Kathy Sears, age 10, of Mesa, Ariz., for her question:

ARE THERE MANY K1NDS OF PARROTS?

 Parrot is a larye family of colorful birds there are about   315 species of parrots with about half of these found lit   Central and South America.   One kind of parrot, the thick billed parrot, sometimes   wanders as far north as southern Arizona and New Mexico.   The macaws of Central and South America are the largest   parrots. They have long, pointed tails and brightly coloxed  feathers. Some of them are three feet long.   The smallest of the world's parrots is only three inches  long.
Parrots are popular as pets because they become  affectionate and tame and can also be taught to talk. In the   wilds, they are noisy, social birds that live chiefly in   forested areas in lowlands and mountains. They are found   usually in the warm, tropical region. some, however, are in dry regions or in savannas, which are lightly wooded   plains.   True parrots are funny and have square tails. Paraxeets   are small and most of them have pointed tails and green   feathers. Most of the cockatoos of Australia are white and   have crests or tufts of long feathers on their heads. Lories   of Australia nave red or orange bills and bright feathers.   Some parrots are very unusual. New Zealand's owl parrot,   which cannot fly, has an owl live face and olive green   feathers. The Pea parrot, also of New Zealand, will   occasionally attack sheep and eat the fat surrounding the sheep's kidneys.

Southeastern Asia has tiny hanging parrots which sleep   hanging upside down liKe Dats. New Guinea's pygmy parrots creep   up tree trunxs, using their stiff tails for support.   Most parrots live on a diet of buns, fruits, nuts and   seeds. The ken and kaka of New Zealand also eat grubs and   worms. Lories eat the nectar and pollen they collect with   their tongues. They nave furry, rough tongues especially   suited to this task.    All parrots lay round, white eggs. They lay their eggs in   holes in trees, on the ground, in cracks in rocks or in holes   dug in termite nests.

If you decide you want to keep a parrot in captivity, you   should make sure that the bird is kept 1n a cage large enough   so that it can exercise. The cage should be clean and warm.   Parrots need water, fresh air and wholesome food to stay   healthy.
The African gray parrot, gray with a red tail, and the   green Amazon parrot of south America learn to talk easily.   Patience is necessary to teach a bird to talk, because the   words must be repeated many times. You must avoid distraction   while you are teaching the bird.
 Parrots may carry the virus disease psittacosis, or ornithosis. This disease is sometimes called "parrot fever." It   affects all kinds of birds and can be transmitted to human   beings. Because of this disease, severe restrictions have been   placed on the importation of parrots. All parrots must be   examined by a health officer before being shipped to the   United States.