8 Smartest Parrot Species That Will Blow Your Mind Want a clever companion with feathers? By Alyson Kalhagen Alyson Kalhagen Alyson Kalhagen is an avian expert and writer with more than 10 years of combined professional experience as a veterinary technician and manager of a chain of successful pet stores. Her specialty is in avian behavior and socialization. Alyson owns several birds and has been featured in Bird Talk Magazine. Learn more about The Spruce Pets' Editorial Process Updated on 08/14/25 Credit: averess / Getty Images The phrase "bird brain" may suggest lack of intelligence, but birds are actually among the most intelligent animals on Earth. In fact, pet birds often showcase their cleverness. If you're considering an intelligent feathered friend, explore these eight exceptionally smart parrot species. Tip Harvard professor Dr. Irene Pepperberg studied Alex, an African gray parrot, revealing insights that transformed linguistic and animal cognition studies. She has published books about her experiences with these communicative birds. 01 of 08 African Gray Parrot African Grey Parrot. Credit: Photo Courtesy of Florida Parrot Rescue Revered for centuries, the African gray parrot is renowned for its intelligence, comparable to that of a young child. These parrots excel in shape recognition, color identification, and understanding the concept of zero. They can learn various communication games to deepen bonds with their owners. Species Overview Length: 13 inchesWeight: 15 to 18 ouncesPhysical Characteristics: Varying shades of gray on the body; red tail feathers 02 of 08 Macaw Hyacinth Macaw. Credit: Mike Powles, Oxford Scientific/ Getty Images The vibrant macaw is highly intelligent, known for its speech mimicry and complex tricks. Smaller macaws, like the yellow-collared, Hahn's, and severe macaws, are equally smart, sharing the same personality and abilities as their larger relatives. Species Overview Length: 40 inches; half the total body length in the tail feathers Weight: 42 to 50 ounces Physical Characteristics: Deep shade of solid blue on the body; bright yellow patches around the eyes and lower beak 03 of 08 Amazon Parrot Blue fronted Amazon parrot. Credit: Michael Leach / Getty Images The Amazon parrot is renowned for its intelligence and ability to mimic human speech almost perfectly. Due to these skills, they've been popular pets for centuries. Besides talking, Amazon parrots excel in learning complex tricks and tasks. Species Overview Length: 13 to 15 inchesWeight: 7 to 25 ouncesPhysical Characteristics: Green body feathers; over 15 species of Amazon parrot with different head colorings 04 of 08 Cockatoo Credit: boti / Getty Images Cockatoos are recognized for their charming personalities and impressive intelligence. They bond deeply with their owners, which can lead to anxiety when left alone. Teaching cockatoos to play independently helps manage their social needs and prevents dependency. Species Overview Length: 18 inchesWeight: 14 to 28 ouncesPhysical Characteristics: Mostly white body; some yellow feathers underneath the wings; reddish eyes in females, brown to black eyes in males Continue to 5 of 8 below 05 of 08 Eclectus Parrot Credit: Lindsay Brown / Getty Images The striking Eclectus parrot is highly intelligent and, with positive reinforcement, can learn to talk, perform tricks, and engage in tasks. They're ideal for those seeking a smaller, social pet bird. Species Overview Length: 14 inchesWeight: 12 to 19 ouncesPhysical Characteristics: Green body with blue and red, yellow on the head (male); red body with purple, blue and some yellow (female) 06 of 08 Budgie Budgerigars, or budgies, are small but intelligent and trainable, able to learn both speech and fun tricks. Like larger parrots, they require a long-term commitment from their owners. Species Overview Length: 7 inchesWeight: 1 ouncePhysical Characteristics: Light green body with black wing markings and yellow head; captive-bred colors include blue, gray, green, white, violet, yellow/blue 07 of 08 Indian Ringneck Parrot The Indian ringneck parrot, though not a master at vocal mimicry, impart mood and sentiment with their unique voices. Some can learn up to 250 words. Historically, wild ringnecks that mimicked monks' prayers were revered as mystical birds. Species Overview Length: 16 inchesWeight: 5 to 6 ouncesPhysical Characteristics: Bright green body; red and black neck ring (male); no ring or a pale shadow (female) 08 of 08 Monk Parakeet The monk parakeet, or Quaker parrot, is a small but talkative parrot known for its large vocabulary. As you verbalize activities around them, these parrots learn words and phrases, often developing the ability to string multiple phrases together. They also mimic room sounds and sing. Known as "little clowns," their sassy and spunky nature is endearing. Species Overview Length: 11 inchesWeight: 3 to 4 ouncesPhysical Characteristics: Breeding for pale green, white, or blue, and yellow; orange beaks Explore more: Parrots & Pet Birds Pet Bird Species