Meyer’s Parrot Complete Guide: Care, Cost and Personality

The Meyer’s Parrot is one of the most underrated pet parrots in the US market. Small enough for an apartment, quiet enough for a home office, calm enough for a first time large parrot owner, and long lived enough to be a real long term companion, they share all the best qualities of the Poicephalus family. This guide walks through everything you should know before buying a Meyer’s Parrot, including honest comparisons against related species.

What is a Meyer’s Parrot?

The Meyer’s Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri), sometimes called the Brown Parrot, is a small African parrot native to open woodlands across much of central and southern Africa. They are part of the Poicephalus genus, which also includes the Senegal Parrot, Brown Headed Parrot, Jardine’s Parrot, and Red Bellied Parrot. All Poicephalus species share a broadly similar body plan and calm temperament. For a related Poicephalus profile, see our Senegal Parrot guide or Brown Headed Parrot guide.

What does a Meyer’s Parrot look like?

• Length: 9 inches
• Weight: 100 to 135 grams
• Head and back: Warm brown to dark grey brown
• Crown: Yellow patch (variable in extent by subspecies)
• Shoulders and thighs: Bright yellow
• Chest and belly: Turquoise green to blue green
• Wings: Dark brown with yellow shoulder highlights
• Beak: Black

There are six recognized Meyer’s subspecies with slightly different yellow patch coverage. All are visually similar and considered the same species for pet keeping purposes.

Personality and temperament

Meyer’s Parrots are widely considered one of the calmest and most gentle small pet parrots you can own. They are observant, quiet, and thoughtful rather than boisterous. They bond deeply with one or two humans, tolerate other family members politely, and rarely bite when properly socialized. They are one of the few small parrot species widely recommended for households with older children.

The trade off is that Meyer’s Parrots are not the most demonstrative pets. They will step up reliably and enjoy head scratches, but they do not typically seek constant physical contact the way a hand raised Green Cheek Conure or lovebird might. Choose a Meyer’s for a calm, dignified companion rather than a cuddly bird.

Are Meyer’s Parrots good talkers?

Moderate. Meyer’s Parrots can learn 20 to 30 words and phrases. They are not in the league of African Greys or Ringnecks, but they talk more reliably than most people expect for their small size. Male Meyer’s Parrots tend to talk more than females.

Are Meyer’s Parrots loud?

No. This is one of the biggest reasons buyers choose Meyer’s Parrots. They have a low overall volume, use short contact calls rather than sustained screaming, and are widely considered apartment friendly. They are significantly quieter than Sun Conures, Jenday Conures, or any macaw. For the honest small parrot noise comparison, see our small parrot noise level guide.

How much does a Meyer’s Parrot cost?

Hand raised Meyer’s Parrots cost $550 to $1,100 in the US in 2026 from a working aviary. They are slightly more common than Brown Headed Parrots but less common than Senegals, which puts them in the middle of the Poicephalus pricing range.

Meyer’s Parrot vs Senegal Parrot

Both species are similar in size, temperament, and care requirements. The differences are mostly visual and slightly in temperament tendencies.

• Meyer’s: brown body, blue green belly, yellow shoulders and thighs. Reported as slightly more independent.
• Senegal: grey head, green back, yellow to orange belly. Reported as slightly more affectionate.

Both are apartment quiet, both are calm, both live 25 to 35 years. Choose based on which appearance you prefer.

Care requirements

Cage size. Minimum 24 by 24 by 36 inches. Bar spacing no wider than 5 by 8 inch. Meyer’s are strong chewers for their size, so opt for stainless steel or heavy powder coated bars.

Diet. 60 to 70 percent high quality pellet base, 20 to 30 percent fresh vegetables and small amounts of fruit, 5 to 10 percent nuts and seeds as treats. Poicephalus species tolerate slightly higher fat content than most parrots.

Out of cage time. At least 2 hours per day of interaction and free flight in a bird proofed room.

Enrichment. Rotate three toys weekly. Foraging toys are important for this intelligent species.

Sleep. 10 to 12 hours of dark quiet sleep per night.

How long do Meyer’s Parrots live?

Meyer’s Parrots typically live 25 to 35 years in captivity with proper care. Some individuals reach 40. For the full lifespan picture across parrot species, see our how long parrots live guide.

Where to buy a Meyer’s Parrot

Because Meyer’s Parrots are less commonly bred than Senegals, expect a waitlist from most specialty breeders. At Mo’s Birds we hand raise several Poicephalus species. Browse the other parrots category for less common species, or contact Mo directly for Meyer’s waitlist information. All Mo’s Birds Poicephalus babies are hand fed from around 3 weeks of age, DNA sexed, health tested, and ship nationwide via Delta Cargo.

Frequently asked questions

Are Meyer’s Parrots good for beginners?

Yes for beginners who have done research. Their calm temperament, quiet voice, and gentle bite make them one of the better small parrot choices for a thoughtful first time owner.

Do Meyer’s Parrots need a companion bird?

No. A single hand raised Meyer’s Parrot with daily human interaction is perfectly happy. Adding a second bird often causes both to bond with each other and ignore humans.

What is the difference between a Meyer’s Parrot and a Senegal Parrot?

Both are Poicephalus species with similar size and temperament. Meyer’s have brown bodies with blue green bellies and yellow shoulders. Senegals have grey heads and yellow to orange bellies. Senegals are more widely available.

Are Meyer’s Parrots CITES protected?

Meyer’s Parrots are listed on CITES Appendix II. International import into the US is heavily restricted, so nearly all pet birds are from captive US breeding. No permit is required to keep one as a pet in the US.

Do Meyer’s Parrots make good apartment pets?

Excellent apartment pets. Low volume, small cage requirement, and calm temperament make them one of the best true parrots for shared wall environments.

What is the monthly cost of owning a Meyer’s Parrot?

$40 to $75 per month for food, toy replacement, and vet fund contribution.