Birds are one of the most abundant pets, among whom parrots top the chart. Their vibrant colorations and talkative skills make them one of the most in-demand pets in the world. Their prices may range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. One question has always prevailed among parrot lovers, Which are the most expensive parrots in the world? To answer this question, we bring to you our today’s article, Top 10 Most Expensive Parrots in the World (to Keep as Pets 2023).
Most Expensive Parrots in the World
10) Derbyan Parakeet
Price: $1500- 2000
The Derbyan Parakeet is one of the rarest parrots on our list, endemic to small pockets of forests in the Indian States of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. These parrots bear multiple colorations, dorsal green plumage, black lower cheeks, and grey to lavender breast, abdomen, and under-wings.
Females can be distinguished from males, as they have a black beak while the latter have that in red and yellow. Habitat destruction and the pet trade are major threats to these birds.
9) Yellow-Naped Amazon
Price: $1,500-2,500
Due to its well-known talking abilities, the yellow-naped Amazon is one of the most often kept Amazons. The yellow-naped Amazon is a large green bird with a distinctive yellow band running over the lower nape (back of the neck) and hindneck. It also has a black beak.
Yellow-napes live along Central America’s and southern Mexico’s Pacific coasts. It is advisable not to adopt a yellow nape if you cannot devote enough time to it because they require a lot of care from their owners.
These birds, in the last decades, have suffered an enormous decline in their population thanks to the global pet trade.
8) African Grey Parrot
Price: up to $3500
Native to African countries like Congo and Ghana, the African grey parrots are known for their characteristic grey plumage. It typically weighs 400 g (14 oz) and measures about 33 cm in length (13 in).
The white edges on the head and body feathers give the birds a scaled look. Bright red tail feathers are present.
Grey parrots have amazing mimicry and talking skills, and they have a vocabulary that can number in the thousands. This species is seriously threatened by forest clearance and the capture of wild birds for the pet trade.
7) Blue-Eyed Cockatoos
Price: up to $4,000
The Blue-eyes cockatoos have a complete white plumage, including its crest, which distinguishes it from Sulphur-crested cockatoos. However, when they are flying, their yellow-washed under-wings are visible.
Blue-eyes cockatoos are recognizable by a ring of vivid blue skin that surrounds their eyes, which gives them their name. These cockatoos love to eat a range of natural seeds, nuts, fruits, insects, and larvae in their natural habitat.
The wild population of these birds is still suffering from habitat degradation and illicit cage-keeping for the pet trade.
6) Blue-Fronted Amazon
Price: up to $4,000
This lovely parrot’s primary hue is its lime green color. Their “blue-fronted” nickname refers to a blue or turquoise spot that may be seen right above the beak. These personable and highly intelligent birds require regular human contact.
Blue-fronted Amazons graze on fruits, berries, leaf buds, blooms, seeds, and nuts in their natural habitat. The USA forbids the importation of such birds for the pet trade due to its CITES listing.
5) Galah Cockatoo
Price: $4000
The Galah Cockatoos are one of the most abundant cockatoos found in inland Australia. Its features include a pink face, pink breast, a light pink movable crest, a mid-grey back, and a pale grey rump.
Galahs are delightful, active pets and, when properly socialized and trained, have good communication skills. They are incredibly intelligent, enjoy being around people, and are always trying to outdo their owners, making them formidable pets.
4) Scarlet Macaw
Price: $3000-4000
Next up in our list of Most Expensive Parrots in the World, we have one of the most sought-after pets, the Scarlet Macaw. As one of the most colorful parrots, these parrots have a great demand in the cage pet trade, a cause of their dwindling wild populations.
They are vivid scarlet red overall with large yellow wing patches and primarily blue wings and rump. Scarlet Macaws are endemic to South America, grow up to 33 inches, and may weigh 1 kg or more.
3) Major Mitchell’s
Price: $4000-5000
Native to inland Australia, the Major Mitchell’s is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cockatoos. The pinkish-white Major Mitchell’s cockatoo is a vivid and readily identifiable bird.
These flamboyant birds have large pink spots on their undersides and around their necks. The crest is bright red and yellow. These birds require a high degree of socialization and are known to bond with only one person throughout life.
2) Hyacinth Macaw
Price: $9000-15,000
Native to South America, the Hyacinth Macaw is the largest parrot in the world. Growing up to lengths of 1 meters, this species easily weighs between 2.6-3.7 lbs. The complete blue feathers, with a characteristic vibrant ring around its eyes and beak, help to quickly identify these birds.
The Hyacinth Macaw is now a protected species due to its rapid population decline, thanks to the illegal pet trade. The rarity and cool temperament of these birds are the primary reasons for such high prices.
1) Black Palm Cockatoo
Price: $20,000
In the first position on our list of Most Expensive Parrots in the World, we have the Black Palm Cockatoo. With a body that measures 22-24 inches, it is also the largest cockatoo species in the world.
This bird can be recognized by their long crests, characteristic black or smoky-grey color, red check patches, and beak, which may be one of the largest among all parrots. The Black Palm Cockatoo is not a beginner’s bird as it requires a large space and has a rough temperament.
It is humanity’s moral duty to respect the rights of every individual, be it a fellow human or an animal. Birds aren’t any object that one should keep in cages for showcasing.
The demand for these birds as pets greatly affects their wild populations, with many of them on the brink of getting extinct from the face of the earth forever. At the utmost, it is advisable to adopt birds from breeders since they are born in captivity rather than taking them from their wild habitats.
Here we conclude our article on Top 10 Most Expensive Parrots in the World (to Keep as Pets 2023). Stay tuned for many more interesting articles.
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A zoology student turned writer. Nature has always been a magnet to me, and to unearth some of its secrets through my articles is my prime intention. If not engaging myself with nature and anime content, you can always find me going through some Bengali classics or filling the air with some soulful Tabla beats. An artist, trying to throw some colors to my blank canvas of life.