Red-cheeked Parrot

Male Red-cheeked Parrot (ssp minor) feeding
© Mehd Halaouate

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Did You Know?

The Red-cheeked Parrot, en route from roosting areas to its morning feed, will pause to display and call from atop a leafless perch above the canopy, standing very upright, bill pointing to the sky and vibrating its wings in cue with contact calls.

Academic Research

Related publications: Geoffroyus geoffroyi

Species Profile

Genus: Geoffroyus | Species: geoffroyi

Size:

21cm (8.2 in)

Weight:

135-180g (4.7-6.3 oz)

Subspecies including nominate:

seventeen: G.g. geoffroyi, G.g. floresianus, G.g. cyanicollis, G.g. rhodops, G.g. keyensis, G.g. timorlaoensis, G.g. aruensis, G.g. maclennani, G.g. sudestiensis, G.g. cyanicarpus, G.g. minor, G.g. jobiensis, G.g. mysoriensis, G.g. pucherani, G.g. obiensis. G.g. explorator, G.g. orientalis

Colour Adult:

G.g. geoffroyi: Male-red forehead to sides of head; lilac/blue crown and occiput; green nape to hindneck; inner median wing coverts red/brown; blue underwing coverts. Red upper mandible, brown lower mandible. Eye yellow. Female-brown head. Bill brown.
G.g. floresianus: Male-as in geoffroyi, but in general darker; purple/blue of crown is darker and reaches to nape; inner median wing coverts darker red/brown; darker blue underwing coverts. Larger in size. Bill larger. Female-crown darker brown and reaches to nape; otherwise as in male.
G.g. cyanicollis: Male-in general darker than geoffroyi; purple/blue of crown reaching to hindneck, meeting with evident blue collar; bronze/brown variable wash on mantle and upper back; blue/green upper breast and lower abdomen; red/brown on inner median wing coverts absent; darker blue underwing coverts. Larger in size. Female-head darker than that of geoffroyi; purple suffusion on crown; blue nape reaching evident blue collar; otherwise as in male.
G.g. rhodops: Male-as in floresianus, but in general darker; mark on inner median wing coverts dark brown/red; blue crown sharply separated from red of face; darker blue underwing coverts. Larger in size. Female-dark brown chestnut crown; otherwise as in male.
G.g. keyensis: Male-as in floresianus, but in general more yellow/green, particularly tail; pink/red cheeks and ear coverts washed with lilac/blue; faint yellow/green collar across hindneck and darker green stripe on foreneck; pale blue underwing coverts. Larger in size. Female-paler chestnut/brown on head; otherwise as in male.
G.g. timorlaoensis: Both adults as in keyensis, but smaller in size.
G.g. aruensis: Male-as in geoffroyi, but darker purple/blue of crown reaching to nape; inner median wing coverts has darker red/brown marking; darker blue underwing coverts. Female-darker brown of crown reaches to nape; otherwise as in male.
G.g. maclennani: Male-as in aruensis, but in general darker; red of face more dark and uniform; paler blue underwing coverts. Female-as in aruensis, but in general darker; darker brown head; paler blue underwing coverts.
G.g. sudestiensis: Male-as in aruensis, but underparts darker; red/brown marker on inner median coverts absent. Female-dark green crown and nape; otherwise as in male.
G.g. cyanicarpus: Male-as in aruensis, but with lilac/blue wash on cheeks and ear coverts; bend of wing to outside primary feather has blue edge. Female-as in aruensis, but brown crown and nape, with slight green tint; blue edge on outside of wing as in male.
G.g. minor: Male-as in aruensis, but with brown/red lower back to rump; darker red face; bronze/brown wash on mantle; marking on inner wing coverts minimal or absent. Female-as in aruensis, but slightly darker brown head; otherwise as in male.
G.g. jobiensis: Both adults as in minor, but with paler blue underwing coverts; bright red lower back to rump; in male, red on forehead reaches back to forecrown.
G.g. mysoriensis: Male-as in minor, but purple/blue of crown reaching down over hindneck, and red in face reaching to throat; bronze/brown wash of mantle absent; red/brown marking extensive on inner median wing coverts; darker blue underwing coverts; dark maroon lower back to rump, is less brown. Female-as in minor, but brown in crown reaching over hindneck; otherwise as in male.
G.g. pucherani: Both adults as in minor, with bronze marking on inner median wing covert minimal or absent; mantle has less bronze/brown wash; paler brown lower back to rump with less red; dark blue underwing coverts.
G.g. obiensis: Both adults as in cyanicollis but blue hindneck collar wider and reaching up nearly to eye; purple/blue in male or brown in female not reaching below occiput; red/brown lower back to rump.
G.g. orientalis: Not described.
G.g. explorator: Not described.

Colour Juvenile:

G.g. geoffroyi: Green head, red/brown on inner median wing coverts absent. Bill yellow. Eye brown.

