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'''Parrots''' are a family of raucous [[bird]]s within the order Psittaciformes, consisting of about 372 species found on all continents except Antarctica, and characterized by a deeply-hooked bill, often gaudy plumage, and a high intelligence.  Kept as cage birds for millennia, parrots retain a popularity due to intelligence, playfulness, and an astonishing ability to imitate human speech and many other sounds.  It is primarily due to the pet trade that some 90 species are threatened with extinction<ref>http://www.parrotsinternational.org/</ref>.

'''Parrots''' are a family of raucous [[bird]]s within the order Psittaciformes, consisting of about 372 species found on all continents except Antarctica, and characterized by a deeply-hooked bill, often gaudy plumage, and a high intelligence.  Kept as cage birds for millennia, parrots retain a popularity due to intelligence, playfulness, and an astonishing ability to imitate human speech and many other sounds.  It is primarily due to the pet trade that some 90 species are threatened with extinction.<ref>http://www.parrotsinternational.org/</ref>

==Description==

==Description==

Parrots have an upright stance when perched; when not flying they move about in the trees using their hooked beak as a climbing aid.  On the ground they walk with a rolling gait.  Both feet are zygodactyl, i.e. two toes in front, two toes behind, a trait shared with [[owl]]s and [[woodpecker]]s.  Parrots further use one foot as a "hand" to hold and bring food to its mouth.

Parrots have an upright stance when perched; when not flying they move about in the trees using their hooked beak as a climbing aid.  On the ground they walk with a rolling gait.  Both feet are zygodactyl, i.e. two toes in front, two toes behind, a trait shared with [[owl]]s and [[woodpecker]]s.  Parrots further use one foot as a "hand" to hold and bring food to its mouth.

Parrot plumage is also unique in that the brilliant colors are not the result of diet; they are made directly within the feathers by a set of five pigments, or ''psittacofulvins'', a trait found in no other bird species<ref>http://creation.com/parrot-fashion</ref>.

Parrot plumage is also unique in that the brilliant colors are not the result of diet; they are made directly within the feathers by a set of five pigments, or ''psittacofulvins'', a trait found in no other bird species.<ref>http://creation.com/parrot-fashion</ref>

===Phylogeny===

===Phylogeny===

==References==

==References==

== External links ==

== External links ==