Fun Horned Parakeet Facts Facts For Kids

In the humid pine forests and among the savannahs of the Grand Terre Island of New Caledonia, one can find these colorful green balls of feathers darting around, foraging for nuts and seeds among the trees.

The horned parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus) is a species of small parrots that can be found in pairs and small flocks, nesting in hollow logs, trees, and even on the ground.

These parrots are known for the bunch of feathers jutting out from their crown which gives them the appearance of possessing horns. Their tropical coloring makes them quite popular with bird watchers and their pleasant chirps help to liven up moist forests.

These parrots are bright green with a black or gray face, a red and yellow crown, and blue-tipped wing and tail feathers. They have black feathers on the crown tipped with bright red, a black-blue bill, and black feet.

To learn more about this colorful parakeet, read on! For more relatable content, check out these ground parrot facts and Senegal parrot facts for kids.
 

Horned Parakeet Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a horned parakeet?

The horned parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus) is a type of bird that is endemic to the tropical rainforests of Grand Terre Island, New Caledonia.

What class of animal does a horned parakeet belong to?

The horned parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus) belongs to the class of Aves and is part of the Psittaculidae family.

How many horned parakeets are there in the world?

There are an estimated 5,000 of these birds currently in the world.

Where does a horned parakeet live?

Horned parakeets of Psittaculidae family are endemic to the French territory of New Caledonia, France. They can be found living in forests making their nests in hollowed-out logs, in tree cavities, or on the ground.

What is a horned parakeet's habitat?

Horned parakeets can be found living in humid pine forests, laurel forests, rainforests, scrublands, and savannahs. This parrot prefers forests where Agathis and Araucaria pines naturally grow to make their homes.

Who do horned parakeets live with?

Horned parakeets are known to partake in nest sharing and are often seen in groups of 10. They can be observed foraging together in small flocks or pairs among the forest canopy.

How long does a horned parakeet live?

The birds of the horned parakeet species have been observed to live for 15-20 years under ideal conditions.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season for this species is from October to December, during which the male courts the female with colorful displays and by uttering soulful cries. After the pair mates, the female will lay three to four eggs which will be incubated for a period of 21-23 days.

After the baby bird reaches five to six weeks, it is ready to leave the nest.

What is their conservation status?

This species is undergoing a slow decline with birds often falling prey to wildcats, black rats, and Rusa deer, as well as being affected by habitat loss due to logging. They have also been ravaged by the Psittacine beak and feather disease, a dangerous disease that affects almost 42 species of parrots.

This has caused their status to be listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List.

Horned Parakeet Fun Facts

What do horned parakeets look like?

Unlike other bird species, both male and female horned parakeets look quite similar. They are bright green in color with small, black faces and red crowns, transitioning from yellow and orange to green down their backs.

Their vivid green tail and wings are tipped with ocean blue, the full beauty of which can be registered when they spread their wings. They have a shiny black-blue bill and feet, with deep red and orange eyes.

Their 'horns' are not actually like those found on mammals, rather they are a couple of black feathers extending from the crest tipped with red.

Young birds are paler in comparison with gray faces and bills. The colors deepen as they mature.

How cute are they?

With their small size and beautiful green coloring, these birds are quite eye-catching and a sight to behold in the wild. They can often be found in small flocks, flitting through the forest canopies while foraging for food.

How do they communicate?

Horned parakeets are quite noisy birds, emitting sharp shrieks when alarmed. They make urgent, abrupt noises while flying and their voice has been described as nasal. It tends to make a series of quiet, chuckling chirps while perching which are quite pleasant to the ear.

How big is a horned parakeet?

These birds measure an estimated 12-14 in (30.5-35.6 cm). They are twice the size of blue grosbeaks.

How fast can a horned parakeet move?

The horned parakeet in flight can move quite fast when threatened or if it senses any danger. They are usually seen darting across the forest in small groups, like colorful whirlwinds.

How much does a horned parakeet weigh?

This parrot species weighs an estimated range of 4.6-4.9 oz (130-140 g). They are five to six times smaller than Amazon parrots.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for either sex of this species, with males simply being called cocks and females as hens.

What would you call a baby horned parakeet?

Baby horned parakeets are known as chicks, hatchlings, or fledglings.

What do they eat?

These small parrots are purely herbivorous in nature. Their diet consists of seeds, nuts, and millets. In captivity, they can be fed vegetables, fruits, green leaves, and bird pellets.

Are they dangerous?

These parrots are not dangerous at all, however, they are quite wary and cannot be approached easily. They take flight at the slightest hint of danger, shrieking as they do so.

Would they make a good pet?

These birds are rarely kept as pets and are not usually bred by captive breeders. Due to their declining population in the wild, they are not usually sought after as pets.

If they are kept as pets, they require a large, walk-in aviary with plenty of space to fly around. A number of perches and a leafy canopy should be provided to mimic their natural environment.

These birds are quite shy and wary, so in order to bond with them they must be bred and brought up in captivity. However, due to their declining population, it is advised to leave them be in their native homeland and observe them from afar.

Did you know...

The parrot species Ouvea parakeet (Eunymphicus uvaeensis) found on Uvea island was formerly grouped in with the E. cornutus species, however, they have now been split into two different species. The Eunymphicus uvaeensis parrot lacks the blue-tipped wings and tail and red and yellow-tipped crest feathers that the horned parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus) possesses.

Are horned parakeets endemic?

Yes, this parrot species is endemic to New Caledonia and cannot be found anywhere else in the wild.

Do parakeets kill other birds?

Despite these parakeets being shy and wary, when it comes to other birds they can be quite ferocious and territorial. They often get into fights with other birds, often injuring or killing them in the process.

They do not hunt down other birds as prey as they follow a fully vegetarian diet but fight them to feed their predatory instincts.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our mealy parrot interesting facts and kea parrot surprising facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable horned parakeet coloring pages.