Parrots are hunted by a wide range of predators, from powerful eagles and fast-diving falcons to tree-climbing snakes, wild cats, and monkeys. The specific threats depend on where a parrot lives, how large it is, and whether it’s an adult, a chick, or still in the egg. Even the world’s biggest macaws aren’t safe from determined hunters.
Eagles and Hawks
Large raptors are the most significant predators of parrots across the tropics. In South America, three eagle species regularly take full-sized macaws. The Harpy Eagle, one of the most powerful birds on Earth, has been observed killing adult Hyacinth Macaws in Brazil and taking Green-winged Macaws and Yellow-crowned Amazons during nesting season in Peru’s Tambopata region. The Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle specializes in large birds, and macaws and Amazon parrots appear to be a regular part of its diet. The Ornate Hawk-Eagle, with a wingspan over four feet, also hunts at clay licks where hundreds of parrots gather to eat mineral-rich soil.
Smaller hawks in the genus Accipiter are effective parrot hunters too. In Australia, the Brown Goshawk takes wild galahs. During a reintroduction project for the endangered Thick-billed Parrot in the American Southwest during the early 1990s, a single female Northern Goshawk discovered the newly released flock and killed four birds by repeatedly attacking their feeding station. The project was partially ended because of her.
Even common, mid-sized hawks hunt smaller parrot species. Roadside Hawks have been observed eating parrotlets and parakeets near clay licks in Peru.
Falcons
Falcons are built for aerial speed, and parrots are frequent targets. The Peregrine Falcon, capable of reaching 200 mph in a dive (called a stoop), is a threat to parrots anywhere their ranges overlap. In tropical forests, forest falcons ambush parakeets under the canopy. One researcher in Peru startled a forest falcon off a freshly killed Cobalt-winged Parakeet while walking a trail.
The Orange-breasted Falcon is another specialist. Over several weeks in late 2001 and early 2002, one individual terrorized a clay lick at Peru’s Tambopata Research Center, successfully catching a White-eyed Parakeet and an Orange-cheeked Parrot on separate occasions. These falcons use level maneuvering flight rather than steep dives, chasing prey through open air with rapid turns.
Owls and Nighttime Hunters
Most parrots roost at night and are vulnerable while sleeping. Owls are the primary nocturnal threat. In Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl preys on the critically endangered Puerto Rican Parrot, adding pressure to an already fragile population. Bats have also been identified as nighttime predators in some regions, though attacks by bats are far less documented than those by owls.
Snakes
Snakes are a major danger to nesting parrots. Most parrot species nest in tree cavities, and snakes can climb directly into these hollows to eat eggs, chicks, or even brooding adults. Because parrots can’t easily defend against a snake inside a confined nest hole, this type of predation is especially devastating. Snakes are listed among the primary predators of African gray parrots in their Central and West African forest habitat.
Monkeys and Other Nest Raiders
Monkeys don’t typically catch adult parrots, but they’re effective nest predators. They raid parrot nests to eat eggs and young chicks, which are defenseless in tree cavities. This is a well-documented threat for African gray parrots. In the Americas, various primate species share forest habitat with nesting parrots and pose a similar risk.
Rats are another serious nest predator, particularly invasive black rats on islands. In Puerto Rico’s Sierra de Luquillo, black rats are one of five key biological stressors on the Puerto Rican Parrot. Recovery efforts for that species require constant, intensive nest guarding along with trapping and poisoning of rats just to give chicks a chance at survival. Other nest raiders include competing bird species. Pearly-eyed Thrashers aggressively take over parrot nest cavities in Puerto Rico, sometimes destroying eggs or killing chicks in the process.
Wild and Domestic Cats
Large wild cats, including jaguars and ocelots, prey on parrots in Central and South American forests. In Africa, large cats are among the known predators of gray parrots. These cats can climb trees and ambush roosting birds. Domestic and feral cats are a growing threat to parrot populations in urban and suburban areas where feral parrot flocks have established themselves, particularly in parts of the United States, Europe, and Australia.
Vultures and Other Birds
Vultures are listed among African gray parrot predators. While vultures are primarily scavengers, some species will opportunistically take live prey, especially vulnerable chicks or injured adults. Hawks that share forest habitat with parrots will also take advantage of young or weakened birds when the opportunity arises.
How Parrots Defend Themselves
Parrots aren’t helpless against this lineup of predators. Their primary defense is collective vigilance. Parrots are highly social, and large flocks provide safety in numbers. When one bird in a flock spots a predator, it gives an alarm call that triggers an immediate group evacuation. At the Tambopata clay licks in Peru, an Ornate Hawk-Eagle once arrived hoping to catch a macaw, but all 500-plus birds in the area spotted it and evacuated instantly, leaving the eagle perched alone above an empty lick.
Some parrot species use sentinel behavior, where one bird takes a prominent perch and scans for danger while its mate forages or incubates eggs. When the sentinel detects a threat, it can alert its partner through alarm calls, giving the pair precious seconds to react. Bright green plumage, which seems conspicuous up close, actually provides excellent camouflage in tropical forest canopies, making perched parrots difficult for raptors to spot from above. Their speed and agility in flight also help. Parrots are strong, fast fliers, and a healthy adult can often outmaneuver a larger raptor in dense forest.