Birds often showcase vivid colors. This leads to curiosity about whether colors like purple appear in popular species such as parrots. While avian beauty spans an incredible spectrum, some colorations are rarer than others.
The Truth About Purple Parrots
Despite popular belief and occasional imagery, there are no known parrot species that are entirely or predominantly purple in nature. Any depiction of an entirely purple parrot is likely due to artificial interventions like dyeing, digital manipulation, or misidentification. While some birds might display purple hues or distinct markings, a truly “purple parrot” as a recognized species does not exist in the wild.
How Parrots Get Their Colors
The vibrant colors observed in bird feathers arise from two primary mechanisms: pigments and structural coloration. Pigmentary colors, such as yellows, reds, and oranges, are produced by compounds like carotenoids, which birds typically obtain through their diet. Melanins, another group of pigments, are synthesized by the bird and result in black, brown, and gray tones. True blue and green pigments are rare in birds; instead, these colors are usually created structurally.
Structural colors occur when the microscopic architecture of a feather’s surface, rather than a chemical pigment, scatters light in specific ways. Tiny air pockets or keratin structures within feathers can selectively reflect certain wavelengths, producing blues and greens. Purple coloration in birds often results from a complex interaction between these structural blues and underlying red pigments. The precise combination for widespread purple plumage is uncommon in parrots.
Birds That Look Purple or Have Purple Markings
While fully purple parrots are absent from nature, several parrot species do exhibit remarkable purple hues or markings that might contribute to the misconception. The male Plum-headed Parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala), for example, possesses a distinctive head that is pinkish-purple, shading to a more blue-purple on the hindcrown, nape, and cheeks. Female Eclectus Parrots (Eclectus roratus) are predominantly bright red, but depending on the subspecies, they can display deep purple markings on their chests and tails, with some Vosmaeri Eclectus females having a lavender-purple breast. Additionally, the Violet-necked Lory (Eos squamata) is a mostly red and blue parrot, with a blue abdomen and a purple-red tail, and some subspecies feature varying amounts of violet coloring on their necks.
Beyond parrots, the avian world does feature other species with significant purple plumage. The American Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) is a striking marsh bird with a resplendent purple-blue body that can shimmer with hints of green and turquoise in good light. Males of the Violet-backed Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster) boast iridescent violet plumage on their head and back, contrasting with pure white underparts. Various hummingbirds, such as the male Costa’s Hummingbird, display iridescent purple throat patches that can appear dramatically different depending on the angle of view, and the Violet-crowned Hummingbird also features an iridescent purple head.