There’s nothing better than having a loyal companion follow you around your Minecraft survival world, and few pets are as fun or quirky as a tame parrot. If you’ve ever heard their silly mimicry of nearby mob sounds or seen them perch on your shoulder as you explore, you’ve probably wondered how to make one your own. Learning how to tame a parrot in Minecraft is far simpler than taming wolves or cats, but there are a few easy-to-miss details that can ruin your taming attempt before it even starts. I’ve tamed dozens of parrots across dozens of survival worlds, and I’m breaking down exactly what you need to do, avoid, and remember to bring your new feathery friend home.
What You Need Before You Learn How to Tame a Parrot in Minecraft
The great news is you don’t need any rare or late-game items to tame a parrot. The only core supply you need is seeds, and any type of seed works: wheat seeds, melon seeds, pumpkin seeds, and beetroot seeds all have the same taming success rate. You only need 5 to 10 seeds per parrot on average, but I always bring 15 or more just in case I get unlucky with taming rolls. All types of seeds work for taming parrots, so you don’t need to hunt for a specific type if you already have wheat seeds on hand.
You’ll also need to track down a jungle biome first, as parrots only spawn in jungle and bamboo jungle biomes. They spawn on grass blocks or leaf blocks at Y levels 70 and above, so you’ll usually find them perched in tree canopies rather than on the jungle floor. Parrots only spawn in jungle biomes, so mark your jungle location if you don’t plan to tame one during your first visit. If you’re traveling a long distance to get home after taming, bring a lead and a name tag to make transport easier and prevent your new pet from despawning.
Step-by-Step Parrot Taming Process
If you’ve tried taming other mobs before, you’ll notice how to tame a parrot in Minecraft is far faster and requires far fewer resources than taming horses or llamas. First, when you spot a parrot, scan the area around you for hostile mobs, cats, or ocelots, and clear any threats out first before you get close. Parrots are easily scared, and they’ll fly away immediately if they see a predator nearby.
Equip your seeds in your hotbar and select them so you’re holding them in your hand. Approach the parrot slowly, don’t run or jump near it, as sudden movements can make it fly off. Right-click (or tap, if you’re on console or mobile) on the parrot with the seeds to start the taming process. Each seed use has a 33% chance of successfully taming the parrot. You’ll know it worked when red heart particles pop up above its head, and it stops moving away from you. If gray smoke pops up instead, just use another seed and try again.
Once it’s tame, you can right-click the parrot to make it sit in one spot, or walk directly into it to have it perch on your shoulder. You can have up to two parrots on your shoulders at once, and they’ll stay there until you jump into water, fall more than 3 blocks, or take damage. Never hit a parrot during taming, even by accident, as it will fly away immediately and will not let you approach it again for several minutes.
Common Mistakes That Ruin Parrot Taming Attempts
Even players who know how to tame a parrot in Minecraft often make these slip-ups, so don’t feel bad if you’ve lost a parrot to one of these errors before. I’ve accidentally killed three parrots early in my playthroughs before I learned what to avoid, so these are lessons I learned the hard way:
After you’ve successfully tamed your parrot, the biggest mistake you can make is forgetting to name it. Name tags will prevent your parrot from despawning even if you wander too far away, so they’re a great investment for any pet you plan to keep long-term. You can get name tags from dungeon chests, fishing, or trading with librarian villagers, so they’re not hard to find even in early survival.
Fun Perks of Having a Tame Parrot in Your Survival World
Tame parrots aren’t just cute decorations for your base, they actually have practical uses that make them worth the trip to the jungle. The most useful perk is their mob mimicry: parrots will copy the sounds of any hostile mobs within 20 blocks of you, including the hissing of a hidden creeper or the rattle of a skeleton hiding behind a tree. This gives you a few extra seconds to react to threats before they attack, which can save your life if you’re exploring dark caves or thick jungle undergrowth. Parrot mimicry is one of the most underrated survival tools in the game, as it can alert you to hidden hostile mobs you would have otherwise missed.
They’re also great for adding personality to your base. If you place a jukebox and play a music disc near your parrots, they’ll start dancing, which makes for a fun little detail in your living area or outdoor space. Unlike dogs or cats, parrots don’t need to be fed regularly after taming, so you don’t have to worry about keeping a stock of food on hand for them once they’re home. Just make sure you don’t leave any open cookie chests where they can reach them, and keep them away from any cats you have as pets.
One thing to note: you can’t breed parrots in Minecraft, unlike most other tameable mobs. If you want multiple parrots, you’ll have to tame each one individually in the jungle, so plan to bring extra seeds if you want a whole flock of them to follow you around.
At the end of the day, figuring out how to tame a parrot in Minecraft is a quick, low-effort task that adds a ton of personality and practical value to any survival playthrough. You don’t need rare items or late-game gear to get your own feathery companion, just a handful of seeds and a short trip to the nearest jungle. Just remember to avoid feeding them anything other than seeds, keep them away from cats and hostile mobs, and you’ll have a loyal little friend that follows you on all your adventures for the rest of your playthrough. If you haven’t tried taming one yet, add it to your next in-game to-do list, you won’t regret it.