The common name and scientific name commemorate the German ethnographer, naturalist, and colonial explorer Friedrich Hermann Otto Finsch (8 August 1839 - 31 January 1917, Braunschweig).

[2] Finsch's pygmy parrot is characterized by a green head and neck (which is unique among species of the genus Micropsitta).

The typical length of a green pygmy parrot is 9.5 cm (3.7 in) with an average weight of 12 g (0.42 oz).

The species, Micropsitta finschii, is further divided into five subspecies[1][3][4][5] The parrots are found in tropical rainforests (up to an elevation of 900 m (3,000 ft)).

[3] Finsch's pygmy parrots are often found in pairs or small groups (three to six individuals).