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Where do most parrots make their homes?

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Illustration of a rock parakeet (Pyrrhura rupicola) perched on a branch, showing green plumage with scalloped markings, a patch of red on the wing, and a dark beak. — Psittaciform Black-capped parakeet (*Pyrrhura rupicola*).

Most parrots are primarily birds of the tropics, inhabiting tropical and southern temperate regions across the globe, including Madagascar, the Pacific Islands, and the West Indies.1

Regarding their specific environments, most parrots make their homes in forests, though some species reside in grasslands. While many forest-dwelling parrots forage along the forest edge or on the ground, others are found in mountainous regions, such as the Andes or the Himalayas. In Australia, several species are adapted to dry, open grasslands with scattered trees.2

When it comes to nesting, the vast majority of parrots nest in tree holes. However, there are exceptions: some species utilize rock crevices or earthen caves, others excavate cavities in termite nests, and a few, such as the ground parrot, nest in shallow cups on the ground. The monk parakeet of South America is unique for building communal stick nests in trees.3