Canary vs. Parrot — What's the Difference?

A small songbird from the finch family, known for its singing.

Social creatures that thrive on interaction.

Requires minimal space and care.

A broad category of birds known for their curved beak and colorful feathers.

Lives on a diet of seeds and greens.

Capable of mimicking human speech and sounds.

Males are particularly known for their singing ability.

Found in many regions, primarily tropical.

Often kept as a pet due to its pleasant song.

Requires a diverse diet and mental stimulation.

A small finch (Serinus canaria) native to the Canary Islands that is greenish to yellow and has long been bred as a cage bird.

Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes , found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoidea ("true" parrots), the Cacatuoidea (cockatoos), and the Strigopoidea (New Zealand parrots).

A woman singer.

Any of numerous primarily tropical and subtropical birds of the order Psittaciformes, characterized by a short hooked bill, brightly colored plumage, and, in some species, the ability to mimic human speech or other sounds.

An informer; a stool pigeon.

One who imitates the words or actions of another, especially without understanding them.

A sweet white wine from the Canary Islands, similar to Madeira.

To repeat or imitate, especially without understanding.

A light to moderate or vivid yellow.

A kind of bird, many species of which are colorful and able to mimic human speech, of the order Psittaciformes or (narrowly) of the family Psittacidae.

A small, usually yellow, finch (genus Serinus), a songbird native to the Canary Islands.

A parroter; a person who repeats the words or ideas of others.

Any of various small birds of different countries, most of which are largely yellow in colour.

(archaic) A puffin.

(informal) A female singer, soprano, a coloratura singer.

Channel coal.

(slang) An informer or snitch; a squealer.

A transponder.

A light, slightly greenish, yellow colour.

(transitive) To repeat (exactly what has just been said) without necessarily showing understanding, in the manner of a parrot.

(slang) A (usually yellow) capsule of the short-acting barbiturate pentobarbital/pentobarbitone (Nembutal).

In a general sense, any bird of the order Psittaci.

A yellow sticker applied by the police to a vehicle to indicate it is unroadworthy.

Any species of Psittacus, Chrysotis, Pionus, and other genera of the family Psittacidæ, as distinguished from the parrakeets, macaws, and lories. They have a short rounded or even tail, and often a naked space on the cheeks. The gray parrot, or jako (Psittacus erithacus) of Africa (see Jako), and the species of Amazon, or green, parrots (Chrysotis) of America, are examples. Many species, as cage birds, readily learn to imitate sounds, and to repeat words and phrases.

Any test subject, especially an inadvertent or unwilling one. (From the mining practice of using canaries to detect dangerous gases.)

To repeat by rote, without understanding, as a parrot.

(computing) A value placed in memory such that it will be the first data corrupted by a buffer overflow, allowing the program to identify and recover from it.

To chatter like a parrot.

(computing) A change that is tested by being rolled out first to a subset of machines or users before rolling out to all.

Usually brightly colored zygodactyl tropical birds with short hooked beaks and the ability to mimic sounds

A light, sweet, white wine from the Canary Islands.

A copycat who does not understand the words or acts being imitated

A lively dance, possibly of Spanish origin (also called canaries).

Repeat mindlessly;

Of a light yellow colour.

(intransitive) to dance nimbly (as in the canary dance)

(slang) to inform or snitch, to betray secrets, especially about illegal activities.

(computing) to test a software change by rolling out to a small set of machines or users before making it available to all.

Of or pertaining to the Canary Islands; as, canary wine; canary birds.

Of a pale yellowish color; as, Canary stone.

Wine made in the Canary Islands; sack.

A canary bird.

A pale yellow color, like that of a canary bird.

A quick and lively dance.

To perform the canary dance; to move nimbly; to caper.

Someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police

A female singer

A moderate yellow with a greenish tinge

Any of several small Old World finches

Having the color of a canary; a light to moderate yellow

Yes, canaries are relatively easy to care for, requiring only basic feeding and cage maintenance.

Parrots can mimic human speech and sounds, but they do not understand language as humans do.

Canaries typically live between 5 to 10 years.

A canary's song is complex and melodious, mostly performed by males.

Canaries are more independent, while parrots require more attention and interaction.

Parrots need a spacious habitat that mimics their natural environment with plenty of opportunities for climbing and social interaction.

Yes, parrots require a diverse diet, mental stimulation, and social interaction.

Canaries are originally from the Canary Islands.

Chocolate, avocado, and coffee are toxic to parrots.

Regular interaction and repetition of words in a clear, consistent manner can train a parrot to mimic sounds.

A spacious cage with toys and perches, along with social interaction, is ideal for a parrot.

Parrots can come in a wide range of colors, including greens, reds, blues, and yellows.

While not essential, toys can help keep a canary entertained and active.

Canaries can be kept alone or in pairs; they don't necessarily require social interaction with their own kind.

A canary's diet can include a variety of seeds, vegetables, and occasional fruits.