One of the largest parrots,the Scarlet Marcaw

The blue and gold marcaw

Parrots are a common sight in all rainforest. The parrot family includes the macaws, cockatoos, lories and lorikeets. The macaws are the largest of all parrots and the two common species in the Amazon rainforest is the scarlet and the blue and gold macaws. In the morning it is a norm to see flocks of these birds flying to their feeding place making screeching noises. They feed on fruits, seeds and leaves found on the canopy. They return at dusk. Often, they are also seen on riverbanks, where they eat clays, which is believed to neutralize the toxic compounds that form part of their diet. These two species are still abundant in the wild even though they are often caught for the pet trade.

Unlike the scarlet and blue and gold macaw, the largest of parrots, the hyacinth parrot is endangered. There are six genera of macaws, and the Hyacinth is one of the three species of the genus Anodorhynchus. One of the species of this genus, the Glaucus Macaw is believed to be extinct, while the other, the Indigo Macaw is severely threatened. The average length of the Hyacinth is 40 inches and weighs 1,250 grams. Its plumage is cobalt blue, while the wings and tail feathers are dark grey on the undersurface. Its black bill like other macaws, are curved, sharp and pointed. Ranging from Brazil all the way to northeastern Paraguay, the numbers of Hyacinth in the wild is believed to be 2,500 to 5,000. This bird is highly valued in the pet trade, and this has led to the illegal trading in Brazil.

However the worst case of endangerment is the Spix’s parrot, where only 1 male is left in the wild, the forests of Northeast Brazil. Only sixteen are in captivity where they are undergoing a breeding program. However around fifty birds are held in captivity by two private collectors, one in Philippines and the other in Switzerland. Both collectors are unwilling to restore the birds back into the wild, and this is holding back a reintroduction program. The plumage of this bird is dark cobalt blue with head and earspots washed with green. Its bill is black, legs black and iris light grey. The average length is 56cm. Other species of parrots that are on the edge of extinction includes the flightless Kakapo from New Zealand with 56 left, Lear’s macaw from Brazil with less than 150 left, and the echo parakeet from Mauritius down to 8 birds 15 years ago. However with a success captive-breeding program, the number of echo parakeet is now more than a 100.

The number of species of parrots in Africa is much less than that in South American and Southeast Asia. And one of them is the African Grey. In West Africa, Gabon, there are two places where you can see five thousand to ten thousand of them roosting together. It is a grey bird with white areas around the eyes, and red tail. The African grey is a highly intelligent bird and is able to mimic human speeches very well. They are also a pretty quite species. This has led to its popularity among pet lovers. However, the African grey is not facing endangerment.

Not all parrots are colourful, the Vasa parrot and black parrot of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, are two species of two black parrots. The Vasa parrot is a very unusual bird. It hatches only in 18 days, and loses the head and facial feathers during the breeding season. And the feather can change colour without molting. As the breeding season approaches, the feathers of the female changes from grey to light brown. Unlike any other animal species, the females are the more aggressive and demanding ones during the mating seasons. The females expect the male’s full attention, and this means being fed and mated upon demand. If the male is disinterested, she will chase him relentlessly until he gives in. Both the Vasa and black parrot feeds on fruits, nuts and seeds, found on the canopy trees.