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Parrot Phylogeny

The phylogeny of the parrots is still under investigation, and no definite answers are available for entire sections. The classifications as presented reflects the current status, and are subject to change when new studies resolve some of the open questions. For that reason, this classification should be treated as preliminary.

It has long been considered unquestionable that the Psittaciformes consist of 2 major living lineages of family rank: the true parrots (Psittacidae) and the cockatoos (Cacatuidae). The Cacatuidae are quite distinct, having a movable headcrest, different arrangement of the carotid arteries, a gall bladder, differences in the skull bones, and lack the Dyck texture feathers which, in the Psittacidae, scatters light in such a way as to produce the vibrant colours of so many parrots. However, the actual situation may be more complex.

While understanding of the relationships between subgroups of true parrots - e.g. the one containing the Grey Parrot vs. the relatives of the budgerigar - are rather well resolved and knowledge of relationships between species has much improved in the last years, it is still a matter of dispute whether the distinct lineages of true parrots should be considered subfamilies or tribes. Due to parrot fossils and molecular divergence date estimates providing insufficient data to properly resolve when exactly the major diversification and divergence periods in parrot evolution took place, i.e., how distinct the various lineages are really from each other, or how fast and radically they were changed by evolution.

The matter hinges much upon the status of the lorikeets, which a number of authorities regard as a third family Loriidae rather than part of the Psittacidae (e.g. Forshaw & Cooper, 1989). Others lump all Psittaciformes into one giant family.The present majority view is that they are distinct enough to warrant subfamily status, but some consider the quite pronounced differences not evidence of a uniquely deep evolutionary split but rather not different quantitatively from the differences between more closely related lineages. Biogeography suggests that the lorikeets are best considered a uniquely distinct lineage, not as divergent as cockatoos maybe, but still standing apart from other psittacids.

Recent molecular studies (e.g. of mtDNA: Miyaki et al. (1998), or the sex chromosome spindlin gene: de Kloet & de Kloet 2005) find the relationships of the main lineages of living parrots to be for the most part unresolvable with any confidence. An unexpected result was that according to the spindlin sequence data, the only major divergence among living parrots that could be reliably positioned in the calculated phylogenies occurred between some New Zealand parrots - Kakapo, Kaka and Kea - and the remaining psittaciforms. While the latter two seem indeed to constitute a distinct lineage, placement of the kakapo with these is contradicted by mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data (Miyaki et al. 1998). In any case, the major lineages of psittacines seem indeed to represent distinct clades, but their relationship among them is not well resolvable by the present molecular data. They appear to have radiated throughout a fairly limited timespan, approximately during the Eocene. One finding of major importance is that neither cockatoos nor lories seem to be as distinct from other major parrot lineages as they are usually assumed to be.

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Parrot Food Simple healthy bird food recipes for your parrot. Order parrot food online: Beak Appetit, Roudybush, Harrisons, Goldenfeast, bulk & more... Disclaimer Disclaimer: ParrotRecipes.com does not guarantee or endorse any recipe or product listed on this site. If you have questions or concerns about the recipes, ingredients, or nutritional requirements of a pet, contact a licensed avian veterinarian. Please understand that you are solely responsible for the use of any information given on this site and use of any information will be at your own risk. Remember - parrots need a variety of foods and have specific vitamin and mineral requirements which need to be met. It is important to give them a well-rounded diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, seed, and pellets. Treats should be just that: treats. Here is a list of some non-bird-safe items to AVOID: teflon/non-stick cookware lead (in cages or toys) brass (in cages or toys) mite protectors sand perches grit/gravel tobacco and food items: canned veggies, non-organic fruits & veggies, avocados, eggplant, rhubarb, potato leaves, tomato leaves, bean plant leaves, apple seeds, alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, apricot seeds, cherrie seeds, peach seeds, pear seeds, plum seeds, avocado pits, peanuts