Synonyms for Parrot: 30 Words for the Bird and the Verb

Picture a bright green bird on your neighbor’s porch, saying “hello” back to you every time you walk by. You’d probably call it a parrot. But if you say that word too many times in one paragraph, your writing starts to feel repetitive. That’s where synonyms for parrot come in handy. This word actually does two jobs in English. It names a colorful, talking bird, and it also works as a verb, like when you tell someone “don’t just parrot what your teacher says.” Whether you’re writing about pet birds, telling a story, or explaining that someone is copying words without thinking, you need more than one option. This guide gives you 30 useful synonyms for parrot, covering both the bird and the verb, with clear meanings and examples you can use right away.

Words for the Bird

Parrot is a broad name for a whole family of birds. The words below name specific types of parrots or common nicknames for them. They aren’t exact stand ins for “parrot” in every sentence, but they’re the natural words people reach for when they want to be more specific.

Macaw

Meaning: A macaw is a large, long tailed parrot known for its bright colors and loud calls.

Examples:

• The zoo’s macaw greeted visitors with a loud squawk every morning.
• She painted a macaw on her classroom wall because of its bold colors.

Type: Near synonym

Cockatoo

Meaning: A cockatoo is a parrot with a crest of feathers on its head that it can raise or lower.

Examples:

• The cockatoo lifted its crest the moment the doorbell rang.
• My uncle keeps a cockatoo that whistles the same three notes every evening.

Type: Near synonym

Cockatiel

Meaning: A cockatiel is a small parrot with a pointed crest, often kept as a pet.

Examples:

• Our cockatiel likes to sit on my shoulder while I do homework.
• The pet store sold a cockatiel to the family down the street.

Type: Near synonym

Lovebird

Meaning: A lovebird is a small, brightly colored parrot often kept in pairs.

Examples:

• The two lovebirds cuddled together on their perch all afternoon.
• She bought a lovebird as a birthday gift for her sister.

Type: Near synonym

Budgerigar (Budgie)

Meaning: A budgerigar, or budgie, is a small Australian parrot that’s popular as a pet.

Examples:

• The budgie chirped happily inside its cage by the window.
• He taught his budgie to say “good morning” every day.

Type: Near synonym

Conure

Meaning: A conure is a small to medium parrot known for being playful and noisy.

Examples:

• The conure flew around the living room before landing on the lamp.
• Her conure screeched every time the vacuum cleaner turned on.

Type: Near synonym

Lorikeet

Meaning: A lorikeet is a small, colorful parrot that mainly feeds on nectar and pollen.

Examples:

• The lorikeet dipped its brush like tongue into the flower for nectar.
• Tourists lined up to feed a lorikeet at the wildlife park.

Type: Near synonym

Lory

Meaning: A lory is a type of parrot closely related to the lorikeet, also known for eating nectar.

Examples:

• The lory landed gently on the child’s open palm at the sanctuary.
• A bright red lorry perched on the fence outside the cafe.

Type: Near synonym

Parakeet

Meaning: A parakeet is a small parrot with a long tail, often kept as a household pet.

Examples:

• My parakeet escaped its cage and hid behind the bookshelf.
• The office kept a parakeet in the break room to cheer people up.

Type: Near synonym

Poll (Polly)

Meaning: Poll, or Polly, is an old, informal nickname people use for a pet parrot.

Examples:

• Grandpa still calls his parrot “Polly” out of habit.
• The pirate in the movie carried a bird he called Poll on his shoulder.

Type: Context specific alternative

Kea

Meaning: A kea is a large, intelligent parrot from New Zealand known for its curious behavior.

Examples:

• The kea unzipped a hiker’s backpack looking for food.
• Scientists study the kea because it can solve simple puzzles.

Type: Near synonym

Caique

Meaning: A caique is a small, energetic parrot known for hopping instead of walking.

Examples:

• The caique hopped from perch to perch instead of flying across the cage.
• He chose a caique because of its playful personality.

Type: Near synonym

Amazon

Meaning: An Amazon is a group of medium to large parrots known for their ability to copy human speech well.

Examples:

• The Amazon in the pet shop repeated the cashier’s phone greeting perfectly.
• Her grandmother’s Amazon has said the same joke for twenty years.

Type: Context specific alternative

Words for the Verb

“Parrot” also works as a verb. When you say someone is parroting an idea, you mean they’re repeating it word for word, often without really thinking it through. Here are 17 words that cover that same ground, from exact matches to more casual, everyday alternatives.

