Smallest parrot

The smallest species of parrot of any kind is the buff-faced pygmy parrot Micropsitta pusio, native to Papua New Guinea and also Papua, which can be as short as 8 cm when adult, and weigh only 11.5 g. Five other species of pygmy parrot also exist, which are only slightly larger (two are slightly lighter in average weight but somewhat longer).

Unusually for such popular pet species as parrots, none of the six species of pygmy parrot – all of which are endemic to New Guinea and certain small offlying islands – has been successfully bred or even maintained in captivity, with all attempts to keep them in captivity having swiftly led to their deaths shortly after capture. It is believed that stress and dietary deficiencies are responsible for these failings (pygmy parrots are among the few parrots to include fungi and lichens in their diet).