Call:

Calls made in flight or when perched are distinctive; shrieking and metallic series of notes repeated rapidly; also two-syllable notes ending with upward inflection and a variety of croaking, chattering notes and shrill screeches.

Video Links:

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

Male Red-cheeked Parrot (ssp minor) feeding
© Mehd Halaouate

Photos

View in Gallery

Did You Know?

The Red-cheeked Parrot, en route from roosting areas to its morning feed, will pause to display and call from atop a leafless perch above the canopy, standing very upright, bill pointing to the sky and vibrating its wings in cue with contact calls.

Academic Research

Related publications: Geoffroyus geoffroyi

Species Care

Captive Status:

Virtually unknown in aviculture.

Longevity:

Not recorded.

Housing:

Aviary at least 2.5 x 1 x 2m (8.2 x 3.3 x 6.5 ft). Minimum temperature 24C (75 F).

Diet:

Fruits such as: ripened and half-ripened banana, apple, pear, orange; sprouted seeds; lory nectar made from: honey, pollen, brewer's yeast, oat flakes, multi-grain mix, vitamins and minerals; rusk or biscuit softened in filtered water or milk; small amounts of millet sprays, canary, oats, sprouted sunflower seed; complete pellet if taken.

Enrichment:

Not recorded.

Nest Box Size:

Not recorded.

Clutch Size:

2-4

Incubation Time:

Not recorded.

Fledging Age:

Not recorded.

Hatch Weight:

Not recorded.

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Male Red-cheeked Parrot (ssp minor) feeding
© Mehd Halaouate

Photos

View in Gallery

Did You Know?

The Red-cheeked Parrot, en route from roosting areas to its morning feed, will pause to display and call from atop a leafless perch above the canopy, standing very upright, bill pointing to the sky and vibrating its wings in cue with contact calls.

Academic Research

Related publications: Geoffroyus geoffroyi

Species Wild Status

World Population:

Unknown, stable.

IUCN Red List Status:

Least Concern

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

Generally not globally threatened, but has been affected by the wild bird trade. Common to abundant throughout much of range; race aruensis population restricted.

Range:

G.g. geoffroyi: Timor, Semau and Wetar, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia.
G.g. floresianus: Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores and Sumba, Lesser Sunda Islands.
G.g. cyanicollis: Morotai, Halmahera, and Bacan, N Moluccas, Indonesia.
G.g. rhodops: Buru, Seram, Boano, Ambon, Haruku, Saparua, Manawoka, Gorong, and Seram Laut Islands, S Moluccas, Indonesia.
G.g. keyensis: Kai Kecil and Kai Besar, in Kai Islands, Indonesia.
G.g. timorlaoensis: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia.
G.g. aruensis: Aru Islands, Indonesia, and S New Guinea, also Fergusson and Goodenough Islands, E Papuan Islands.
G.g. maclennani: E Cape York Peninsula, N Queensland, Australia.
G.g. sudestiensis: Misima and Tagula Islands, in Louisiade Archipelago, E Papua New Guinea.
G.g. cyanicarpus: Rossel Island, in Louisiade Archipelago, E Papua New Guinea.
G.g. minor: N New Guinea.
G.g. jobiensis: Yapen and Mios Num Islands, Geelvink Bay, Irian Jaya.
G.g. mysoriensis: Biak and Numfoor Islands, Geelvink Bay, Irian Jaya.
G.g. pucherani: W Papuan Islands, Indonesia and W New Guinea, to Irian Jaya.
G.g. obiensis: Obi Island and Bisa Island, N Moluccas, Indonesia.
G.g. orientalis: Huon Peninsula (NE New Guinea).
G.g. explorator: Seram Laut Island (E of Seram).

Habitat:

Found up to 800m (2624 ft) in primary and secondary forests, savanna with trees, plantations, open woodland, mangrove and farmland.

Wild Diet:

Feeds on nuts, fruits, berries, flower buds, blossoms; also seeds within fruit, such as Eucalyptus papuana, Casuarina papuana and Alpinia. Also seen taking fruit of the savanna tree Antidesma gaisambulla and Ganophyllum falcatum, and mistletoe.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Leaves roosting area early in morning to begin feeding. Found in pairs or small groups, feeding inconspicuously in the tree tops. Noisy and boisterous first thing in the morning and at dusk when returning to roost, with much calling and acrobatic flying.

Clutch and Egg Size:

2-4 eggs 29.0 x 25.0mm (1.1 x 1 in).

Breeding Season:

April-August, Lesser Sunda Islands; February-October, New Guinea; August-December, Australia. Nest is in cavity excavated by female in dead trunk or branch.

Male Red-cheeked Parrot (ssp minor) feeding
© Mehd Halaouate

Photos

View in Gallery

Did You Know?

The Red-cheeked Parrot, en route from roosting areas to its morning feed, will pause to display and call from atop a leafless perch above the canopy, standing very upright, bill pointing to the sky and vibrating its wings in cue with contact calls.

Academic Research

Related publications: Geoffroyus geoffroyi

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