I've recently acquired a bird. I was told this bird was a parakeet. Five months later, a visitor in my home

Question

stated that my bird is actually a parrot. I don't know, maybe it is a parrot. How can tell what kind of bird this is? I remember having a parakeet as a child and it seems like it had long tail feathers unlike "Beekers" who is sporting what I would call no tail feathers. He makes all kinds of interesting sounds and has multi-colored feathers most of which are grey, some yellow, a little orange. It's beak seems to curve downward. What do you think it is?

Answer 1

Just from the little description you give, perhaps an African Grey Parrot. Doesn't sound like much of a parakeet or budgie to me. Maybe go to Yahoo! Images and look up pix of 'parakeets', "African Grey Parrot', 'parrots'and 'pet birds' to see if you find it.
Good luck, HTH


****Just to be clear since so many say Cockatiel....this bird has very short to no lenghtly tail feathers, correct?

Answer 2

A parakeet is a category of parrot. Parakeets are basically categorized as parrots of the small to medium size range with long tails. It's a very vague name, and I believe it's only the US that uses this name to refer to one species of parrot. If you had a "parakeet" when you were younger, it's likely you had a budgie, the more specific and "proper" name for the little parrot. All birds of the psittacine family (parrots) have hooked bills, which accounts for the curved beak, so it is a parrot.

If you were actually told it was a parakeet by a reputable source, it may be a type of parakeet because there are multiple birds that fall under the name parakeet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parakeet

How many colours are we talking for multi-coloured? The only things that comes to mind is what's referred to as a "monk parakeet", more commonly a quaker parrot. They do have some grey on their heads and a shorter tail than some other "parakeet" birds, but they're mostly green.

If it's totally not a parakeet, I would say cockatiel along with some of the other replies, though cockatiels have very long tails as well. Tiels have orange cheeks, males have yellow faces, and that's in a typical common mutation called "regular grey". You could check this: http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/parakeets/parakeets.htm out, too, to see if any possibilities are there.

It would be very helpful if you posted a picture though.

Answer 3

The word parakeet is used in the US to mean a Budgerigar, a small Australian member of the psitticine (parrot) family, but in the true sense parakeet is actually a generic term for members of this family that have long tails. The word parrot refers to members that have short tails. There are many types of both birds. There is also a huge range of sizes.

Someone suggested your bird might be a Cockatiel. The color sounds right, but unless he has lost his tail, he would have long tail feathers. He also would have a crest kind of like a cardinal. Otherwise I am not sure.

Answer 4

parrots have much more solid beaks than parakeets, also require a different diet. They are also more aggressive and cannot be housed with parakeets, as they will 'chew' their feet off.
Where did you get your bird from? You could go back and ask what type of bird it is, you really should know what kind of bird you own so you know how to feed it properly. Look up some pics on the net or in a bird book until you find your bird.

Answer 5

"Parakeet" is just a catch-all term for a small psitticine bird with long tail feathers. Alexandrine parakeets, monk parakeets and Indian Ringneck Parakeets all fall under that category but are very different from a budgie, which is what many people think is "the" parakeet.

In other words, a parakeet is a parrot, but not all parrots are parakeets.

Answer 6

It sounds to me that you described a quaker parrot, also called monk parakeet. I have one, and he is mostly green, with some blue and grey bellied. He is rather larger then a parakeet, because i ahve 2 parakeets, and one parrot, so i am awareof the differeneces. Look both up on google.

Answer 7

Just look at picture of both parrots and parakeets on the internet and see which one your bird looks like.

Answer 8

It sounds like a Lorikeet by colouration except that they do have budgie-type tail feathers. You could go to www.google.com and type in lorikeet, see if that's your bird. By the tail feathers, or lack of them, alone I'd guess a Lovebird. Try that search as well.

Knowing the size would help, too.

Good luck, dear. Sounds like Beekers is quite a treasure.

Answer 9

Parakeets do have long tail feathers. From the colors you describe, it sounds to me like you have a cockateil. Cockateils are great little guys, do search for them on the internet and you will find a lot a pictures to compare to

Answer 10

A parakeet is a type of Parrot.