Meyer's Parrot
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| Poicephalus meyeri Cretzschmar, 1827 |
The Meyer's Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri) is a small (about 21 cm), stocky African parrot. Meyer's parrots display a dull brown head, back, and tail, green abdomen, blue rump, and yellow thighs. Forshaw (1989) recognizes six subspecies of P. meyeri, which vary in home range, in size, and in markings, including extent of yellow markings on the head and wings and intensity of turquoise markings on the abdomen or rump.
Meyer's parrots are native to central and eastern sub-Saharan Africa. They have adapted to many woodland habitats, including savannah woodlands, wooded grasslands, and forests bordering watercourses or agricultural land. Though they normally travel in pairs or small flocks, wild Meyer's parrots may gather in larger numbers when food is plentiful. Their wild diet includes fruits, seeds, nuts, berries, and cultivated crops.
The name commemorates the German ornithologist Bernhard Meyer.
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[edit] Subspecies
The Meyer's Parrot has six subspecies:
- Poicephalus meyeri meyeri (the nominate subspecies)
- Poicephalus meyeri saturatus
- Poicephalus meyeri trasvaalensis
- Poicephalus meyeri matschiei
- Poicephalus meyeri damarensis
- Poicephalus meyeri reichenowi
[edit] Conservation status
Meyer's parrots are common in the wild. The IUCN Red List classifies the Meyer's parrot as Low Risk/Least Concern. The large population, limited pressure from trade and hunting, and 6,000,000 km² home range of the species make these birds unlikely to face extinction in the near future. The trade in Meyer's parrots that have been bred in aviculture is legal. Nevertheless, Meyer's parrots are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which makes the export, import and trade in wild-caught parrots illegal.
[edit] Pet parrots
Meyer's Parrots are commonly bred for the pet trade. They are relatively quiet and do not take up much space. These parrots are also sweet, fun-loving, and can be taught to speak.
[edit] References
- IUCN Red List of Threatened and Endangered Species
- Forshaw, Joseph M. and William T. Cooper. 1989. Parrots of the World. Third (Revised) Edition. Landsdowne Editions, Melbourne.
- Jordan, Rick and Jean Pattison. 1999. African Parrots. Hancock House, Blaine, WA.
