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Parrots
Psittaciformes
INDEX
PARROT FEATURES
PARROTS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS !!
PARROTS OF THE BAHAMAS AND CONSERVATION
OTHER PARROTS OF ARDASTRA
PARROT FEATURES
People have been fascinated by parrots since ancient times. With their ability to “talk” and their bright colors it is hard to ignore these wonderful creatures. There are many features that all parrots have in common. The most obvious of these is the hooked parrot beak. This beak is highly adaptable. It can be used to delicately clean their feathers, or crush the hardest nuts and seeds. This beak also serves as a third “foot” as they use the beak in conjuction with
their feet to help climb around the tree tops.
Most birds have three toes pointing forward and one pointing backward. Parrots feet are arranged so that two toes point forward and two toes point backward. This is known as zygodactyle toe arrangement. This type of toe arrangement gives the parrot an unusually strong grip and allows them to grab slippery seeds, nuts and fruits.
They also are able to grab a branch so tightly, that they could hang upside down if they wanted to or they can stand on one foot and eat with the other!
Unlike any other bird, a parrot can use its foot to bring food up to its mouth. They can wrap their toes around a piece of food in the same way that you can wrap your fingers around a glass.
PARROTS DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS !!
Parrots are extrememly intelligent birds, with the mental capablites of a two year old child. Most parrots are very sociable. They like to gather in large flocks and there may be more than a thousand parrots in a single flock.
Parrots have been valued as caged birds and pets since ancient times. Nowadays, a huge range of species is kept in captivity and unfortunately, the obsession with finding new, exotic forms is accelerating the extinction of many species.
Parrots can be sold for a lot of money and because of this, the number of parrot chicks that are taken from the wild is estimated to be about 800,000 per year!
This is a big problem for an animal that only has about 2-3 chicks a year!
To collect these birds, trees are often cut down or nest cavities are opened with machetes, resulting in permanent habitat destruction. The birds are then crammed into small carriers (like the one above) without proper food, water or ventilation and unfortunately 8 out of 10 will die before reaching their final destination.
Even when these birds finally do live through their journey, they are then condemed to a life of solitude in a barron, small cage. Where the bordom literally drives them crazy.
Many people who purchase parrots do not understand what they are getting into when they buy them. Parrots are messy and noisey birds. But also remember that beak is designed to crack even the toughest of nuts and so it can do some serious damage to a little finger!
Another fact most potential buyers do not think about is how long these birds live. Do you want a 2 year old child for about 80 years? Well that is what it would be like if you owned a macaw like the one on the right.
These poor birds live out their lives being passed from one home to the next or they end up at a zoo, like Ardastra Gardens. And ultimately the parrot (and the species) is the one to suffer at the hands of a human’s desire. So remember, do not contribute to the extiction and suffering of these amazing birds but help to spread the word on how to help save them!
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PARROTS OF THE BAHAMAS AND CONSERVATION
Today, there are several different species of parrots flying through the skies of the Bahamas. Unfortunately, nearly all of these are escaped exotic pets. The Bahamas has one species of parrot that is originally from the Bahamas, the Bahama parrot. Some of the exotic varieties that have been spotted in the Bahamas, particularly New Providence includes the Sulphur-crested cockatoos, Budgerigars, Monk parakeets, Rose-ringed parakeets and different species of Amazons.
Bahama parrot (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis)
-
Endangered species
The scientific name for the Bahama parrot literally translated means, "white-headed amazon from the Bahamas". It is one of sixteen Amazon parrot species, which live in the Caribbean area. The Amazona leucocephala species is separated into three subspecies, collectively known as Cuban Parrots. However, they are all found on different islands of the West Indies.
- Cuban Parrot - A. leucocephala leucocephala
- Bahama Parrot - A. leucocephala bahamensis
- Cayman Parrot - A. leucocephala caymanensis
It is reported that when Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas he found the Bahama parrot widespread and abundant throughout the islands. In his journals about Crooked Island, he describes the copious species as flocks darkening the sun! Today the Bahama parrot is restricted to just two islands, which simply could not be further apart from each other. They are found only on the Northern island of Abaco and the Southern most island of Inagua. Today it is estimated that there are about 3,000 Bahama parrots left in the Bahamas. However, population studies are difficult, as much of Eastern sections Inagua are inaccessible except by foot.
