These intelligent, brightly colored, affectionate birds are found mainly in warm, tropical regions and have long been popular as pets, in large part because many of them can learn to talk. But capture of wild parrots for the pet trade, along with the destruction of forests, have decimated populations of these birds, and many species are now threatened with extinction.

About half of the approximately 315 species of parrots in the world are native to Central and South America. Members of the parrot order (Psittaciformes) include the macaws of Central and South America, which are the largest parrots, with bright feathers; cockatoos of Australia with white feathers and crests on their heads; lorikeets of Australia with orange-red bills and brightly-colored feathers; cockatiels, which are small, long-tailed, crested parrots also from Australia; and parakeets, which are small, natural acrobats, usually with green feathers. Parakeets include lovebirds...