeets are the small to medium sized parrots those could measure maximum up to 30 centimetres long. Longer tail feather is a feature that stands out to distinguish them from the parrots. Paroquet and Paraquet are some of the referring names for parakeets. In Australia, the grassland living small parakeets are called Grasskeets or Grass parakeets. However, in USA, most parakeets are called conures. Moreover, some larger species viz. Alexandrine parakeet is referred as parrots in some literature. Usually, parakeets are communal nesters albeit, they don’t mate with many opposite sex partners. The presence of others and their sound has been brought into being influencing for successful mating inside the private nests.
Difference between Parrot and Parakeet
Parakeets being a group of parrots, the differences are very limited between them. The body size has been one major difference as parrots being much larger to the parakeets. The largest parakeet measures only up to one foot while there are parrots of one metre long and some reached their weights around 4 kilograms. The distinctively long tail feather is the other feature to separate these two beautiful creatures. Both parrots in general, and parakeets in particular, have been a part of human cultures from the ancient times. Buddhist and Persian cultures reveal that they have been closer companions people.