The different populations vary considerably, both in their behavior and ecologically. Scientists are now considering separating them into different sub-species because of these differences.
- Abaconian Bahama parrots
The Abaco parrots live in pine forests and feed mainly on the pine nut of the
Bahamian Pine (Pinus caribaea vs bahamensis) and on the many berries that are found in the very diverse underlying coppice, such as the fruits of poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum), pigeon berry (Duranta repens), wild guava (Tetrazygia bicolor) and gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba).
As the island of Abaco does not have any natural predators the parrots on this island nest in limestone cavities in the
ground
! This is very unusual for a parrot and the Abaco Bahama parrots are one of only a few species of parrot that exhibit this behavior in the wild. Other such parrots include the nocturnal, flightless parrot in New Zealand called the Kakapo, the Rock parrot of Southern Australia and the Patagonian conure of Southern South America which has been nick-named the “Burrowing parrot”. Also, many parrot species kept in captivity will attempt to nest in the ground when there are no trees to utilize. But why the Abaconian Bahama parrot nests in the ground is not fully understood. Some people believe it is because of the lack of appropriate nesting trees as the forest habitats in Abaco mainly consists of Bahamian pine and pine trees do not make good nesting cavities for parrots. However, another factor to consider is that forest fires are a common feature in pine forests. The nesting behavior in the ground might be an adaptation to a habitat that has frequent forest fires. As the fire burns down the trees the chicks can remain safe under ground. This has proved to be a successful strategy and after a common forest fire, 100% of the parrots tend to survive, according to the research done by Parrots international.
However, when people came to live on Abaco they brought with them dogs, cats and unintentionally, rats and racoons. Within a short space of time, the island of Abaco has become invaded with new predators for the susceptible ground-nesting parrots. Unfortunately, the parrots are not adapting fast enough to the new predators and their populations are suffering as a result.
- Inaguan Bahama parrots
The Inagua Bahama Parrots live in coppice forest habitats on Inagua. The lack of pine trees on this island means that the Inagua parrots mainly feed on the fruits in the coppice forests.
Like most parrots, these Bahama parrots nest in tree cavities.
The Inagua population is less at risk from becoming extinct than the Abaco parrots mainly because of their different nesting habits and also because most of the island of Great Inagua is uninhabitable. Therefore, there have been fewer introductions of cats, dogs and other animals.
These parrots once "darkened the sun" with their flocks, so what has happened to the only parrot species to be found in the Bahamas? Well when Christopher Columbus first arrived to the Bahamas he also wrote that there was an abundance of large trees. This is certainly not true today. Many of the best forest habitats were cut down in the 1600's and 1700's for their
valued wood
.
Today, many organizations are working very hard to help save this extremely rare amazon parrot. Some parrots will be taken from the island of Abaco and
relocated
to surrounding islands to help save them.
Want to contribute to helping the Abaco Bahama parrots in the wild? Help organizations such as
Parrots International
.
Ardastra Gardens has successfully bred Bahama parrots in captivity. Currently, Ardastra Gardens is working with the Government towards a future breed and release program of captive bred parrots. The intention is to get them back to islands with suitable habitat where they were historically found.
Want to find out how to help in the Ardastra Gardens captive breeding program? Simply
contact us.
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OTHER PARROTS OF ARDASTRA
Ardastra Gardens has serveral different species of parrots, including Bahama parrots, several other Amazons, Macaws, Senegals, Pionus, Budgerigars, Cockatoos and Lory parrots.
Amazons
There are about 27 species of amazon parrots found throughout Central and South America. They are medium-sized to large, stocky birds with strong, heavy bills and short, slightly rounded tails. Generally, amazons are intelligent and can be seen traveling in pairs, small groups and even large flocks. Their days are spent feeding and roosting in trees. The amazon parrot diet varies slightly with geographical location but generally consists of seeds, nuts, berries, flowers and buds. Hens will normally lay between two to four eggs and the young are fully fledged at about 9 weeks old. They are common in the pet trade due to their social nature and ability to talk.
- Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica)
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Threatened species
There are two sub-species of orange winged amazon; A. a. amazonica and A. a. tobagensis. A. a. amazonica are found east of the Andes in Colombia, Venezuela, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Surinam. Their habitat varies from forests, mangroves, and swamps, to more open areas and secondary vegetation.
- Blue fronted Amazon (Amazona aestiva)
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Endangered species
These parrots are native to the rainforests of Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. They are the most popular amazon species in the pet trade. The blue fronted amazon is one of the quieter amazon species, except for when in flight or when alarmed. These conspicuous parrots have been known to occasionally forage in plantations, causing considerable damage to crops. There are two species of blue fronted amazon; A. a. aestiva and A. a. xanthopteryx. Ardastra is home to the A. a. aestiva sub-species.
- Cuban Amazon (Amazonica leucocephala)
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Endangered species
The Cuban amazons are endemic to Bahamas, Cuba, and Cayman islands. There are three sub-species of Cuban amazon. Here at Ardastra we have two of the sub-species; one of which is the Bahamian Amazon (A.l.bahamensis) which is only found on two islands in the Bahamas: Great Inagua and Abaco. They were once found on many other islands in the Bahamas, but due to introduced predators and human activity, their numbers are greatly reduced. They are now listed as a critically endangered species. The other, A.l.leucocephala, is found in eastern to central Cuba. There are only slight differences between A.l.leucocephala and A.l.bahamensis. The red abdominal patch is more restricted and the white of the head extends further back in the Bahamian amazon. The Cuban amazon is also slightly smaller than the Bahamian amazon. Both sub-species seem to inhabit remote woodland areas, preferring conifers. Flocks are noisy and conspicuous. Bahamian amazons will nest in tree hollows or lime-stone cavities, the adults being very cautious and aggressive during breeding. These amazons also feed on berries, seeds, nuts, leaf buds, blossoms and fruit plantations. Ardastra is home to five cuban amazons and five bahama parrots.
Many amazon species have been selectively bred in captivity as hybrids. These hybrids can be a mix of almost any of the 27 species. The pet trade industry tends to favor aesthetics and breeds the parrots to produce certain favorable characteristics sometimes, however, producing the opposite.
Macaws
There are about 17 living species of macaws, all of which are only found in Central and South America. All of theses species are unfortunately in danger of disappearing altogether due to habitat destruction and the pet trade. The macaw family has some of the largest parrots in the world, the largest being the hyacinth macaw. All macaws have a featherless patch of skin on their face, therefore are the only birds capable of blushing. These magnificent birds are extremely long-lived, some living well past 60 years.
- Blue and Gold macaw (Ara ararauna)
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Threatened species
The Blue and Gold macaws natural habitat runs from eastern Panama in Central America, south across northern South America, extending to Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. They are found in forest, savanna, swamp, and woodland habitats, feeding on seeds, fruits, nuts, and vegetable matter. These parrots have learned to use clay licks as a mineral supplement and to detoxify seeds. Blue and Gold macaws are quite gregarious and are seen in pairs, family parties, or flocks of up to 25 individuals. They roost communally in trees, often near a clearing or cliff. They nest in high holes in dead palms or in cavities in the side of clay cliffs and lay about 2 eggs. There is little know of their breeding and nesting habits but one study reported that the female incubates for 24 - 26 days and fledging occurs approximately 13 weeks after hatching.
- Military Macaw (Ara militaris)
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Endangered species
Military macaws can be found in western South America in Colombia, northern Venezuela, eastern Ecuador, northwestern and northeastern Peru, eastern and southeastern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. They have also been seen inhabiting oak and pine forests along the Caribbean coast. There are three documented sub-species; Ara m. militaris (found mainly in Venezuela and Peru), Ara m. mexicana (found only in Mexico) and A. m. boliviana (found mainly in Bolivia and Northwestern Argentina). Their preferred habitats are dry forests, open woodlands, lowlands, and riverine woodlands. These birds feed similarly to the blue and gold macaw. They have been observed to favor trees such as the fruit bearing palm and ficus. Military macaws form strong pair bonds within large flocks. Feeding typically occurs in the early morning, returning to roost at dusk. Nests have been recorded in cavities of dead trees or in the walls of limestone. The usual clutch is 2 eggs as similar to the Blue and Gold Macaw.
