Fun White-crowned Parrot Facts For Kids
Gallery
A white-crowned parrot (Pionus senilis) is a New World chunky parrot extending from Central to South America. It is the smallest in size among all the Pionus species.
They are an endearing parrot species not only because of their unique and wonderful appearance but also due to their well-mannered social nature. It is also comparatively easier to pet and train a white-crowned parrot than many other species like the Amazon parrot or the macaw.
The white-crowned parrot is commonly referred to as a white-capped parrot in the wild and as a white-crowned Pionus or white-capped Pionus in aviculture. The upperparts are dark green while the belly is light green.
In flight, the blue underwings of the parrot are easily visible. This along with the red-colored vent are conspicuous features of this bird while they remain in flight.
These birds are severely decreasing in numbers owing to several perils, the most significant one being the effects of habitat destruction. They also frequently fall prey to humans and animals.
Humans either kill them as crop pests or they capture large numbers of birds from the wild for the pet trade. Between 1985-1990, 6413 birds have been exported from Honduras which accounted for 85% of the total white-capped Pionus trade volume. Since then, Honduras has been banned from trading the Pionus parrots.
To know more about these birds, keep on reading these amazing facts. For similar content check out great tit facts and cardinal bird facts for kids.
White-Crowned Parrot Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a white-crowned parrot?
The white-crowned parrot (Pionus senilis) is a type of medium-sized parrot that is endemic to eastern Mexico and western Panama.
What class of animal does a white-crowned parrot belong to?
The white-crowned parrot(Pionus senilis) of Psittaciformes order and Psittacidae family belong to the class Aves, the common class for all birds.
How many white-crowned parrots are there in the world?
The global population of white-crowned parrots is estimated to be around 50,000-499,999 total individuals. Due to this large population, these parrots are generally visible commonly throughout their entire range. However, in reality, white-capped parrots are following a declining population trend.
Where does a white-crowned parrot live?
White-crowned parrots are distributed throughout Central and South America. The white-capped Pionus range extends from eastern parts of Mexico up to western Panama. They widely populate the Caribbean slope of northeastern Mexico. The white-crowned Pionus are found most abundantly in Costa Rica.
What is a white-crowned parrot's habitat?
The ideal white-crowned parrot habitat includes moist tropical evergreen forest, adjacent semi-open woodland, and pine-oak woodland. The white-crowned Pionus are also found in developed areas like agricultural pastures, forest clearing and edges, and adjacent semi-open savanna grasslands.
Who do white-crowned parrots live with?
The Pionus or white-crowned parrot is an extremely social bird. They are often seen foraging in flocks consisting of 30-50 Pionus parrots. In captivity, it is better to keep a pair of two female Pionus species together.
The males have a more aggressive temperament, therefore female pairs are preferred over males. However, with humans, white-crowned parrots form very sweet bonds. Under proper training, Pionus parrots easily learn well-developed social interaction skills.
How long does a white-crowned parrot live?
The white-crowned parrot lifespan generally ranges between 3-10 years of age in the wild. They can live more than 40 years in captivity if they receive a perfect living environment.
How do they reproduce?
The breeding season of the white-crowned Pionus commences in January in Costa Rica and ends in May in Belize. Most Pionus parrots breed in the spring season.
These parrots change color in the breeding season, their readiness to breed is depicted by the transformation of their eye ring and feet colors to bright orange. Loud and noisy chirps of this bird can be heard up to close neighborhoods in their breeding season.
They nest in existing tree hollows, preferably in the holes of palm trees and stubs. The pairs isolate themselves from the flocks and live together throughout the entire breeding season. After breeding, the female white-crowned Pionus lays a single clutch containing three to six eggs.
Generally, a female bird is found to incubate the eggs after laying. Incubation lasts for a span of 24-26 days and the chicks fledge after they turn 8-12 weeks old.
What is their conservation status?
White-crowned parrots or the white-capped Pionus are classified as a species of Least Concern in the IUCN Red List. These birds are distributed throughout a large range in their native region.
They also have a considerably large population at present. Therefore, they are listed as Least Concern in the Red List.
The population of Pionus parrots is decreasing primarily due to widespread habitat loss. The white-capped Pionus has apparently gone extinct in the western parts of Nicaragua. They are also preyed upon and hunted by animals and humans.
However, since the population seems to be stable in their range, the rate of decline is assumed to be lower than the rate required to reach the threshold of an endangered species. To protect these birds from extinction, they are also identified by conservation sites all over their range.
White-Crowned Parrot Fun Facts
What do white-crowned parrots look like?
The white-crowned Pionus is a medium-sized parrot with a big body and short tail. Their head, neck, and breast are covered entirely by blue feathers making them distinct in the wild.
The overall plumage of these parrots appears dark blue and the belly and basal feathers in the underparts are green. Female white-crowned parrots are a bit duller than the males.
Except for the white crown, the rest of the head and breast are dull dark bluish in color. The yellow-olive shoulder patch is present in both sexes.
On the head, a large white patch is present and this white color extends up to the upper mandible of the bill. They also have red and bright bluish-green undercoverts that are prominent during flying.
How cute are they?
The white-capped Pionus is the smallest Pionus parrot. They look very cute and have a distinct plumage.
How do they communicate?
White-crowned parrots have a large variety of calls to communicate with each other. They make a loud 'crreet-crreet' shriek in flight.
How big is a white-crowned parrot?
The average length of a white-capped Pionus is 9.4 in (24 cm). They are around four times smaller than scarlet macaws.
How fast can a white-crowned parrot fly?
The white-capped Pionus flaps its wings very fast while flying however, its speed is unknown.
How much does a white-crowned parrot weigh?
The weight of a white-capped Pionus ranges between 6.8-8.1 oz (193-229 g).
What are the male and female names of the species?
Male and the female parrots are referred to as cocks and hens respectively.
What would you call a baby white-crowned parrot?
A baby white-crowned parrot is called a chick.
What do they eat?
The Pionus species are herbivorous in nature. The white-crowned parrot feeds on palm seeds, fruits, and nuts.
Are they dangerous?
No, they are not dangerous.
Would they make a good pet?
Yes, the white-capped Pionus makes excellent pets because of their friendly nature with humans. They are easier to pet and train a white-crowned parrot than many other species like the Amazon parrot or macaw.
Did you know...
Breeding the white-capped Pionus in captivity can be difficult because the males turn extremely aggressive and noisy during the process. Before the onset of the breeding conditions in a male, it is better to clip their wings. This helps the female to escape if the males become over-aggressive during the process.
What are the different types of crowned parrot?
There are few species of parrots that have a distinct head crown. They are called crowned parrots. Some popular crowned parrots are lilac crowned, red-crowned Amazon, blue-crowned parakeet, and yellow-crowned parrot.
Can they talk?
Unlike cockatoos, the white-capped Pionus lacks the ability to talk. They can be taught few words that they speak in a very scratchy voice but they are not fluent-speaking parrots like gray parrots.
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 sparrowhawk facts and western kingbird facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable parrot mask coloring pages.
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
