Order Psittaciformes family Psittacidae
The order Psittaciformes includes parrots and their relatives, which are primarily found in warm and tropical regions. South America and Australasia are home to the greatest diversity of parrots. Characteristic features of parrots include strong, curved bills, upright stances, and powerful legs. Similar to woodpeckers, parrots have two toes that point forward (digits 2 and 3) and two toes that point backward (digits 1 and 4). Most parrots are predominantly green, but they also exhibit a variety of other bright colors. Generally, there is little to no sexual dimorphism among parrots.
The primary components of most parrots’ diets include seeds, nuts, fruits, buds, and other plant materials. Almost all parrots nest in tree cavities. These birds are known for their intelligence, and the ability of some species to mimic human voices contributes to their popularity as pets.
1. Genus Agapornis
Lovebirds are small, sociable, and affectionate parrots that originate from Africa. They are characterized by their stocky builds, short, blunt tails, and relatively large, sharp beaks. Their name reflects their strong monogamous pair bonds, as they often spend extended periods sitting closely with their partners.
Lovebirds primarily eat fruits, vegetables, grasses, and seeds. Some species are kept as pets, and various color mutations have been selectively bred in aviculture. On average, these birds live for 10 to 15 years.
1.1. Black-cheeked Lovebird (Agapornis nigrigenis)
Description: Black-cheeked Lovebirds are vibrant, gregarious small green parrots with red bills and white eye-rings around dark eyes. Their foreheads and crowns are reddish-brown, their posterior crowns and napes are yellowish-green, and their cheeks and throats are blackish-brown. These dark facial masks contrast sharply with bright green feathers on the sides of their necks. They have orange-pink upper breasts that fade to yellowish-green. The sexes are alike.
- Length – Average 5.5 in (14 cm)
- Weight – 1.3 oz (38 g)
Habitat: Black-cheeked Lovebirds inhabit savannas and deciduous woodlands, where permanent supplies of surface water exist. They are most often found in stands of mopane and acacia trees.
Conservation: The IUCN has classified the Black-cheeked Lovebird as Vulnerable (VU) due to the gradual drying up of its habitat and a declining population caused by habitat loss. This decline is attributed to several factors, including the drying of water bodies, agricultural practices, hunting, trapping, fishing, logging, and diseases.
Distribution: Black-cheeked Lovebirds are endemic to a relatively small range in southwest Zambia.
1.2. Black-collared Lovebird (Agapornis swindernianus)
Description: Black-collared Lovebirds are primarily green with narrow black neck collars adorned with yellowish patches. They have deep blue rumps, while the upper parts of their bodies are dark green, featuring blackish flight feathers. The outer tail feathers display broad orange-red patterns bordered by a black subterminal band. Their chests are olive-yellow, transitioning to yellow on their bellies. These birds possess gray bills, and both males and females look quite similar; however, males typically have a slightly more extensive black band on their necks compared to females.
- Length – Average 5.12 in (13 cm)
- Weight – 1.38-1.45 oz (39-41 g)
Habitat: Black-collared Lovebirds live in dense rainforest canopies, often near fig trees and open areas. They may be found high in primary forests or lower in secondary forests, depending on the available foliage.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Black-collared Lovebird as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Black-collared Lovebirds are native to Eritrea and Ethiopia.
1.3. Black-winged Lovebird (Agapornis taranta)
Description: Black-winged Lovebirds are the largest members of the Lovebird family. They have primarily bright green plumage, with slightly lighter colors on their underparts. Their tails are short and feature black flight feathers and underwing coverts, while their undertails are yellow. These birds have red foreheads and lores, along with coral-red bills and red feathered eye rings. Their eyes are dark brown. Both males and females appear similar, but females lack the red foreheads and instead have green underwing coverts.
- Length – 6.3-6.5 in (16-16.5 cm)
- Weight – 1.73-2.33 oz (49-66 g)
Habitat: Black-winged Lovebirds inhabit highland areas and are found in juniper-podocarpus and olive-podocarpus-juniper forests, as well as broad-leaved tallgrass savannah and Acacia short-grass savannah in lower regions. They are also observed in the well-wooded gardens of urban areas.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Black-winged Lovebird as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Black-winged Lovebirds are endemic to Eritrea and Ethiopia.