- Hybrid Macaw - (Ara spp.)
Ardastra has a macaw that is a mixture between two different species. Many bird breeders breed different species together to get an unusual looking variety. The mixed-breed macaw at Ardastra is named Chauncy and arrived to Ardastra from Crystal Cay (Coral world) when it closed down. Ardastra is not certain exactly what species Chauncy is mixed with but it appears to be a mix between a Blue and Gold macaw and a Scarlet macaw. This type of hybrid is quite common in the pet trade and also has a name that describes this very same mix, known as the Catalina macaw.
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Rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri)
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Threatened species
The Rose-ringed Parakeet, which includes two Indian Rose-ringed and two African Rose-ringed subspecies, is one of the most widely scattered members of the parrot family and is spread throughout Asia and parts of Africa. They are found in India, China, Ceylon, Africa, Tibet, Nepal and many adjacent islands, but has also been introduced world-wide with naturalized populations now in North America. Indian Rose-ringed Parakeets originated in Ceylon, while the African Rose-ringed Parakeets, their close cousins, originated in West Africa.
Indian Rose-ringed parakeets (P. k. manillensis) can be distinguished from the African cousins by their slightly larger size. These noisy parrots gather in very large groups, feeding and roosting together in large trees. As there habitat varies greatly, so does their diet. Rose-ringed parakeets feed on a variety of fruits, seed, flowers, agricultural grains, and occasionally soft shelled nuts. During the breeding season both sexes perform specific courtship behaviors, involving twittering sounds, distinct head movements, dilating pupils, wing displays and food offerings. The female will lay 2 to 6 eggs per clutch. The chicks will be fully fledged with in about 7 weeks. Rose-ringed parakeets come in three color phases. Green is the dominant, wild color but due to selective captive breeding, yellow and blue colors (and several other color variations) have been developed by focusing on recessive genes.
Ardastra Gardens is home to several rose-rings with many different color variations.
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Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus)
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Threatened species
Eclectus parrots are one of the few parrot species to be sexually dimorphic, meaning the males and females look different. The genus Eclectus is composed of only one species, roratus, and approximately nine subspecies or races.
- Red-sided Eclectus -- E. r. polychloros (blue eye ring/no yellow on tail)
- Vosmaeri Eclectus -- E. r. vosmaeri (yellow on tail/no blue eye ring)
- Solomon Island Eclectus -- E. r. solomonensis (like small Red-sided)
- Aruensis Eclectus -- E. r. aruensis (larger Red-sided/male has red eyes)
- Macgillivray Eclectus -- E. r. macgillivrayi (largest, like Red-sided)
- Biaki Eclectus -- E. r. biaki
- Cornelia's Eclectus -- E. r. cornelia
- Riedeli's Eclectus -- E. r. riedeli
- Westermani Eclectus -- E. r. westermani
Eclectus parrots are found in Lesser Sundas, Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and NE Australia. In the early 1980's they were found to be among the most common parrots in the Moluccan Islands. The sub-species are identified by their blue orbital ring, wingspan and body size. The Solomon Island Eclectus (Eclectus roratus solomonensis), found only on the Solomon Islands, is the smallest of the Eclectus sub-species. They are strong fliers, spending most of their day in search of food in the upper canopy of semitropical to tropical rainforests. These parrots feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, blossoms, nectar and leaf buds. Not unlike other parrot species, they tend to roost in large numbers. Eclectus parrots tend to breed continuously all year round, with an average clutch size of two. Nests are normally constructed in tree hollows near the forest edge. The female incubates the eggs for a little less than a month; the male will feed her for this entire period. The young birds are altrical, not leaving the nest for 12 weeks.
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Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) -
Endangered species
The Moluccan Cockatoo is endemic (only found) to Seram and surrounding islands, which are located in the Indonesian archipelago (island chain) also known as the Moluccas, Maluku or Spice Islands. Unfortunately, breeding populations are now found only on Seram, as development has destroyed breeding populations on the smaller islands. The Moluccan cockatoo is critically endangered due to the fact that it has been captured and imported to the US for sale in pet stores. As this parrot is now listed as a CITES species, it is illegal to capture and sell wild birds. In some areas of their range, they are considered pests as they can be destructive to crops. They are gregarious birds and have one of the shrillest cries of all parrots. Moluccan cockatoos generally live in small loose flocks. Both sexes will take turns incubating the eggs.
