Red-capped Parrot
Encyclopedia
The Red-capped Parrot also called the Pileated Parakeet (leading to easy confusion with the South American Pionopsitta pileata), and King Parrot locally in Western Australia
, is an Australia
n species of broad-tailed parrot
related to the Rosella
s.
First described by German naturalist
Heinrich Kuhl
in 1820, from a collection in Albany, Western Australia
, the Red-capped Parrot was placed in the monotypic genus Purpureicephalus by Charles Lucien Bonaparte
in 1854. The generic name is an amalgam of the Latin
purpureus "purple", and the Ancient Greek
kephalos "head". The specific epithet spurius is the Latin
adjective meaning "illegitimate", and refers to the very different adult and immature plumages (hence appearing unrelated). Besides Red-capped Parrot, vernacular names include Pileated Parrot, Western King Parrot, Purple-crowned Parrot, Grey Parrot or Hookbill.
Measuring 34–38 cm (14–15 in) in length and weighing 105–125 g, the adult Red-capped Parrot is a distinctive and easily recognised medium-sized parrot. The adult male has a crimson crown, grey-brown lores, and green-yellow cheeks and a narrow long upper mandible. The upperparts are dark green, the rump yellow-green, the tail green with dark blue tip. The underparts are purplish-blue and the flanks green and red. The female is similar but duller overall, and the juvenile has a dark green crown, reddish frontal band, and red-brown underparts.
The species occurs from the Moore River southwards in southwestern Australia. Its natural habitat is Marri (Corymbia calophylla
), but has adpated to farmland, orchards and suburban landscapes in Perth.
Marri seeds are the preferred diet, but birds also extract seeds from Karri (Eucalyptus marginata), woody pear (Xylomelum
), Grevillea
, Hakea
, and She-oak (Casuarina
), as well as insects such as psyllids, and even orchard fruit such as apples and pears.
The breeding season is August to December, the nest
is a tree
hollow, and a clutch of five white ird egg|egg\\s is laid.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n species of broad-tailed parrot
Broad-tailed parrot
A broad-tailed parrot is any of about 35–40 species belonging to the tribe Platycercini. The members of the tribe are small to medium in size, and all are native to Australasia, Australia in particular, but also New Zealand, New Caledonia, and nearby islands.-Species:* Genus Prosopeia** Crimson...
related to the Rosella
Rosella
A rosella is one of five to eight species of colorful Australian parrots in the genus Platycercus. Platycercus means "broad-tailed" or "flat-tailed", reflecting a feature common to the rosellas and other members of the broad-tailed parrot tribe...
s.
First described by German naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
Heinrich Kuhl
Heinrich Kuhl
Heinrich Kuhl was a German naturalist and zoologist.Kuhl was born in Hanau. He became assistant to Coenraad Jacob Temminck at the Leiden museum. In 1817 he published a monograph on bats and in 1819 he published Conspectus psittacorum...
in 1820, from a collection in Albany, Western Australia
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
, the Red-capped Parrot was placed in the monotypic genus Purpureicephalus by Charles Lucien Bonaparte
Charles Lucien Bonaparte
Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte, 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano was a French naturalist and ornithologist.-Biography:...
in 1854. The generic name is an amalgam of 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...
purpureus "purple", and the Ancient 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...
kephalos "head". The specific epithet spurius 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...
adjective meaning "illegitimate", and refers to the very different adult and immature plumages (hence appearing unrelated). Besides Red-capped Parrot, vernacular names include Pileated Parrot, Western King Parrot, Purple-crowned Parrot, Grey Parrot or Hookbill.
Measuring 34–38 cm (14–15 in) in length and weighing 105–125 g, the adult Red-capped Parrot is a distinctive and easily recognised medium-sized parrot. The adult male has a crimson crown, grey-brown lores, and green-yellow cheeks and a narrow long upper mandible. The upperparts are dark green, the rump yellow-green, the tail green with dark blue tip. The underparts are purplish-blue and the flanks green and red. The female is similar but duller overall, and the juvenile has a dark green crown, reddish frontal band, and red-brown underparts.
The species occurs from the Moore River southwards in southwestern Australia. Its natural habitat is Marri (Corymbia calophylla
Corymbia calophylla
Corymbia calophylla is a bloodwood native to Western Australia. Common names include Marri and Port Gregory Gum, and a long standing usage has been Red Gum due to the red gum effusions often found on trunks.It is distinctive among bloodwoods for its very large buds and fruit Corymbia calophylla...
), but has adpated to farmland, orchards and suburban landscapes in Perth.
Marri seeds are the preferred diet, but birds also extract seeds from Karri (Eucalyptus marginata), woody pear (Xylomelum
Xylomelum
Xylomelum is a genus of six species in the plant family Proteaceae. They are native to Australia, growing in the form of tall shrubs and trees...
), Grevillea
Grevillea
Grevillea is a diverse genus of about 360 species of evergreen flowering plants in the protea family Proteaceae, native to Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Sulawesi. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Greville. The species range from prostrate shrubs less than 0.5 m tall to trees...
, Hakea
Hakea
Hakea is a genus of 149 species of shrubs and small trees in the Proteaceae, native to Australia. They are found throughout the country, with the highest species diversity being found in the south west of Western Australia....
, and She-oak (Casuarina
Casuarina
Casuarina is a genus of 17 species in the family Casuarinaceae, native to Australasia, southeast Asia, and islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It was once treated as the sole genus in the family, but has been split into three genera .They are evergreen shrubs and trees growing to 35 m tall...
), as well as insects such as psyllids, and even orchard fruit such as apples and pears.
The breeding season is August to December, the nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
is a tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
hollow, and a clutch of five white ird egg|egg\\s is laid.