1.4. Fischer’s Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri)
Description: Fischer’s Lovebirds are vibrant, small parrots characterized by their mostly green plumage. Their backs, chests, bellies, and wings are a lush green, transitioning to a golden yellow at their necks, which deepens to a darker orange hue as it moves upward. The heads are crowned with olive green, and their bright red bills culminate in a white band near their nostrils. Surrounding their dark brown eyes is a prominent white eye-ring that makes the eyes stand out. Additionally, their tail feathers exhibit hints of purple or blue.
- Length – Average 5.5 in (14 cm)
- Weight – 1.52-2.05 oz (43-58 g)
Fischer’s Lovebirds are similar to Lilian’s Lovebirds, but Fischer’s have yellower underparts.
Habitat: Fischer’s Lovebirds are typically found near water, especially during the dry season. They favor wooded grasslands, such as savannahs, which include trees like Acacia and Commiphora (myrrh), along with isolated clusters of trees scattered throughout the grass plains.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed Fischer’s Lovebird as Near Threatened (NT) due to the pet trade, leading to a suspension of export licenses in 1992 to prevent further population drops.
Distribution Fischer’s Lovebirds are endemic to a small area of east-central Africa, south and southeast of Lake Victoria in northern Tanzania.
1.5. Gray-headed Lovebird (Agapornis cana)
Description: Gray-headed Lovebirds are small, easily recognizable parrots known for their vibrant green plumage and the distinctive gray coloration on the heads and chests of adult males. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism, meaning only the adult males display the gray coloring. Their backs and wings are dark green, with black underwing coverts, and their tails feature dark markings. These birds have dark brown eyes, grayish-white bills, and bluish-gray legs. In contrast, females have a more uniform green appearance and possess green underwing coverts.
- Length – 5.12-5.9 in (13-15 cm)
- Weight – 0.88-1.11 oz (25-31.5 g)
Habitat: Gray-headed Lovebirds inhabit forest edges, clearings, wooded savannas, and crop areas near disturbed forests and settlements. They are commonly spotted along roads.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Gray-headed Lovebird as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Gray-headed Lovebirds are native to Madagascar and are the only lovebird species not found on the African continent.
1.6. Lilian’s Lovebird also Nyasa Lovebird (Agapornis Liliana)
Description: Lilian’s Lovebirds are sociable, small, and relatively stocky green parrots. Their underparts are a lighter shade of green compared to their upper parts. These birds have large, strong, bright red bills and white eye rings surrounding their dark brown-red eyes. A distinctive feature of Lilian’s Lovebirds is the orange coloring on their heads, necks, and upper chests, which complement their green rumps. The males and females look alike.
- Length – 5.12-5.9 in (13-15 cm)
- Weight – 0.88-1.11 oz (25-31.5 g)
Lilian’s Lovebirds are similar to Fischer’s Lovebirds, but Fischer’s have yellower underparts.
Habitat: Lilian’s Lovebirds inhabit mopane (Colophospermum mopane) woodlands in the southern part of their range, as well as belts of Acacia found on alluvium and riparian forest, and they often frequent fig trees in the northern part of their range.
Conservation: The IUCN has classified Lilian’s Lovebird as Near Threatened (NT) due to significant population declines caused by flooding from Lake Kariba and likely the Cahorra Bassa Dam in Mozambique. These birds are viewed as pests by small-scale farmers and have been heavily trapped in the international cage-bird trade since 1981, with over 10,000 captured legally. Additionally, many are sold locally in Mozambique, and the species is also traded in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Distribution: Lillian’s Lovebirds are endemic to Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
1.7. Red-headed Lovebird also Red-faced Lovebird (Agapornis pullarius)
Description: Red-headed Lovebirds primarily display green plumage accented by bright orange-red foreheads and throats. They feature vivid blue rumps, and their tail feathers, except for the central ones, are red at the base, black in the middle, and green at the tips. Additionally, they have black underwing coverts. Their bills are coral red, their eyes are dark brown, and their legs are gray. While males and females look quite similar, females have orange facial masks and green underwing coverts.
- Length – 5.2-5.9 in (13-15 cm)
- Weight – 1.03-1.76 oz (29-50 g)
Habitat: Red-headed Lovebirds inhabit a variety of habitats, including forest edges, savannas, and areas with cultivated crops. The species typically settle in locations near water sources.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Red-headed Lovebird as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Red-headed Lovebirds have a patchy distribution across the African tropical rainforest.
