How to Draw a Parrot: Easy 10-Step Guide for Kids

Bring the jungle to life with this easy parrot drawing guide, perfect for young artists ages 5 and up. You only need a pencil, eraser, and paper to get started. Follow these simple steps to build confidence and master basic bird anatomy through fun, guided practice.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A vibrant, finished parrot drawing used as the featured tutorial image.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Head

A light pencil sketch of a single circle representing the parrot's head on a white background.

Draw a light circle to serve as the parrot's head. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil strokes very light so you can easily erase them later; this helps keep your drawing clean as we add more details.

Step 2: Outlining the Body

Outline sketch showing the parrot's rounded belly and long, curved tail section.

Extend a curved line downward from the head to create the belly, then draw a long, sweeping line from the back of the head to form the tail. Teacher's Tip: Think of the belly as a large, rounded 'C' shape to give your parrot a friendly, plump look.

Step 3: Cleaning the Guide Lines

The parrot outline with internal guide lines erased, showing a clean, unified body shape.

Carefully erase the lines where the head meets the body to create a smooth, continuous silhouette. Teacher's Tip: Use a soft eraser and gentle pressure to avoid smudging your paper.

Step 4: Defining the Wing

Sketch showing the refined head shape and a large teardrop-shaped wing on the parrot's back.

Add a rounded shape to the front of the head to complete the face, then draw a large, upside-down teardrop on the back for the wing. Teacher's Tip: Make the teardrop shape nice and large to give your parrot plenty of room for colorful feathers later.

Step 5: Drawing the Beak

Close-up of the parrot's face showing the sharp, hooked upper beak and small lower jaw.

Draw a curved triangle on the front of the face for the upper beak, and a small half-circle underneath for the lower jaw. Teacher's Tip: Parrots have strong, hooked beaks—don't worry if it looks a bit sharp; that's exactly what makes it look like a real parrot!

Step 6: Adding Feather Texture

The parrot wing and tail now feature rows of wavy 'U' shaped lines to simulate feather texture.

Use wavy 'U' shaped lines across the wing and tail to represent layers of feathers. Teacher's Tip: Vary the size of your 'U' shapes to make the feathers look more natural and layered.

Step 7: Refining the Face

The parrot's face is now clear of guide lines, ready for eye and feather details.

Erase any remaining guide lines on the face to prepare for adding the eye and final details. Teacher's Tip: A clean drawing surface makes it much easier to draw small, precise details like the eye in the next step.

Step 8: Perching on a Branch

The parrot is now perched on a textured tree branch drawn with bumpy, parallel lines.

Draw bumpy, parallel lines under the parrot to create a tree branch. Teacher's Tip: Add a few small 'V' shapes on the branch to represent knots in the wood, making your drawing look more realistic.

Step 9: Final Details

Detailed sketch showing the finished eye, head feathers, and feet gripping the branch.

Add an eye, a small tuft of head feathers, and feet gripping the branch. Teacher's Tip: For the eye, draw a small circle inside a larger one and shade the center to give your parrot a bright, alert expression.

Step 10: Bringing it to Life with Color

A fully colored, vibrant green parrot sitting on a branch, showcasing finished artistic details.

Time to color! Use bright greens, reds, or blues to make your parrot pop. Teacher's Tip: Try using two shades of the same color on the wings to create depth and make your parrot look like it's ready to fly!