Bristle head
| Bristle head | ||||||||||||
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Bristle Heads ( Psittrichas fulgidus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Psittrichas | ||||||||||||
| Lesson , 1831 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Psittrichas fulgidus | ||||||||||||
| ( Lesson , 1830) |
The bristle head ( Psittrichas fulgidus ) is a large species of parrot from New Guinea . He is the only representative of the genus Psittrichas .
Appearance
The bristle head reaches a body length of almost 50 cm. Its plumage is mostly dark gray to black in color. However, the shoulders, the underside of the wings, the lower abdomen and the thighs are bright red in color. Belly and chest feathers are lined with light gray. The bristle-like feathers that give it its name are on the front of the head. There is a dark gray, featherless triangle on the cheeks. The sexes can only be distinguished by a few red feathers behind the male's eye. The black beak is narrow, strong and slightly curved. This gives the bristle head a vulture-like appearance, which is what led to the English name Vulturine Parrot. Another characteristic is the red iris .
habitat
Bristle heads are endemic to the tropical rainforests of New Guinea . There it lives mainly in the middle and higher elevations in the mountain and hill country, but it can sometimes also be found in lower elevations.
nutrition
The bristle head is an extremely specialized fruit eater . It feeds almost exclusively on some species of figs . Since he drops the fig remains including the seeds on the ground, he contributes significantly to the spread of his food plants. But there are also reports that flowers and nectar are also on his menu. This type of diet forces the birds to live a nomadic way of life, in which they follow the fruit supply. The partial featherlessness of the face probably represents an adjustment to the diet.
Behavior and reproduction
Bristle heads usually live in pairs or in small groups of up to 20 animals. They are diurnal and their style of flight is characterized by the alternation of fast fluttering and short gliding distances. Little is known about their mating behavior. It is known, however, that the mating season usually coincides with the rainy season. Bristle heads are cave breeders and therefore usually have their nests in tree hollows. There the female usually lays two eggs , which she incubates alone over a period of about 30 days. The male feeds them during this time. The newly hatched young are initially naked and blind. They are raised by both parents during their approximately twelve-week nestling time.
Man and bristle heads
The destruction of the natural habitats and hunting represent a major problem for the bristle heads. Their meat is both eaten by the locals and the red ornamental feathers are sold at high prices. The trade in these birds is prohibited due to the Washington Convention on Endangered Species . In the Red List of IUCN , the species is "endangered" ( "vulnerable" ) out. Because of its inconspicuous appearance and its highly specialized diet, the bristle head is rarely shown in zoological gardens; in Germany, among other places, in Wilhelma Stuttgart and in the Weltvogelpark Walsrode . Bristle heads can live up to 40 years in captivity.
literature
- Tony Silva: A Monograph of Endangered Parrots. Mattacchione and Co, Pickering, 1989. ISBN 0-9692640-4-6
- Collar, NJ: Pesquet's Parrot ( Psittrichas fulgidus ). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (eds): Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 4. Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona; 1997: p. 362 ff. ISBN 84-87334-22-9 .
- Juniper, T. & Parr, M .: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, East Sussex; 1998. ISBN 1-873403-40-2 .