1.8. Rosy-faced Lovebird also Peach-faced Lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis)
Description: Rosy-faced Lovebirds are small parrots characterized by their short tails and vibrant green plumage, which tends to be lighter on their underparts. They are easily identifiable by their bright blue rumps, and different populations show variations in coloration. The males have rosy pink foreheads, chins, throats, upper breasts, and cheeks. Thin, fleshy eye-rings surround their dark eyes, and they possess yellowish bills. Females resemble males but are slightly duller in color.
- Length – 5.91-7.09 in (15-18 cm)
- Weight – 1.52-2.22 oz (43-63 g)
Habitat: Rosy-faced Lovebirds are typically found in arid forests, including the edges of deserts, open woodlands, and regions with scattered trees near sources of standing water. They prefer scrub-covered slopes and wooded watercourses, such as river canyons, as well as rocky terrain. These birds are commonly associated with Acacia species.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Rosy-faced Lovebird as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Rosy-faced Lovebirds are primarily found in the southwestern region of Africa. Their range includes the northwestern part of South Africa, the western half of Namibia, and the southwest corner of Angola.
1.9. Yellow-collared Lovebird also Masked Lovebird (Agapornis personatus)
Description: Yellow-collared Lovebirds are small, stocky birds known for their striking beauty. They have a light green body with darker green upperparts, and their heads and masks are blackish-brown. Their eyes are surrounded by white eye rings, contrasting with their dark eyes, and they possess deep coral-red bills. A distinctive feature is their yellow breasts, resembling a necklace that extends over their napes. The tail feathers are primarily green, except for the central pair, which also have dull orange and black bands. Both males and females have similar coloration.
- Length – 5.2-5.9 in (13-15 cm)
- Weight – 1.52-1.66 oz (43-47 g)
Habitat: Yellow-collared Lovebirds are found in well-wooded scrub and thorny Acacia scrub, particularly where scattered Adansonia baobabs and acacias are present. Lovebirds need access to water in all habitats.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Yellow-collared Lovebird as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Yellow-collared Lovebirds primarily inhabit Tanzania, southeast of Lake Victoria, with feral populations found in parts of Naivasha, Nairobi, and Mombasa, Kenya.
2. Genus Coracopsis
2.1. Greater Vasa Parrot (Coracopsis vasa)
Description: Greater Vasa Parrots are large parrots characterized by their dark gray feathers and distinctive metallic blue sheen. These parrots have very long tails and strong legs. The upper parts of their bodies are primarily gray, with gray undertail coverts and shafts of feathers that are streaked black. The outer webs of their primary feathers are a mix of blue and gray, while their tails are brown to black on the outside and gray underneath.
The bills of Greater Vasa Parrots are either pink or horn-colored, and they feature bare lores and eye rings that can be pink or white. Their eyes are dark brown. Males and females appear similar, but females lose their head feathers during breeding, revealing their orange skin. Interestingly, males are among the few bird species that possess a phallus.
- Length – Average 19.69 in (50 cm)
- Weight – 16.93 oz (480 g)
Greater Vasa Parrots, unlike Lesser Vasa Parrots, have whitish eye-rings, whereas Lesser Vasa Parrots possess gray eye-rings. Additionally, Greater Vasa Parrots are larger.
Habitat: Greater Vasa Parrots are typically found in humid and deciduous forests, coastal coconut plantations, and savannas, such as the Medemia palm savanna. They also inhabit areas near rice paddies, as well as sub-desert regions and dry open forests. You can often see them perched on sandbanks, in swamps, and cultivated fields.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Greater Vasa Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Greater Vasa Parrots are found throughout Madagascar and the Comoros.
2.2. Lesser Vasa Parrot also Black Parrot (Coracopsis nigra)
Description: Lesser Vasa Parrots are relatively large birds distinguished by their predominantly dark brown and gray feathers, which develop an iridescent green sheen during the breeding season. They have bare eye rings surrounding their dark brown eyes and possess large, robust bills that range in color from pink to gray, transitioning to gray after molting. The undersides of their flight feathers are pale gray, while the outer webs of their primary feathers are gray as well. Their tails are brown and black, featuring darker bands toward the tips and variable gray markings on the undertail coverts.
Moreover, Lesser Vasa Parrots lose all their head feathers during mating season, resulting in a bald appearance that is unique among parrot species. Interestingly, males are one of the few bird species with a phallus.
