New World and African Parrots (Family: Psittacidae)
Summary
In this episode—which is Number 103—we enter the fascinating, colorful, loud world of parrots in the family Psittacidae. This group includes the New World parrots and some African species. We look at key parrot traits like their zygodactyl feet, strong beaks, plumage, and vocalizations.
We'll also learn about the remarkable intelligence and social behaviors of parrots, their diversity, and their evolutionary history, tracing their origins back to Gondwana and their eventual spread to South America and Africa.
Finally, we look at what psittacid parrots eat and how they breed.
