Parrots in Florida [A Look At 17 Species!] - Birdwatching Buzz (2024)

It’s common to see many different species of parrots flying around Florida, but you might be interested to learn that none of these are actually native to the state. There was only one species of parrot that was native to Florida, the Caroline Parakeet, but this is now extinct.

All of the parrots that you see often have been accidentally introduced by the exotic pet trade. These birds are generally native to places like Southern Asia, Africa and South and Central America.

Nevertheless, there are now many species of parrots that call Florida home.

17 Species Of Parrots Commonly Found In Florida

There are 17 common species of parrots that can be found in Florida. Here are some interesting facts about each one.

As you would imagine, the macaws are the largest species of parrots found in Florida and the budgerigars are the smallest.

1. Budgerigars

In the wild, budgerigars are only colored green. However, many breeding mutations have resulted in these birds displaying a variety of colors including white, blue and yellow.

They’re mainly distinguished by their black and white striped back feathers and wings and the same stripes appearing on the back of their heads. These birds mainly feast on seeds, fruits and berries.

2. Chestnut-Fronted Macaws

Chestnut fronted macaws have red feathers on the underside of their wings with bright blue feathers on the edges. They also have a long, pointed tail that has blue feathers on the outer tips. They have a white face with chestnut feathers just above their beaks. Of course, they have a large beak that is black in color.

The preferred diet of the chestnut-fronted macaw consists of nuts, seeds, fruits, flowers and green leafy matter.

3. Blue and Yellow Macaws

Blue and yellow macaws are large birds and the most striking to look at. Their head and back feathers are bright blue while their chest and the underside of their wings are bright yellow. They also have a patch of green on top of their head. They have white cheeks, a large black beak and black feathers under their chin.

These large birds like to feed on fruits, nuts, seeds and other plant material.

4. Green Parakeets

As you might have guessed, this parakeet is entirely green. In fact, it’s the only all-green parakeet in Florida and the whole of the United States. These birds also have a long, pointed tail and may exhibit a small amount of red speckling around the neck.

These parakeets like to feast on seeds and fruits.

5. Nanday Parakeets

Nanday parakeets are quite distinct in that they have a black head and beak. Their feathers are mainly a lime green but they have a blue coloring on the chest and the outer wings.

The Nanday parakeet likes to feast on fruits, nuts, vegetables and berries.

6. Orange Winged Parrots

The most distinguishing feature of the orange winged parrot is the splash of orange that is apparent on the front edges of their wings. You can only really see this when the bird is in full flight.

Otherwise, these birds are mainly green with patches of blue and yellow on the head and yellow cheeks.

These parrots like to eat a variety of fruits, nuts, berries and seeds.

7. Red-Crowned Parrots

This parrot can easily be distinguished by the bright red feathers on the top of its head. There’s also a faint patch of blue behind the parrot’s eyes. The wings of these birds have dark blue tips as well as a red patch.

These birds mainly feed on fruits, seeds, and berries. However, they’ll also eat flowers and nectar.

8. Red-Lored Parrots

These parrots have quite colorful heads. They have red feathers between the eyes and yellow cheeks. They also have a patch of blue on the top of their head right down the back. They also have some red feathers on the tips of their wings.

As well as enjoying fruits, seeds, nuts and berries, these birds also eat flower buds and blossoms.

9. Rose-Ringed Parakeets

Rose-ringed parakeets can be identified by their bright red beak and a red ring around their eyes. They are generally pale green in color and the males have a thin black line around their neck.

These birds also have long, pointed tails. They’re also commonly known as Indian ringnecks. Like many other parrots, these birds prefer a diet that consists of fruits, nuts, berries, vegetables and seeds.

10. Yellow Chevroned Parakeets

The yellow chevroned parakeet is somewhat similar to the white winged parakeet except this bird does not have the white patches on its wings. Instead there’s a bright yellow patch while the rest of the bird is light to olive green.

These parakeets feed on fruit and seeds but may also eat nectar and can often be seen at backyard feeders.

11. Monk Parakeets

Monk parakeets can easily be distinguished by their gray chests, faces and throats. Most of their feathers are pale green but they do have some blue on their wings. Interestingly, monk parakeets don’t nest in cavities. Rather, they build their nests out of sticks and live in a colony. Some of these colonies can be rather large and get added to every year.

These birds are also commonly called Quaker parrots. Their preferred diet includes fruits, nuts and vegetables.

12. Blue-Crowned Parakeets

These birds can be distinguished by the white ring that they have around their eyes. Otherwise, they’re mainly green with a blue patch on the top of their head. Their inner tail feathers are red but this can only be seen when these birds are in flight.

Blue-crowned parakeets prefer to feast on vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts and grains.

13. Red-Masked Parakeets

These parakeets are easy to identify with their bright red heads. Otherwise, their feathers are an olive-green but they do have red around their upper wings. They also have a distinctive white ring around their eyes.

These birds prefer a diet of fresh fruits and nuts.

14. Mitred Parakeets

Unlike red-masked parakeets, mitred parakeets only have patches of red around their eyes and not on the top of their head. They are similarly, pale green to olive green in color. They may also have some red patches of color around their throats and back of the head.

These birds like to feast mainly on nuts, seeds and fruit.

15. White-Eyed Parakeets

White-eyed parakeets only have small spots or patches of red on their cheeks and base of the head. Otherwise, they are dark green in color with a lighter green on the chest. They also have a white ring around their eyes. The underside of their wings is yellow in color.

White-eyed parakeets feast mainly on nuts, seeds, berries and fruit.

16. White-Winged Parakeets

The most distinguishing feature of these parakeets are their small size and the yellow and white patches on their wings. They are also commonly called canary-winged parakeets due to the yellow patches on their wings. Like all parrots, they like to eat nuts, fruits and seeds.

17. Yellow-Headed Parrots

You guessed it, these parrots are easily identified by their bright yellow heads. They also have red shoulder feathers and some red feathers on the tips of their wings. These birds are endangered and their numbers are declining in Florida.

Their diet consists mainly of nuts, fruits, berries and seeds.

Final Thoughts

There are seventeen species of parrots that now call Florida home, although none of these are native to the state. All have been introduced by the exotic pet trade and have escaped from captivity to breed and enjoy their freedom.

If you’re out travelling around Florida, you might like to familiarize yourself with the different distinguishing features of each species so that you can readily identify any parrots that you spot. Although, this can be difficult for some species as they have similar characteristics that make them hard to separate.