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South Africa

Includes Cape Parrot, Grey-headed Parrot

Poicephalus robustus

[edit] Identification

Length 30-36 cm; mass 260-350 g. A large parrot with a massive, pale bill.

P. r. robustus: Greenish-brown head (female has reddish-orange band on forehead). Mantle and upper wing coverts dark greenish brown with paler green edges. Orange-red wrists and leggings. Back, rump, upper tail coverts, and underparts blue-green.

[edit] Distribution

Africa: Senegal to Nigeria; Angola, DRC, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

Poicephalus robustus (sensu lato) has three subspecies:

• P. r. fuscicollis

• Senegal to Nigeria

• P. r. suahelicus (Grey-headed Parrot)

• Angola, south-eastern DRC, Burundi, western and southern Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and north-eastern South Africa

• P. r. robustus (Cape Parrot)

• Eastern South Africa

Some authorities^3,4 recognise each of these subspecies as separate species and others² recognise two species.

[edit] Habitat

Forest, woodland and savanna.

[edit] Behaviour

P. r. robustus: Usually in pairs or small groups; groups of up to 30 have been seen at rich food sources. Nomadic; may fly long distances (possibly more than 100 km) between forest patches depending on food availability. Feeds mainly on Yellowood (Podocarpus) endocarps; also nuts, seeds and fruit.

[edit] Breeding

P. r. robustus: Monogamous. Nests in a cavity in the trunk or branch of a tree (usually Yellowwood). Two to five eggs are laid (usually August to February) and incubated for 28-30 days by the female. The nestling period is 55-79 days, and young birds are probably dependant on the adults for more than a year.

[edit] References

1. Cape Parrot Working Group. 2006. Cape Parrot Fact File. Downloaded from www.cpwg.unp.ac.za on 23 September 2008.
2. Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
3. Gill F & Wright M. 2008. Birds of the World: Recommended English Names. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ, USA. 2006. ISBN 9780691128276 Update (2008) downloaded from http://worldbirdnames.org/names.html.
4. Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
5. Sinclair I & Ryan P. 2003. Birds of Africa south of the Sahara. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0620207299

• List of references

[edit] External Links