- Length – 13.78-15.75 in (35-40 cm)
- Weight – 7.58-10.34 oz (215-293 g)
Lesser Vasa Parrots, unlike Greater Vasa Parrots, have whitish eye-rings, whereas Lesser Vasa Parrots possess gray eye-rings. Additionally, Greater Vasa Parrots are larger.
Habitat: Lesser Vasa Parrots inhabit dense, humid forests, mangroves, savannas, dry, thorny forests, and secondary forests.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Lesser Vasa Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Lesser Vasa Parrots are endemic to most of Madagascar.
3. Genus Poicephalus
The genus Poicephalus is native to Africa. The birds are stocky with short, broad tails and relatively large heads and beaks for their size. They feed primarily on seeds, fruits, nuts, and leafy matter.
3.1. Brown-headed Parrot (Poicephalus cryptoxanthus)
Description: Brown-Headed Parrots are medium-sized green birds distinguished by their grayish-brown heads and dark-brown collars. They have brownish-green backs and wings, complemented by shimmering yellowish-green rumps. Their tails are greenish-brown, while their underparts are green. Notably, their underwing coverts are bright yellow.
Brown-headed Parrots have bicolored bills featuring blue-gray upper mandibles and tan lower mandibles. Their eyes are pale green or yellowish, rarely brown, with fleshy orbital rings. Their legs are gray to black. Sexes are alike
- Length – 9.06-9.84 in (23-25 cm)
- Weight – 4.02-5.50 oz (114-156 g)
Habitat: Brown-headed Parrots inhabit open lowland woodlands that contain fruit or seed-bearing trees. They prefer riparian fringes and can occasionally be found in mangroves, especially in areas with large baobab or fig trees, as well as in savanna and mopane woodlands featuring knob thorn acacia (Acacia nigrescens). These parrots are often spotted at the edges of small farms and mangrove areas.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Brown-headed Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Brown-headed parrots are found in south-eastern Africa.
3.2. Cape Parrot also Brown-necked Parrot also Gray-headed Parrot (Poicephalus robustus)
Description: Cape Parrots are moderately large birds with short tails and very large, ivory-colored bills. Their forecrowns are dark earth brown, while their crowns are olive green. Their heads and throats are yellowish-brown, and the cheeks and ear coverts range from olive green to yellow-green. Their napes and hind necks are yellowish-green. The backs, rumps, and upper wing coverts are dark green, edged with paler green, and they have black flight feathers.
Cape Parrots have blue-green underparts and distinctive orange-red thighs, as well as orange-red on the outer edges of their wings. Their tails are a dark slate color. They feature green rumps and underparts that are tinged with blue, along with the orange-red thighs, the bend of their wings, and the carpal edge. Their eyes are dark brown and surrounded by bare white or gray eye rings. Typically, female Cape Parrots have red foreheads.
- Length – 11.81-14.17 in (30-36 cm)
- Weight – oz (295-401 g)
Subspecies Brown-necked Parrot (P. r. fuscicolli) and Gray-headed Parrot (P. r. suahelicus) are sometimes considered species.
Habitat: Cape Parrots are found in Afromontane forests with a high density of tall yellowwood trees and also found in pecan nut plantations.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Cape Parrot as Vulnerable (VU) due to low reproductive rates caused by human impacts on indigenous forests, disease, and human predation.
Distribution: Cape Parrots are endemic to South Africa.
3.3. Meyer’s Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri)
Description: Meyer’s Parrots are small, stocky African parrots. Their heads, backs, wings, and tails are typically dull brown or grayish-brown. They feature yellow stripes across their crowns. The bend of their wings, lesser wing coverts, and underwing coverts have a yellow wash. The lower chest, tail coverts, and rumps are a vibrant turquoise green. Additionally, their thighs may have varying amounts of yellow. They possess dark gray bills, and their eyes are orange-red, surrounded by grayish-brown eye rings. Both sexes are similar in appearance.
- Length – 8.27-9.84 in (21-25 cm)
- Weight – 3.58-5.82 oz (100-165 g)
Similar to Ruppell’s Parrots, female Ruppell’s Parrots have blue lower bellies, whereas Meyer’s Parrots possess gray-brown underparts. The yellow on the shoulder of Ruppell’s Parrots extends further back than the yellow on Meyer’s Parrots.
Habitat: Meyer’s Parrots inhabit woodlands across sub-Saharan Africa, including dry savannas, galleries, forests, riparian zones, and secondary growth near watercourses or agricultural land.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed Meyer’s Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Meyer’s Parrots are located in southern and central Africa, particularly in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. They are found in countries such as Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Namibia.
