These
feisty, delightful little birds have the outgoing personality
of the Amazon Parrot, do not bond to their hand-feeder as some people would think. Bonding is most
successful if they are placed in their new home shortly after
they have been weaned. They must be given a loving, nurturing
environment, with limits being set early on. As long as they
are provided plenty of toys, they have the ability to entertain
themselves for hours while their owners are away. Parrotlets
make wonderful, active pets. They love to be with their owners,
sitting on a shoulder, in a shirt pocket, hiding under long
hair, or just playing and entertaining their beloved owner.
Males tend to have their favorite person, but will tolerate
others handling them, while the females tend to be a one-person
bird. Great consideration should be given to which will fit
your individual life style. A household with multiple family
members might best select the male, while the female will
make a wonderful pet for an individual owner.
Their tiny size makes them the perfect pet for apartment or
condominium living. The do not have the ability to scream,
as do many of the larger parrots. Many delightful babies have
learned to talk. Some will only learn a few words; others
will develop very large vocabularies.
The male Pacific has cobalt blue feathers that extend backward
from the eye, looking much like eye shadow. His back, rump
and wings are also cobalt blue. The females of the species
also have an eye streak, but less intense, often turquoise
or emerald green. The females have dark green backs and wings,
with light green feathers on the face.
Within
the last few years there have been a number of color mutations
developed in the pacific parrotlet. Blue, yellow, lutino,
fallow, white and albino are just some of the colors. Many
of these colors were developed in Europe, and are now being
bred in the United States. In the future we will see other
color mutations developed, very possibly the cobalt.
Pacifics are feisty little birds, with fearless personalities
and boundless energy. They have the outgoing personalities
of an Amazon Parrot, in a tiny bundle of feathers.
The Green-rump is the smallest parrotlet, more timid than
the outgoing Pacific, but make delightfully loyal pets. They
make a joyfully addition to a loving household, entertaining
everyone with their antics.
The male Spectacled is a dark forest-green with bright cobalt-blue
rumps, lower backs, wings and eye rings, under wing coverts
violet-blue.
Females are also dark green, with underparts that are brighter
green than in the male. They have emerald-green eye ring,
yellow-green face; with all the blue markings have been replaced
by green. Both males & females have pale horn colored
beaks tinged with brown, legs brownish.
Their name was derived from the eye ring which both the male & female possess, making them look as if they are wearing
glasses, hence the name spectacle. These cute little birds
have proven to make wonderful pets, and often both the male
and female will learn to speak. They love to play with toys,
so a good selection of toys should be provided to keep them
entertained and you amused with there antics.
Fewer than twenty pair were originally imported into the United
States in the fall of 1992. The Spectacled has become more
common, and easier to obtain in the last few years.
