- Nestor notabilis
- Nestor meridionalis meridionalis
- Nestor chathamensis
- Strigops habroptila
Same Genus
In most cases, your birds will need to belong to the same genus to mate and have offspring. For example, the true parrot genus Aratinga contains the sun parakeet, golden capped parakeet, dusky-headed parakeet, Nanday parakeet, etc., and these birds can usually mate when kept in the same cage because their genetic makeup is quite similar. Mixing these birds may create some interesting color patterns and might change behavior slightly. Hybrids of the same genus stand a good chance of being healthy and living full lives.
Creating Hybrid Parrots
In the wild, mating outside the genus is extremely rare. Most don’t live in the same areas and are too different genetically to create offspring in most cases. However, in captivity, it’s much more common for parrots to mate outside their species. Captive parrots can get lonely and may try to mate with other species even if it is unsuccessful. In fact, it’s not uncommon for parrots to exhibit signs that they are trying to mate with you, and a parrot becoming too bonded is a real problem. In most cases, your bird attempting to mate with other birds won’t produce offspring, but sometimes, it will create a hybrid.
Birds that might produce a hybrid include cockatoos and cockatiels, so you’ll need to be careful if you keep these birds in the same cage.
Ruby Macaw
The ruby macaw is a hybrid created by mixing the scarlet macaw and the green winged macaw. Though they are both macaws, they belong to a different genus.
Sunday Conure
The Sunday conure is a hybrid created by mixing the sun conure, an Aratinga solstitialis, with a Jenday conure, from the Aratinga jandaya genus.
Raising Hybrid Parrots
Your hybrid parrot will look like a blend of its parents. Often sporting markings and patterns from both and will be an average size. Some hybrid parrots are infertile and will not be able to produce offspring, but others will. The Catalina macaw is a mix of the scarlet macaw and the blue and gold macaw. These Catalina macaws can mate with other Catalina macaws to successfully create a second generation. These birds can also breed with other macaws, but there is a greater risk of producing sterile offspring, especially in the third generation.
Can Parrots Mate With Other Birds?
No. Parrots can only mate with other parrots, and most will only mate with those of the same genus. As we mentioned earlier, your parrot might get lonely and attempt to mate with the other birds, but there is no risk of them producing offspring. However, if the parrot becomes too attached to the other bird, it can become overly protective and become aggressive toward other birds and even you if you get too close. If you notice this behavior, you will need to split up the birds until your parrot calms down.
Can Lovebirds Interbreed?
Yes. While there are many lovebird species, they all belong to the same genus and are quite similar. However, while they can create hybrids, not all will be fertile. When breeding lovebirds with a white eye ring with others that also have the eye ring, the children should be fertile, but when mixing them with lovebirds that do not have the eye ring, the birds won’t be fertile.
Can Macaws Interbreed?
All macaws can interbreed to create 28 possible hybrid combinations. Breeders are primarily responsible for creating these hybrid macaws and do so in captivity. It’s relatively easy to find one of these hybrids at your local pet shop or from an online breeder, and they are likely the most popular type of hybrid parrot.
Can Conures Breed With Budgies?
People commonly call conures and budgies parakeets, so it’s natural to wonder if these two birds can breed. Unfortunately, these two species are too far apart genetically to produce any offspring.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are many parrot species, and some can breed to create hybrid parrots while others cannot. If you are looking to get something unique that doesn’t exist in the wild, we recommend checking with your local pet store or contact a breeder about purchasing a macaw hybrid. These birds are relatively easy to find and usually don’t cost too much. If you are worried about getting frisky in your cage, it’s unlikely that you will end up with any offspring unless they are one of the birds mentioned here.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over this guide and found the answers you need!
Featured Image Credit: Cowboy54, Shutterstock
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