Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
7 of the Most Exotic Pet Birds
Black Palm Cockatoo
A bird that is as equally impressive as it is uncommon, the Black Palm Cockatoo is an eye-catching species that originates, like all cockatoos, in Australia. These very large birds are highly intelligent, but they aren't known for being especially affectionate. It is important that they receive proper training in order to make suitable pets. Black Palm Cockatoos are only recommended for highly experienced owners of large challenging parrots; this beautiful but bold bird requires a bold owner.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 20 inches
WEIGHT: 31 to 42 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Very dark, smoky gray to black body, beak, feet, and legs; very long, dark crest; bright red patches of bare skin on cheeks; intimidating upper beak
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Beautiful and unusual, Victoria Crowned Pigeons are very large birds, and yet, they are actually quite gentle and easy to tame. They need wide spaces in which to live and can be challenging to keep for this reason. While their dipping bird dances are intriguing, they spend much of their time running on the ground, so they cannot be kept caged like many pet bird species.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 29 inches
WEIGHT: 5.5 pounds
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: French blue feathers, a dark mask, and maroon breast; a lighter shade of blue on the wings; a crest of dark blue lace with vivid white tips, red eyes
Golden Conure
Also known as the Queen of Bavaria Conure, the large, colorful, and striking Golden Conures are truly a sight to behold. But as too many of these birds have been captured from the wild, they have become endangered so they are increasingly hard to come by in the pet trade. They are considered rather uncommon as a result. While there are breeders that offer these birds for sale occasionally, all sales of Golden Conures are strictly regulated. It can be difficult to locate one.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 14 inches
WEIGHT: 8 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Bright yellow body; dark green tips of flight feathers; pink legs and feet
Australian King Parrot
A beautiful and uncommon bird from Down Under is the brightly feathered Australian King Parrot. They are the only parrot species with an entirely red head. Highly intelligent birds, they can form close bonds with their owners but seem to be a little more resistant to affection than other types of birds. These birds are good candidates for owners who have plenty of experience keeping and working with the hard-beaked hookbills. As very large birds, they need plenty of space to exercise and play in order to thrive in captivity.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 16 to 18 inches
WEIGHT: 9 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Bright red plumage on the heads and chests, vivid green feathers on the backs and tails, and blue feathers underneath the wings (male); green feathers on the heads, backs, and chests, red bellies, patch of blue on the rumps (female); gray feet and legs
Green Aracari
The Green Aracari is one of the smallest members of the toucan family. Toucan keepers know how difficult these birds are to keep in a home; many more hazards are involved with them than with even the large parrots. First, with a need for a constant supply of ripe, fresh fruit, these birds are expensive to feed. A toucan's fruit is also flung about all day long, so walls near aracari enclosures must be washed often.
Species Overview
LENGTH: Up to 13 inches
WEIGHT: 4.5 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Black head and neck (males); bright chestnut head and neck (females); bare turquoise skin in front of eyes, red skin behind the eyes; yellow, dark red and black bill
American Crow
Crows and ravens are in the family Corvidae; they are the incredibly intelligent black and shiny birds of worldwide literature and folklore. However, corvids are protected and illegal to own as pets in the United States and in many other countries. Wildlife authorities are aware that if they were allowed to be pets, nest robbers would sell baby birds and wild populations would plummet as has been the case with many parrot species in many countries around the world.
Species Overview
LENGTH: Up to 18 inches
WEIGHT: 11 to 22 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: All black; stout beak, black legs and feet, brown eyes
Owl
Possibly the most uncommon of the pet birds are the owls. While owls are commonly depicted as loyal pets in books and movies, in reality, they are simply not suited to life in captivity. All owls are antisocial, lone hunters that do not bond with people, and they bite. But perhaps the most important factor is their unique dietary requirement. In order to stay healthy, these raptors must be fed whole rodents on a daily basis; attempting to supplement or change their diet inevitably fails.
