Jardine's Parrot
Encyclopedia
The Red-fronted Parrot (Poicephalus gulielmi), also known as the Jardine's Parrot, is a medium-sized mainly green parrot
endemic across wide areas of Africa
. It has three subspecies. The extent and shade of the red or orange plumage on its head, thighs, and bend of wings vary depending on the subspecies.
They are popular as pets, partly because of their ability to mimic speech and copy sounds. Trapping of wild birds for the pet trade is a potential threat to wild populations; however, they are protected by CITES (appendix II) making the trade, import and export of all wild-caught parrots illegal.
The Red-fronted Parrot is 28 cm (11 in) long. It is mostly green and has a short black squarish tail. Black feathers on the head, neck, back, and wings have lighter green edges giving a scalloped appearance. The lower mandible is dark grey and the upper mandible has a horn coloured base and a dark grey tip. The irises
are red-orange, the eyerings are pinkish-grey, and the legs are grey-brown. The amount of red or orange on the forecrown, the bend of the wing, and thighs varies in the three subspecies. The adult male and female are identical in external appearance. Juveniles lack red on the head and have a blackish plumage above the beak instead. Juveniles also lack red on the wings and thighs, and they have a paler beak and brown irises.
. Congo Jack became tame and whistled and screamed, rather than talk. Sir William Jardine gave the species the binomial name Pionus Gulielmi after his son, William R.N. (Latin: Gulielmi means "William's"), and published the description in 1849.
Three subspecies are now recognized:
however, that are listed on appendix II of The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), along with almost all other parrot species. This has made the trade, import and export of all wild caught parrots illegal.
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...
endemic across wide areas of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. It has three subspecies. The extent and shade of the red or orange plumage on its head, thighs, and bend of wings vary depending on the subspecies.
They are popular as pets, partly because of their ability to mimic speech and copy sounds. Trapping of wild birds for the pet trade is a potential threat to wild populations; however, they are protected by CITES (appendix II) making the trade, import and export of all wild-caught parrots illegal.
Description
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
are red-orange, the eyerings are pinkish-grey, and the legs are grey-brown. The amount of red or orange on the forecrown, the bend of the wing, and thighs varies in the three subspecies. The adult male and female are identical in external appearance. Juveniles lack red on the head and have a blackish plumage above the beak instead. Juveniles also lack red on the wings and thighs, and they have a paler beak and brown irises.
Taxonomy
The first Red-fronted Parrot to be scientifically identified was named Congo Jack. The parrot was brought back live from the Congo to the United Kingdom by Sir William Jardine's son on his return from a three-year cruise on the HMS FavouriteHMS Favourite
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Favourite, or HMS Favorite: may have been a 14-gun sloop launched in 1740. was a 14-gun sloop launched in 1757 and sold in 1784. was a 16-gun sloop launched in 1794. She was captured by the French in 1806 and renamed Favorite, but was recaptured...
. Congo Jack became tame and whistled and screamed, rather than talk. Sir William Jardine gave the species the binomial name Pionus Gulielmi after his son, William R.N. (Latin: Gulielmi means "William's"), and published the description in 1849.
Three subspecies are now recognized:
- Poicephalus gulielmi, (Jardine 1849)
- P. g. gulielmi, (Jardine 1849) - orange-red on forehead to forecrown, wings, and thighs. Endemic in the Congo RiverCongo RiverThe Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
basin. This subspecies has also been introduced to the island of Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. - P. g. fantiensis, Neumann 1908 - the forecrown is orange and there is an orange-red or orange on the wings, slightly smaller. Endemic from LiberiaLiberiaLiberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
to southern GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. - P. g. massaicus, Fischer & Reichenow 1884 - similar to P. gulielmi except on the head the orange-red is less extensive occurring on the forehead above the beak. Endemic in the highlands (1800 to 3500m) of southern KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and northern TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
.
- P. g. gulielmi, (Jardine 1849) - orange-red on forehead to forecrown, wings, and thighs. Endemic in the Congo River
Breeding
The Red-fronted Parrot nests in tree cavities. The eggs are white and there are usually three or four in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 27 days and the chicks leave the nest about 80 days after hatching.Feeding
They fly swiftly making noisy calls above the forest canopy in pairs or small groups between their night-time roosts and feeding grounds. They feed quietly in the upper canopy of trees, where they are well camouflaged.Pets
Usually called Jardine's Parrots, the Red-fronted Parrot is becoming an increasingly popular pet, owing to increased availability and a growing following. They are particularly playful, intelligent, and affectionate. Some speak very clearly, and imitate other birds expertly. Their size, temperament, and voice makes them good candidates for apartment dwellers, when compared to larger, louder birds.Conservation status
The wild Red-fronted Parrot population in Africa is difficult to estimate, because of its vast range. They are potentially threatened by trapping of wild parrots for the pet trade;however, that are listed on appendix II of The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), along with almost all other parrot species. This has made the trade, import and export of all wild caught parrots illegal.
External links
- http://www.wingscc.com/aps/jardine.htm
- http://www.parrots.org/index.php/encyclopedia/profile/jardines_parrot/