3.4. Niam-Niam Parrot (Poicephalus crassus)
Description: Niam-Niam Parrots are medium-sized, stocky birds with mostly green bodies. Their pale green rumps are prominent when they fly. They have grayish-brown heads and napes that are tinged with olive-yellow. The backs and wings of these parrots are also green, while their underwing flight feathers showcase a deep blue on the outer webs. Their ear coverts are silver-gray. They have short, blunt tails with dull olive-brown central feathers bordered by brighter green edges.
Niam-Niam Parrots have gray-brown throats and upper breasts, while their lower breasts and bellies are vibrant green. They possess pale blue-gray upper beaks tipped in black and short yellowish lower beaks. Their eye rings are black, surrounding their orange eyes, and their legs are gray.
- Length – 9.75 in (25 cm)
- Weight – No data available
Habitat: Niam-Niam Parrots inhabit the lowland tropical forests, wooded grasslands, and Syzygium-Adina riparian forests, often found near water sources.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Niam-Niam Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Niam-Niam Parrots are located in southwestern Chad, extending through the Central African Republic to the extreme southwest of South Sudan and the northernmost regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
3.5. Red-billed Parrot (Poicephalus rufiventris)
Description: Red-billed Parrots are mid-sized parrots with big bills and short tails. Their upperparts, heads, upper chests, and tails are grayish-brown. Their rumps are dark blue, their supra caudal coverts are bluish-green, and they have orange-red lower wing coverts.
Red-billed Parrots have orange-red bellies, pale green to blue thighs, and lower flanks that transition to undertail coverts. Their bills are blackish, and their ruby-red eyes stand out against their darker gray eye rings. Their gray feet are covered in green feathers. The sexes are similar, but females have green bellies and brown underwing coverts.
- Length – Average 9.84 in (25 cm)
- Weight – Average 4.23 oz (120 g)
Habitat: Red-billed Parrots inhabit savanna and dry woodlands, favoring Commiphora scrub, baobabs, lowland Acacia shortgrass, thorny scrub, and riparian areas.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Red-billed Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Red-billed Parrots occur in west-central Africa.
3.6. Red-bellied Parrot also Jardine’s Parrot (Poicephalus gulielmi)
Description: Red-bellied Parrots are chunky, mid-sized parrots with short square tails. They have primarily green plumage, with bright green heads, backs, and chests. Their rumps and upper tail feathers are yellow-green. They have black feathers on their heads, necks, backs, and wings, which have lighter green edges, giving a scalloped appearance. Their green wing forewing edges are orange-red.
Red-bellied Parrots have bright green underparts, complemented by orange-red thighs. The lower mandibles are dark gray, while the upper mandibles feature a horn-colored base with dark gray tips. Their eyes are a striking red-orange, with pinkish-gray eye rings. The legs are a grey-brown color.
- Length – 10.24-11.81 in (26-30 cm)
- Weight – 8.99-10.58 oz (255-300 g)
Habitat: Red-bellied Parrots live in tropical lowland rainforests and primary montane forests. They can also be found in secondary forests and, in some areas, on coffee plantations.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Red-bellied Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Red-bellied Parrots are found in Central and West Africa, with their native range extending from southern Nigeria and Cameroon in the west to Ghana. To the east, they inhabit Kenya and Tanzania, stretching down into northern Angola.
3.7. Rüppell’s Parrot (Poicephalus rueppellii)
Description: Rüppell’s Parrots are chunky, mid-sized birds characterized by their mostly dark brown plumage and dark grayish heads. Some individuals exhibit lighter scalloping on their napes and hind necks. These parrots have distinctive yellow shoulder patches and blue rumps, which are particularly noticeable in flight. As males age, they tend to lose much of the blue coloration in these areas, which may fade to a dull gray blue.
Rüppell’s Parrots have yellow thighs with a hint of orange and grayish-black bills. They have bare, grayish-black rings around their orange-red eyes. Females show deep blue on their lower backs and duller blue on their lower abdomens.
- Length – 8.66-9.84 in (22-25 cm)
- Weight – 3.46-4.94 oz (98-140 g)
Similar to Meyer’s Parrots, female Ruppell’s Parrots have blue lower bellies, whereas Meyer’s Parrots possess gray-brown underparts. The yellow on the shoulder of Ruppell’s Parrots extends further back than the yellow on Meyer’s Parrots.
