Buff-faced Pygmy-parrot
Encyclopedia
The Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot (Micropsitta pusio) is a species of parrot
in the Psittacidae family. It is found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s in West Papua, Indonesia
and Papua New Guinea
.
Little-studied, it is known mainly for being the world's smallest parrot, at 11.5 g (0.405650564208788 oz) and 8.6 cm (3.4 in).
The species was first described as Nasiterna pusio by English naturalist Philip Lutley Sclater
in 1866. The genus name Micropsitta is derived from the Greek
mikros meaning small and psitta for parrot. The specific name is the Latin
pũsǐõ, which means "little boy".
Four subspecies have been described, although their status has been questioned. The type subspecies, pusio, occurs on the Bismarck Archipelago and southeastern New Guinea; birds of Fergusson Island in the D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago have blue-tinged throats and less distinct markings and are described as harterti; birds of Misima and Tagula Islands in the Louisiade Archipelago are slightly larger and have more yellowish underparts and are described as subspecies stresemanni; and those that range in western New Guinea from Cenderawasih Bay
to the Kumusi River
have darker plumage overall and are named subspecies beccarii.
The male and female are similar in appearance, the plumage mainly green with a yellowish tone on the underparts. The cheeks, face, and crown are buff (hence the common name). There is a dark blue patch on the top of the head back to the occiput. Head markings are smaller in females, and facial colour paler. The eyes are dark brown and the bill is grey, and legs are greyish with blue or pinkish tints. Immature birds lack the blue crown, replacing it with green, and the buff colour is less distinct.
Buff-faced Pygmy Parrots are found across the northern lowlands of the island of New Guinea from the west to the southeastern tip up to an altitude of around 800 m, as well as in the Bismarck Archipelago
. They inhabit subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s. They are found in small groups of up to six birds and are highly active, hopping around on tree trunks.
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
in the Psittacidae family. It is found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s in West Papua, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
.
Little-studied, it is known mainly for being the world's smallest parrot, at 11.5 g (0.405650564208788 oz) and 8.6 cm (3.4 in).
The species was first described as Nasiterna pusio by English naturalist Philip Lutley Sclater
Philip Sclater
Philip Lutley Sclater was an English lawyer and zoologist. In zoology, he was an expert ornithologist, and identified the main zoogeographic regions of the world...
in 1866. The genus name Micropsitta is derived from the Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
mikros meaning small and psitta for parrot. The specific name is the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
pũsǐõ, which means "little boy".
Four subspecies have been described, although their status has been questioned. The type subspecies, pusio, occurs on the Bismarck Archipelago and southeastern New Guinea; birds of Fergusson Island in the D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago have blue-tinged throats and less distinct markings and are described as harterti; birds of Misima and Tagula Islands in the Louisiade Archipelago are slightly larger and have more yellowish underparts and are described as subspecies stresemanni; and those that range in western New Guinea from Cenderawasih Bay
Cenderawasih Bay
Cenderawasih Bay , also Teluk Sarera , formerly Geelvink Bay is a large bay in northern Province of Papua and West Papua, New Guinea, Indonesia, at . The Dutch name comes after a Dutch ship and family called Geelvinck...
to the Kumusi River
Kumusi River
The Kumusi River is a river located in the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea. Known for its width and its strength, the Kumusi has had a significant impact on the history of the Oro Province...
have darker plumage overall and are named subspecies beccarii.
The male and female are similar in appearance, the plumage mainly green with a yellowish tone on the underparts. The cheeks, face, and crown are buff (hence the common name). There is a dark blue patch on the top of the head back to the occiput. Head markings are smaller in females, and facial colour paler. The eyes are dark brown and the bill is grey, and legs are greyish with blue or pinkish tints. Immature birds lack the blue crown, replacing it with green, and the buff colour is less distinct.
Buff-faced Pygmy Parrots are found across the northern lowlands of the island of New Guinea from the west to the southeastern tip up to an altitude of around 800 m, as well as in the Bismarck Archipelago
Bismarck Archipelago
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands off the northeastern coast of New Guinea in the western Pacific Ocean and is part of the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea.-History:...
. They inhabit subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s. They are found in small groups of up to six birds and are highly active, hopping around on tree trunks.