Red-fan parrot

The red-fan parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus), also known as the hawk-headed parrot, is an unusual New World parrot hailing from the Amazon Rainforest. It is the only member of the genus Deroptyus.

Red-fan parrot
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Deroptyus
Wagler, 1832
Species:
D. accipitrinus
Binomial name
Deroptyus accipitrinus
Synonyms

Psittacus accipitrinus Linnaeus, 1758

It dwells in Ecuador, Suriname, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, areas of northeast Peru, Venezuela, French Guiana and Guyana.

Description

The red-fan parrot possesses elongated neck feathers that can be raised to form an elaborate fan, which greatly increases the bird's apparent size, and is possibly used when threatened. It generally lives in undisturbed forest, feeding in the canopy on fruits. It has a dark brown face with white streaks, bare black patch round its brown eye, green wings, flanks and tail and red and blue barred breast.

Behavior

The bird nests in holes in trees and stumps. Two to three eggs are normally laid, hatching after approximately 26 days.[2] The young start to fledge in the wild at approximately 10 weeks old.[2] Only two nests have been examined in the wild, both had one chick.

It is not considered threatened, but is listed on CITES Appendix II (as are most parrots not listed on Appendix I).

Aviculture

Red-fan parrots, although not particularly common in aviculture, are sometimes kept as aviary birds or companion parrots. While juvenile birds tend to be docile, adults can be particularly ill-tempered, stubborn, unpredictable and strong-willed birds, showing extreme aggression towards humans and other birds housed with them (including others of their own species and/or their own mates), particularly when in breeding condition. Red-fan parrots, when kept as pets tend to bond with one person and require firm handling and a patient owner, experienced in both bird-keeping and the reading of parrot body language. However, as with all parrots, temperament can vary greatly from individual to individual and some red-fan parrots make excellent companions.[3][4][5][6]

References

  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Deroptyus accipitrinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Animal-World. "Hawk-headed Parrot". Animal World. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
  3. "Hawk-headed Parrot". Archived from the original on 2009-05-06. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  4. "Hawk-headed Parrot...Get Facts, See Pictures And Read What Hawk-head Owners Say". Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  5. "Hawk-headed Parrots". Archived from the original on 2009-09-03. Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  6. "Old World Aviaries: Hawk-headed Parrots". Retrieved 2009-06-22.
  • Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 4 Edited by del Hoyo, Elliott and Sargatal ISBN 84-87334-22-9
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