The genus Poicephalus belongs to the subfamily Psittacinae of the true parrots (Psittacidae) and comprises ten species of parrots native to various regions of the Afrotropical realm, which encompasses Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal in the west, Ethiopia in the east, and to South Africa in the south. Like lovebirds (Agapornis) and vasa parrots (Coracopsis), the latter being endemic to Madagascar, the Poicephalus parrots are typical specimens of Afrotropical zoogeography. Several of the species exist in slightly different forms, or subspecies.

Poicephalus parrots have been kept as pets and companion birds for centuries, the Senegal parrot perhaps being the most famous species. The trade in this species most likely began in the early 19th century, when Senegal parrots first appeared as companion birds in Europe. Alongside African grey parrots, Senegal parrots still range among the mostly frequently imported parrots from Africa.

The genus Poicephalus was introduced by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1837. Swainson listed several species in the genus but did not specify the type species. In 1840 the English zoologist George Gray designated the type as Psittacus senegalensis Swainson, a junior synonym of Psittacus senegalus Linaeus, the senegal parrot. The name is from the Ancient Greek phaios "grey" and -kephalos "headed".

The genus contains ten species.

Members of the Poicephalus genus are stocky birds with short broad tails and relatively large heads and beaks that often differ in color from their trunks. Although they are parrots with rectrices of medium length, their pinion feathers reach down almost to the end of the rectrices, making their wings appear to be remarkably long.

According to H. Strunden, Poicephalus, from Ancient Greek, means "grey head" (poliós = grey and kephalé = head).

Most species in the Poicephalus genus are predominantly green. However, grey is also common, and the feathers on their heads frequently vary in colour from the rest of the plumage. Senegal parrots and brown-headed parrots for example have blackish or dark brown heads, while the head plumage of brown-necked and Cape parrots is grey-brown to silver-grey. With the exception of the red-fronted parrot, the different colours of head and body plumage of these four species do not overlap or blend. The red-fronted parrot only shows a more fluent transition, with merely the slate grey ear patches and the red front and crown clearly set apart. Another variation is found in male Rüppell's parrots, whose brown plumage is overlaid with silver-grey at the ear patches and the top of their heads, with only a tinge of green on the top-side plumage. Female Rüppell's parrots, on the other hand, have a bright blue back section, rump, and upper tail coverts, while the feathers on their lower ventral region and vent are a dull blue.

Several of the species show marked sexual dimorphism, Rüppell's parrots, brown-necked parrots, cape parrots, and red-bellied parrots are dimorphic, the other species of Poicephalus parrots cannot be distinguished by the colours of their plumage. The difference is especially clear in red-bellied parrots, where males have red or bright orange plumage on breast, belly and below their wings while the feathers of females are all grey-brown in these areas.