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Budgerigar - (Melopsittacus undulatus)
This small parrot is the only species in the genus Melopsittacus. They are often called parakeets, but the term "parakeet" refers to many small parrots with long flat tails. Originating in Australia, the budgerigar is found throughout the drier parts of the continent. The budgerigar has survived in inland Australia for over 5 million years. The word budgerigar comes from the Kamilaroi Aboriginal Australian name for the species which means, "good meal".
Budgerigars in the wild are green with darker tails and stripes on the back of their heads. Birds lacking the yellow pigment are blue. Albino budgerigars are white or yellow with red eyes. The cere (the colored area containing the nostrils) can be used to identify the budgie's gender. As the budgie matures, the males cere turns blue and the females cere turns tan to brown. The budgerigar can be found in open habitats, primarily in scrubland, open woodland and grassland. Breeding can be at any time of the year following good rains which promote the growth of the grass and other plant seeds that comprise their diet. The nest is in a hole in a tree; with the young fledging about 30 days after hatching. Outside of breeding, budgerigars are highly nomadic, covering extensive areas in flocks and seeking areas with good food resources.
The Budgerigar is a very common and familiar pet, believed to be the most common pet parrot in the world, and has been bred in captivity since the 1850s. Modern show budgerigars are larger than their wild cousins. Breeders have produced a wide range of colors and mutations, such as yellow, blue, white, violet, olive, albino and lutino, clearwing and spangled.
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Lory parrots
Lories and lorikeets form a distinct sub group with in the parrot family. They can be found throughout Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia and the Pacific. Lories differ from other parrots in that they are fluid feeders, feeding mainly on nectar and pollen. The tongues of these brilliantly colored parrots are specialized for their unique diet. They have evolved structurally modified bills, tongues and alimentary canals. The most striking adoption is the tongue, which is longer than most parrots and equipped with thread-like papillae at its tip. When the bird feeds these papillae can extend like tentacles to feed on the flowers.
These birds feed on flowering trees and shrubs which do not always have distinct flowering seasons. For that reason, lories can be very nomadic, covering considerable distances in search of food. Lories are also opportunist breeders, breeding whenever sufficient pollen and nectar are around. Most Lory species are very flamboyant and theatrical, having up to 30 different ritualized gestures, including a variety of flying, hopping and preening movements. Many of the performances are aggressive in nature but males also use similar displays during courtship.
- Black-capped lory - (Lorius lory)
There are 7 recognized sub-species of Black Capped Lories:
- The Black-capped lory (L. l. lory) - the nominate race.
- Meyer's Black-capped (L. l Salvadorii)
- Somu Lory (L. l somu)
- Jobi Lory (L. i jobiensis)
- Red Brested Lory (L. l erythrorax)
- Beaufort's Black-capped Lory (L.l viridicrissalis)
- Biak Lory (L. l cyanuchen)
Black Capped Lorys are found in West Irian and on the islands of Waigeu, Batanta, Salawati and Misool. There is also thought to be a Red Suffused mutation in South Africa.
- Chattering lory - (Lorius garrulus)
There are 3 sub-species of Chattering lory. Chatterings can be found on the islands of Weda and Halmahera.
- Rainbow lory - (Trichoglossus haematodus)
Blue Mountain Lorikeets or Swanson’s Lorikeets as they are commonly referred to are generally green, with a violet-blue head. They have an extensive range from eastern Australia, Southeast Australia to Eyre Peninsular, Kangaroo Island and Tasmania. There are various mutations established in aviculture, such as Parblue, Lime, Lutino, Fallow, Pied, Blue fronted, Cinnamon, Khaki, Grey-green and Blue..
- Red lory - (Eos rubra)
Red Lories inhabit the Islands of Indonesia. There are four known subspecies of red lory.
- Eos bornea bornea - Amboina & Saparua Is.
- Eos bornea rothschildi - Ceram Is.
- Eos bornea bernsteini - Kai Is.
- Eos bornea cyanonothus - Buru Is.
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