How to Draw a Realistic Macaw Parrot with Pencil (Easy Step-by-Step Guide)

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to draw a realistic Macaw parrot with pencil in easy, step-by-step stages. Parrots are known for their vibrant feathers, curved beak, and expressive stance — making them a fun and rewarding subject to sketch. Whether you’re a beginner or refining your bird drawing skills, this guide breaks down the fundamental shapes, feather layering, and shading techniques so you can confidently bring your parrot drawing to life.

Step 1. Outline the body and the head of the parrot.

Start drawing the parrot by outlining the simple shapes. First, draw a branch line at about 30 degrees, then find the top point of the head, for this, you can measure the distance from it to the branch with a pencil. Next, draw an oval - the shape of the head and the shape of the body. The body, as you can see, is slightly tilted.

Step 2. Draw the parrot's head and its beak.

Draw the head. You can mark the middle of the head with a small dash for your convenience. From the end of it, the middle of the beak begins. We draw a beak, nostrils on both sides, and an eye.

Step 3. Draw the body and the paws of the parrot.

Draw the body and paws of the parrot, as well as part of the wing.

Step 4. Draw the parrot's wings.

Continue to draw the wing, showing a layer of feathers. Now draw the second wing, the lower part of the parrot, imitating feathers in separate curves close to each other. After that, draw the curvature of the tree branch.

Step 5. Draw the parrot's tail and detail its wings.

We draw a tail, we finish drawing feathers on two wings.

Step 6. Continue detailing the parrot's drawing.

Add the individual feather texture. On the parrot's head, we make the border of the transition of colors, near the eye we draw a kind of pattern.

Step 7. How to Draw a Realistic Macaw Parrot. Shade the parrot's drawing.

Now you can add some hatching. The drawing of the Macaw parrot is ready.

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