Habitat. Rüppell’s Parrots live in dry Acacia and Euphorbia forests near watercourses, as well as in thorny forests dominated by Brachystegia and Adansonia.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Rüppell’s Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Rüppell’s Parrots are endemic to southwestern Africa from central Namibia to southwest Angola.
3.8. Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalus)
Description: Senegal Parrots are medium-sized, stocky birds known for their distinctive features. They have short, broad tails that are greenish-brown, and their upper bodies are green. Their throats and upper breasts are green, – which transition into a vibrant orange-yellow “vest” that extends down past their bellies. Additionally, they sport bright yellow underwing and undertail coverts. Their bills are gray, and their feet are pinkish-gray.
Sexes are different whereby:
- females’ beaks and heads are generally slightly smaller and narrower than the males.
- The V-shape of the vest is longer for females, with the green area covering the chest and extending between the legs, while for males, it ends halfway down the chest.
- The under-tail covert feathers are generally mostly yellow in the male and usually mostly green in the female.
- Males are generally, but not always, larger and heavier than females.
- Length – Average 9.06 in (23 cm)
- Weight – 4.23-5.68 oz (120-161 g)
Habitat: Senegal Parrots are found in lowland savannas, open woodlands, isolated patches of closed-canopy woodlands, agricultural lands, and villages.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Senegal Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Senegal Parrots inhabit the western and central regions of Africa, including Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, Guinea, southern Mauritania, the Island of Los, and the Ivory Coast.
3.9. Yellow-fronted Parrot also Yellow-faced (Poicephalus flavifrons)
Description: Yellow-fronted Parrots are medium-sized, sturdy birds characterized by their large bills and short tails. Their primary color is green, with the upper parts being a darker shade of green. The tails are olive-brown, and their faces, foreheads, and upper cheeks are bright yellow. The flight feathers and tails are dark brown, often with hints of yellow along the edges of the wings and on their thighs. They also have pale gray skin around their orange-red eyes. The upper bills are brownish-gray, while the lower bills are bone-colored, and their legs are dark gray-brown. Sexes are similar
- Length – Average 11.02 in (28 cm)
- Weight – 4.94-7.23 oz (140-205 g)
Habitat: Yellow-fronted Parrots inhabit highland environments, including coniferous forests (juniper and podocarpus), secondary forests with native figs and acacias, and cultivated areas like eucalyptus woodlots and tree plantations.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Yellow-fronted Parrot as Least Concern (LC).
Distribution: Yellow-fronted Parrots are endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands.
4. Genus Psittacus
There is only one species in this genus.
4.1. African Gray Parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
Description: African Gray Parrots are large parrots characterized by their predominantly gray plumage, which features gray and white scalloping on the feathers. They have bare white facial areas around their striking yellow eyes. When in flight, they display vivid scarlet red tails and undertails. Older birds may also show random patches of red feathers among their body plumage. Their bills range in color from gray to blackish, while their feet are dark gray to blackish. The appearance of males and females is similar.
- Length – 11.02-15.35 in (28-39 cm)
- Weight – 14.18-17.28 oz (402-490 g)
Habitat: African Gray Parrots prefer lowland rainforests through most of their range, venturing into surrounding savanna, mangroves, and agricultural land.
Conservation: The IUCN has listed the Gray Parrot as Endangered (EN) due to the high level of annual harvesting for international trade, along with significant ongoing habitat loss. This combination is believed to be causing rapid population declines throughout three generations. Additionally, in some regions, Gray Parrots are hunted for bushmeat, and their heads, legs, and tail feathers are used in traditional medicine or for black magic purposes.
Distribution: African Gray Parrots are native to equatorial Africa, including Angola, Cameroon, the Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda.
Conclusion
African lovebirds and parrots showcase the rich diversity of bird species found across the continent. Lovebirds are particularly known for their affectionate bonds with each other. At the same time, parrots are admired for their vibrant colors, problem-solving abilities, and impressive communication skills, exemplified by the endangered Gray Parrot.
Unfortunately, these species are threatened by illegal pet trading, which has led to significant declines in their populations, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts. Protecting these birds is vital for maintaining healthy ecosystems, as most of them inhabit Africa’s rainforests, which are often poorly managed and vulnerable to logging and mining activities.
Implementing stricter conservation measures is essential for preserving global biodiversity and ensuring the integrity of these ecosystems.
