Parrots That I Have Known Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hyacinth macaw

The hyacinth macaw is over 3 ft (100 cm) long from head to tail and is a deep shade of blue. They have yellow rings around the eyes and a yellow strip of skin either side of their black beaks. If you are lucky enough to get close to the birds, you will see that there is a subtle change in the colour of their feathers and are paler on the head, gradually darkening towards the tail.

Although prices vary over the years, a breeding pair of hyacinth macaws will cost several tens of thousands of pounds (£30,000 in 2008).

Answer: African grey

There are only two sure ways to sex a parrot. The best is to have them DNA tested and the other is to wait for the parrot to do what George did, and that is to lay an egg.

The African grey is thought to be one of the most intelligent parrot species and, like all larger parrots, can live to a very old age. Living sixty years in captivity is not unusual. The grey feathers are lighter around the eyes and legs and they have a red tail.

George was not a great talker, but her range of sounds was brilliant. She would copy the time pips on the radio and often had me rushing to answer the telephone.

Answer: Goffin's cockatoo

Also known as the Tanimbar corella, the parrots appear to be white with salmon spots on the cheeks. Upon closer inspection, Captain was actually very pale pink in places with darker feathers on the face, crest and tail. If kept in pairs the sexes are easier to see as the females are slightly smaller than the males. Captain used to call out her name to me in greeting.

Answer: Nanday conure

Also known as the nanday parakeet and the black-hooded parakeet, the nanday conure that I met was a happy little bird. To call Peter green is to do him a dis-service. Although small, he is as brightly coloured as his larger cousins. He wears a cap of black feathers, scarlet feathers on his legs, blue feathers on his chest and several different shades of green over his body.

The various flocks in USA and Israel are thought to have bred from released pet birds.

Answer: Tucuman Amazon

Freddy, the Tucuman Amazon was a domineering, medium sized (12 inches/31 cm) parrot. A short tailed, solid looking bird with a few red feathers on the wings who was fiercely independent. My friend rescued him as a young bird and only got to hold him properly thirty years later in the latter stage of his final illness.

Answer: Sulphur-crested cockatoo

Sulphur-crested cockatoos flock in large numbers and as well as being noisy and messy can devastate crops and buildings in Australia. Brucie, the medium sulphur-crested cockatoo is typical of the type; noisy, fierce, inquisitive, trainable, ever-chewing, time-consuming and cheeky, but well worth the effort needed.

The sulphur-crested cockatoo comes in medium and large, length around 17-22 in (44-55 cm) and the bright yellow crest looks similar to the sun's rays when extended.

Answer: Red-capped parrot

The red-capped parrot has many colours down his 15 inches (35 cm) from a deep red head through yellows, greens, black and blue. Splat was rescued by the fire brigade after he flew into a window. He had a viciously hooked beak, but would only gently hold my finger to warn me when I put my hand in his cage to top up his food dish.

Answer: Scarlet macaw

Scarlet macaws are actually scarlet, yellow and blue parrots with touches of green where the yellow and blue meet. Their magnificent tails make up more than half of their 32 inch (81 cm) length.

I first met Aztec the scarlet macaw as a young bird and watched him mature. He was similar to a toddler in that he would throw tantrums one moment then want a cuddle the next and always wanting to play.

By the way, the pirates got it wrong. One place you should never put a parrot is on your shoulder. They have very strong beaks. If they bite your ear because they are startled, instinct makes you put your hand up and you have a bitten hand too, as well as an unsecured parrot.

Answer: Blue-and-yellow macaw

Also known as blue-and-gold macaws, these striking birds make loving companions, bonding well with their human. They are clever birds that can be taught to talk, but like the child whose intelligence level they can reach, will be stubborn and do their own thing. One example is that my friend had owned Oscar for over twenty years and had never heard him talk, but I did. The reason for that was that he had bonded with my friend, but he still had to compete for my attention.

Blue-and-yellow macaws look mostly blue from above, but yellow from the front and underneath.

Answer: Golden conure

This beautifully bright bird is also known as golden parakeet, golden parrot, Queen of Bavaria conure and yellow conure. It is large for a conure at 14 in (35 cm) and needs a lot of attention as they love to explore. Make sure that there are no gaps to squeeze through when you let one out of the cage!