10-28-2007, 08:48 AM
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| |  Pesquet's Parrot
The Pesquet's Parrot
Pesquet's Parrot aka Vulturine Parrots (Psittrichas fulgidus): The Vulturine Parrot is a black and scarlet plumaged parrot, up to 46cm in body length, that inhabits and endemic to New Guinea. The head is bare and small, with a long pincer-like black beak. It feeds mainly on figs and soft fruits. This bird has been observed to get their foods from droppings of cassowary, which is full of undigested seeds of fruit. The bare part of head is presumably an adaption for its feeding habits. In flight, this parrot resembles more of a vulture with its direct, soaring flight. The Pesquet's Parrot is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES. (Source: Wikipedia.org)
Class: Aves ... Order: Psittaciformes ... Family: Psittacidae ... Subfamily: Psittacinae ... Genus: Scientific: Gypopsitta ... English: Vulturine Parrots ... Dutch: Gierparkieten ... German: Kahlkopfpapageien ... French: Perroquet vautourin ... CITES II: Endangered Species
Vulturine Parrots (Pionopsitta vulturina):
Species: Scientific: Gypopsitta vulturina aka Pionopsitta vulturina (Note: many authors have described species as belonging to monotypic genus Gypopsitta; however in recent years it has been accepted as member of Pionopsitta group as differences in behavior and plumage coloration are slight) ... English: Vulturine Parrot ... Dutch: Gierpapegaai, Kaalkoppapegaai ... German: Kahlkopfpapagei ... French: Perroquet vautourin
Description: generally green; forehead and lores bare and brownish-yellow, covered with pale hair-like bristles; remainder of bare head blackish and covered with black hair-like bristles; yellow collar encircling face; hindneck black; breast olive-yellow, each feather edged with black; abdomen with pronounced blue tinge; bend of wing and lesser wing-coverts orange-red; median wing-coverts dark blue; edge of wing and under wing-coverts red; primary coverts black; primaries dull black with violet-blue tinge and narrow green edge to outer webs; under tail-coverts yellowish-green; middle tail feathers green with dark blue tips, inner webs of outer feathers yellow; bill greenish-grey horn color; iris orange; feet greenish-grey. Female as male, but generally slightly smaller. Immatures: all bare areas covered with brownish-yellow feathers; crown and nape dull yellowish-green; yellow collar absent; breast interspersed with green; abdomen without bluish tinge; thighs green; bend of wing and lesser wing-coverts orange-yellow; head feathers disappear at 8 months; bill of very young birds yellowish; iris darker. Length: 23 cm (9 ins)
Distribution: Northeast Brazil, south of Amazonia in eastern Pará and northwest Maranhão ... CITES II - Endangered
The Pesquet's Parrot, Psittrichas fulgidus also known as the Vulturine Parrot (leading to easy confusion with Gypopsitta vulturina from Brazil), is the only member of its genus, and its genus is the only member of the tribe psittrichadini. It is endemic to hill and montane rainforest in New Guinea.
It is a large parrot with a total length of approximately 46 cm (18 in) and a weight of 690-800 g (24-28 oz). Its plumage is black, with greyish scaling to the chest, and a red belly, uppertail coverts and wing-panels. The male is slightly larger than the female and has a small red spot behind the eye. Compared to most other parrots it appears unusually small-headed, in part due to the bare black facial skin and the relatively long, hooked bill. This rather vulture-like profile is the reason behind its alternative common name.
The Pesquet's Parrot is a highly specialised frugivore, feeding almost exclusively on a few species of figs. Flowers and nectar have also been reported. At least in parts of its range, it is seasonally nomadic in response to the availability of fruits. The bare part of the head is presumably an adaption to avoid feather-matting from sticky fruits. Little is known about its breeding habits in the wild, but the two eggs are laid in a nest in a large, hollow tree. It is typically seen in pairs or groups up to 20 individuals. In flight it alternates between rapid flapping and short glides.
The feathers of Pesquet's Parrot are highly prized. This combined with high prices in aviculture has resulted in overhunting. Habitat loss also presents an on-going problem. For these reasons, it is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Pesquet's Parrot is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
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