Mimic

Meaning: To mimic is to copy someone’s voice, words, or actions closely.

Examples:

• The comedian could mimic the mayor’s voice perfectly.
• Kids often mimic their older siblings without even realizing it.

Imitate

Meaning: To imitate is to copy the way someone speaks, moves, or behaves.

Examples:

• The new employee tried to imitate how her manager answered emails.
• He imitated his coach’s accent during practice, and everyone laughed.

Echo

Meaning: To echo is to repeat someone’s words or opinions, often right after they say them.

Examples:

• Every board member seemed to echo the CEO’s opinion during the meeting.
• The students echoed the teacher’s answer instead of thinking it through.

Repeat

Meaning: To repeat is to say or do something again, exactly as before.

Examples:

• She repeated the instructions twice so no one would get confused.
• Don’t just repeat the textbook; explain it in your own words.

Copy

Meaning: To copy is to reproduce someone else’s words, ideas, or work.

Examples:

• He copied his friend’s answers instead of doing the assignment himself.
• The intern copied the report’s format from last year’s version.

Ape

Meaning: To ape someone is to copy their behavior or speech in an obvious, sometimes silly way.

Examples:

• The little brother liked to ape his sister’s dance moves at every party.
• New writers sometimes ape the style of authors they admire.

Type: Near synonym (informal)

Impersonate

Meaning: To impersonate is to copy a specific person’s voice, appearance, or mannerisms closely.

Examples:

• The actor impersonated the president for the comedy sketch.
• He got in trouble for impersonating his boss on a work call.

Type: Context specific alternative

Regurgitate

Meaning: To regurgitate information is to repeat it without really understanding it.

Examples:

• The student just regurgitated facts from the textbook during the exam.
• Some news anchors regurgitate press releases instead of checking the facts.

Type: Near synonym

Reiterate

Meaning: To reiterate is to say something again, usually to make sure people understand it.

Examples:

• The manager reiterated the deadline at the end of the meeting.
• Let me reiterate this point, because it matters for the whole project.

Type: Near synonym

Recite

Meaning: To recite is to say something out loud from memory, word for word.

Examples:

• The child recited the poem in front of the whole class.
• He could recite the company’s mission statement without pausing.

Type: Context specific alternative

Duplicate

Meaning: To duplicate is to make an exact copy of something, including words or ideas.

Examples:

• The report seemed to duplicate the wording from a competitor’s website.
• She duplicated her old resume format for the new job application.

Type: Near synonym

Rehash

Meaning: To rehash is to repeat old information or ideas with little or no change.

Examples:

• The article just rehashed points from an interview published last year.
• Stop rehashing the same argument; we already agreed on a plan.

Type: Context specific alternative

Restate

Meaning: To restate is to say something again, sometimes using different words.

Examples:

• The teacher asked him to restate the question in his own words.
• She restated her main point at the end of the email.

Type: Near synonym

Reproduce

Meaning: To reproduce someone’s words is to repeat them exactly, often in writing.

Examples:

• The blog reproduced the entire interview without adding any commentary.
• He reproduced his professor’s argument almost word for word in his essay.

Type: Near synonym

Chorus

Meaning: To chorus is to say the same thing together with other people, usually at the same time.

Examples:

• The whole class chorused “good morning” the moment the teacher walked in.
• Fans chorused the singer’s last line before she even finished it.

Type: Context specific alternative

Copycat

Meaning: To copycat someone, in casual speech, means to copy their actions or words closely.

Examples:

• Stop copycatting everything I post on social media.
• Her little cousin copycats her outfit choices every single day.

Type: Context specific alternative (informal)

Xerox

Meaning: To xerox someone’s words, in informal use, means to copy them exactly, like a machine would.

Examples:

• His speech basically xeroxed lines from his rival’s campaign.
• Don’t just xerox the sample essay; write your own version.

Type: Context specific alternative (informal, from the brand name)

Conclusion

Learning synonyms for parrots gives you more ways to talk about a colorful bird and more ways to describe someone who repeats words without really thinking about them. These extra words make your writing sharper, whether you’re working on a blog post, a school essay, or a quick email. Try swapping in a new word next time you write about a pet bird, or catch someone repeating an idea word for word. The more you practice these words, the more natural your English will sound, both in writing and in conversation.