Male red-sided eclectus vocalizing (Cindy George/ Science Source/ Getty Images)
The red-sided eclectus parrot may be the smartest bird on Earth.
Native almost exclusively to New Guinea, red-sided eclectus parrots have bright, attractive plumage; males are green, females are red. The extreme sexual dimorphism of their coloring is unusual for parrots; up until the 20th century, experts thought the males and females were two different species entirely.
Red-sided eclectus parrots are also quite intelligent (though African Grey parrots have the largest vocabulary), and their speaking skills make them one of the most desirable pets for bird lovers. Riley the Amazing Talking Bird’s popularity on YouTube stands as evidence of this.
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