Saffron-headed Parrot
Also known as:
Bonaparte's Parrot
Also known as:
Bonaparte's Parrot
Size:
24 cm (9.3 in)
Weight:
103 g (3.6 oz)
Subspecies including nominate:
one
Colour Adult:
Both adults in general green, yellow all over head and throat; neck and upper breast olive; a few yellow and red feathers on thighs; yellow lesser wing coverts, bases of the feathers red; bend of wing, carpal edge, underwing coverts, axillary feathers and sides of underparts red; tail green tipped with blue. Beak horn in colour. Eye ring white, eye dark brown.
Colour Juvenile:
Head green instead of yellow; cheeks and ear coverts tinged with olive; throat and upper breast olive; green lesser wing coverts and carpal edge, with a few red feathers in carpal area; lesser underwing coverts red; green greater underwing coverts.
Call:
Calls described as scraping sounds and high-pitched notes.
More Information:
Content Sources:
CITES
Birdlife International
Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Birds of the World
Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006. 2010 edition
Parrots: Their Care and Breeding, Low, 1986.
Lexicon of Parrots, Thomas Arndt.
Captive Status:
Very uncommon.
Longevity:
—
Housing:
Indoor enclosure 3 x 2 x 2 m (9.8 x 6.5 x 6.5 ft) with roosting box 25 cm x 25 cm x 60 cm (10″ x 10″ x 24″) .
Diet:
Fruits such as: apple, orange, cactus fruits, pomeganate; vegetables such as: carrot, celery, green beans and peas in the pod, corn; commercial lory food or porridge; seed mix such as: millet, canary, safflower, oats, canary grass seed, limited sunflower; sprouted beans or other pulses; vitamin supplements especially C; complete kibble if taken.
Enrichment:
Provide fresh bird-safe branches, shallow bowls for bathing.
Nest Box Size:
25 x 25 x 60 cm (10″ x 10″ x 24″) vertical box
Clutch Size:
Not recorded.
Fledging Age:
—
Hatch Weight:
—
Peak Weight:
—
Weaning Weight:
—
World Population:
10,000-20,000, decreasing.
IUCN Red List Status:
Near Threatened
CITES Listing:
Appendix II
Threat Summary:
Not globally threatened. Uncommon over much of its range and never very numerous and now gone from C Andes and from near Bogotá. Affected by considerable habitat loss for the last four centuries, but most markedly in the 20th century. May also be affected by river and stream pollution due to mining and cocaine production. Throughout its range, tree cover has been lost at a rate of 5% over the past three generations (12.3 years). The species is locally hunted for food and traded as a cagebird in low numbers. The rate of population decline is therefore tentatively placed in the band 1-9% over three generations.
Range:
E Panama and NW Colombia to W Venezuela, in Sierra de Perija, Zulia; possibly isolated in NW Ecuador.
Habitat:
Found in humid or wet lowland to lower montane forest, including forest margins and tall secondary growth areas. From 150-1700 m (492-5576 ft).
Wild Diet:
Not known, but presumably like that of other Pyrilia sp.: seeds, fruit and possibly wasp larvae.
Ecology and Behaviour:
Probably resident with little or no regional movement. Found in small groups flying through treetops or lower calling loudly. Not easily seen while feeding quietly or resting in canopy.
Clutch and Egg Size:
Not recorded.
Breeding Season:
Breeding condition birds recorded from March-June.
Related Links:
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