Red-headed parrot

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Red-headed parrot
Geoffroyus geoffroyi -Papua New Guinea-6.jpg

Red-headed Parrot ( Geoffroyus geoffroyi )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Parrots (Psittaciformes)
Family : True parrots (Psittacidae)
Subfamily : Eclectic parrots (Psittaculinae)
Genre : Red-headed Parrots ( Geoffroyus )
Type : Red-headed parrot
Scientific name
Geoffroyus geoffroyi
( Bechstein , 1811)

The red-headed parrot ( Geoffroyus geoffroyi ) is a species of parrot that spreads from the Moluccas to the Lesser Sunda Islands and New Guinea to the Cape York Peninsula in Australia. Together with the Bismarck and the blue-necked parrot , this species belongs to the group of colored-headed parrots.

Red-headed parrots are medium-sized, stocky parrots with a short, square tail. The beak is large and spreading. The wax skin is inconspicuous and partially feathered. As with all colored-headed parrots, the sexual dimorphism is very pronounced. They are birds of the upper treetop regions and rarely visit the ground.

Their occurrence in Australia was unknown until the beginning of the 20th century. The species was only discovered there in 1913 by the English researcher William McLennan . It is protected by law in Australia. They are almost never cared for in human care. Only in a few villages in New Guinea are hand-raised nestlings occasionally found as pets. The few experiences with keeping this species indicate that red-headed parrots are very delicate and cold-sensitive species.

Appearance

Red-headed parrots reach a height of 22 centimeters and weigh between 130 and 180 grams. A very large number of subspecies are distinguished.

The males of the nominate form have green plumage. This is a little paler on the underside of the body and has a bluish tinge on the flanks and belly. The bright red face mask is striking. Forehead, reins, ear covers, cheeks and throat are pink. The crown to the nape of the neck, on the other hand, is bluish purple. The under wing coverts are bright blue. The under tail-coverts and the undersides of the tail are yellowish green. The top of the tail, on the other hand, is bright green. The lower beak is grayish brown. The upper beak, on the other hand, is coral red and brightens to a dull yellow towards the tip. The iris is yellowish white.

The females have a different head color than the males. In the nominate form, the throat and cheeks of the females are olive-brown. The part up to the nape of the neck, however, is red-brown. The entire beak is grayish brown.

Young birds still have a greenish colored crown and neck. The reins are dark olive. In very young birds, the beak is initially yellowish and then quickly changes color to a grayish brown. The iris is dark brown in juveniles.

The flight of the red-headed parrots is powerful. Both longer and shorter distances are overcome high above the rainforest canopy. The wing beats are fast, flat and straight. There are no gliding phases. During the flight, the metallic contact call äänk ... äänk ... äänk can be heard.

Habitat and behavior

Red-headed parrots live in rainforests and dense gallery forests along watercourses and mangroves. In the open tree savannah they can only be seen where the rainforest is directly adjacent.

Red-headed parrots are diurnal birds. They are usually around in pairs or in small groups. In fruit-bearing trees with their preferred food resource, however, larger numbers of red-headed parrots can sometimes be found. Due to their plumage, they are difficult to spot in the treetops. But they attract attention with their loud calls.

Red-headed parrots eat seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, flowers, flower and leaf buds, young leaves and probably also insects and their larvae. They only look for food in the treetops.

Little is known about the reproduction of the red-headed parrots. In Australia, the breeding season of the red-headed parrots falls from August to December. They are cave-breeders that are dug in a dead tree stump or in the dead branch of a tree that is still alive. It is unusual that the female apparently digs the cave herself. This is relatively unusual for parrots, but it also occurs in the masked dwarf parrot , which is also a species of parrot found in subtropical and tropical forests. Red-headed parrots have also been observed when feeding in pairs.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Forshaw, p. 330
  2. ^ Forshaw, p. 335
  3. ^ Forshaw, p. 329
  4. ^ Forshaw, p. 329
  5. ^ Forshaw, p. 332
  6. ^ Forshaw, p. 332
  7. ^ Forshaw, p. 333

literature

Web link