Print This | Tell-a-Friend



Brown-necked Parrot  (Poicephalus robustus)

Also Known As: Levaillant's Parrot, Cape Parrot (nominate)
 
MAIN_cape_parrot_2

Cape Parrot

Credit: (c) World Parrot Trust
 
photos Photos videoVideo 1
 
eNewsletter SIGNUP FOR EMAIL UPDATES
Did You Know?
The Brown-necked Parrot's very large beak gives it a "top heavy" appearance in flight.

Status in the Wild
World Population:
Not recorded

Range:
P.r. robustus: E Republic of S Africa, from Knysna and eastern Cape Province to Natal, W Kwazulu, W Swaziland, and SE Transvaal.
P.r. suahelicus: NE Transvaal, Republic of S Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, N Botswana, and northern regions of Namibia to Angola, including Cabinda, S Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and C Tanzania.
P.r. fuscicollis: W Africa from Gambia and S Senegal to N Ghana and Togo.


Habitat:
Found in different woodland types: mangroves, riverine woodlands, savanna woodland, montane forests at 3750m (12,300ft), to lowland forest.

Threat Summary:
Local and mostly uncommon throughout range, but more numerous in Ghana. Southern subspecies has suffered decline and is considered vulnerable because of wild bird trapping, habitat loss and degradation and persecution by farmers.

IUCN Rating:
Least Concern

Wild Diet:
Eat wide variety of fruits, nuts, pips, kernels, millet and sometimes apples in orchards; podocarpus fruits.

CITES Rating:
Appendix II

Ecology:
Feeds on ground and in trees, roosts communally; forms flocks with other Poicephalus sp. Partially nomadic. Quite shy.

Clutch and Egg Size:
2 to 4, rounded, glossy eggs, 34 x 28 mm (1.3 x 1.0 in)

Breeding Season:
Gambia, February-April; Zimbabwe March-June, October-November; South Africa June and August-October.

Project Status (WPT):
WPT has been sending funds to be used to help ongoing conservation and studies for the Cape Parrot.
See: http://www.parrots.org/index.php/ourwork/capeparrot/

Links to Other Project(s):
http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2002/may/parrot.htm

http://www.ukzn.ac.za/Biology/CPDNABank678.aspx

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nisc/ostrich/2004/00000075/00000003/art00004

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118836215/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

More Info Sites:
http://bigfive.jl.co.za/cape%20parrot.htm

http://www.ukzn.ac.za/Biology/CapeParrot242.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Un-cape_Parrot