#exoticbirds #exoticpetbirds #mostexoticpetbirds
7 of the Most Exotic Pet Birds
Black Palm Cockatoo
A bird that is as equally impressive as it is uncommon, the Black Palm Cockatoo is an eye-catching species that originates, like all cockatoos, in Australia. These very large birds are highly intelligent, but they aren't known for being especially affectionate. It is important that they receive proper training in order to make suitable pets. Black Palm Cockatoos are only recommended for highly experienced owners of large challenging parrots; this beautiful but bold bird requires a bold owner.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 20 inches
WEIGHT: 31 to 42 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Very dark, smoky gray to black body, beak, feet, and legs; very long, dark crest; bright red patches of bare skin on cheeks; intimidating upper beak
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Beautiful and unusual, Victoria Crowned Pigeons are very large birds, and yet, they are actually quite gentle and easy to tame. They need wide spaces in which to live and can be challenging to keep for this reason. While their dipping bird dances are intriguing, they spend much of their time running on the ground, so they cannot be kept caged like many pet bird species.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 29 inches
WEIGHT: 5.5 pounds
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: French blue feathers, a dark mask, and maroon breast; a lighter shade of blue on the wings; a crest of dark blue lace with vivid white tips, red eyes
Golden Conure
Also known as the Queen of Bavaria Conure, the large, colorful, and striking Golden Conures are truly a sight to behold. But as too many of these birds have been captured from the wild, they have become endangered so they are increasingly hard to come by in the pet trade. They are considered rather uncommon as a result. While there are breeders that offer these birds for sale occasionally, all sales of Golden Conures are strictly regulated. It can be difficult to locate one.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 14 inches
WEIGHT: 8 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Bright yellow body; dark green tips of flight feathers; pink legs and feet
Australian King Parrot
A beautiful and uncommon bird from Down Under is the brightly feathered Australian King Parrot. They are the only parrot species with an entirely red head. Highly intelligent birds, they can form close bonds with their owners but seem to be a little more resistant to affection than other types of birds. These birds are good candidates for owners who have plenty of experience keeping and working with the hard-beaked hookbills. As very large birds, they need plenty of space to exercise and play in order to thrive in captivity.
Species Overview
LENGTH: 16 to 18 inches
WEIGHT: 9 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Bright red plumage on the heads and chests, vivid green feathers on the backs and tails, and blue feathers underneath the wings (male); green feathers on the heads, backs, and chests, red bellies, patch of blue on the rumps (female); gray feet and legs
Green Aracari
The Green Aracari is one of the smallest members of the toucan family. Toucan keepers know how difficult these birds are to keep in a home; many more hazards are involved with them than with even the large parrots. First, with a need for a constant supply of ripe, fresh fruit, these birds are expensive to feed. A toucan's fruit is also flung about all day long, so walls near aracari enclosures must be washed often.
Species Overview
LENGTH: Up to 13 inches
WEIGHT: 4.5 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Black head and neck (males); bright chestnut head and neck (females); bare turquoise skin in front of eyes, red skin behind the eyes; yellow, dark red and black bill
American Crow
Crows and ravens are in the family Corvidae; they are the incredibly intelligent black and shiny birds of worldwide literature and folklore. However, corvids are protected and illegal to own as pets in the United States and in many other countries. Wildlife authorities are aware that if they were allowed to be pets, nest robbers would sell baby birds and wild populations would plummet as has been the case with many parrot species in many countries around the world.
Species Overview
LENGTH: Up to 18 inches
WEIGHT: 11 to 22 ounces
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: All black; stout beak, black legs and feet, brown eyes
Owl
Possibly the most uncommon of the pet birds are the owls. While owls are commonly depicted as loyal pets in books and movies, in reality, they are simply not suited to life in captivity. All owls are antisocial, lone hunters that do not bond with people, and they bite. But perhaps the most important factor is their unique dietary requirement. In order to stay healthy, these raptors must be fed whole rodents on a daily basis; attempting to supplement or change their diet inevitably fails.
#exoticbirds #exoticpetbirds #mostexoticpetbirds
