Fun Pesquet's Parrot Facts For Kids

The Pesquet's parrot (Psittrichas fulgidus), also known as the New Guinea Vulturine parrot, is one of the most astonishing parrot species in the world and the only member of its genus, Psittrichas. The genus Psittrichas is not the only member of its subfamily, Psittrichasinae. These beautiful black and red birds lurk around the tropical montane rainforests of New Guinea. They lack head feathers, and they have small heads and a vulture-like hooked long bill relative to other parrots. These unnerving and beautiful parrots were widely exploited for cultural ornamentation and fashion. As a result, the population of these brilliant birds is declining due to overhunting and habitat loss.

The Pesquet's parrot is a stocky-built bird that interestingly maintains all its weight by feeding on syrupy, soft figs and flowers. These frugivores are excellent flyers as well and during their flight, they continue flapping vigorously and swiftly gliding. A Pesquet's parrot is known to wander and migrate within its area of habitat which is majorly reliant on the availability of its diet. They are known for combining their vulture-like appearance, beauty, and the rasping voice of parrots.

To read more about these charismatic birds, we have prepared a list of facts for you to read. You can also discover more articles on the thick-billed parrot and mealy parrot.

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What type of animal is a Pesquet's parrot?

The Pesquet's parrot, also known as a Vulturine parrot or a Dracula parrot, is a large-sized bird. It is the only member of the genus, Psittrichas, and belongs to the family of Psittaculidae.

What class of animal does a Pesquet's parrot belong to?

The Pesquet's parrot (Psittrichas fulgidus) belongs to the class of Aves.

How many Pesquet's parrots are there in the world?

The population of Pesquet's parrots is declining, and according to the IUCN Red List, there are approximately 20,000 to 50,000 adult Pesquet's parrots alive in the world.

Where does a Pesquet's parrot live?

Pesquet's parrots (Psittrichas fulgidus) are mainly confined to the lower tropical montane rainforests and hills. They are primarily found at an elevation of 1968-3937 ft (600-1200 m). The species of Pesquet's parrot is endemic to the mountainous rainforests of mainland Papua New Guinea. They have been reported to migrate seasonally within their range of habitats. They perch on the higher branches of tall trees and nest in hollow yet tall trees.

What is a Pesquet's parrot's habitat?

A Pesquet's parrot is found in the mountainous rainforests, foothills, and lower mountains. They usually range from lowlands to higher elevations. They can go as low as 98 ft (30 m) and as high as 6562 ft (2000 m). They are occasionally nomadic as they wander within their habitat area which is completely reliant on the availability of their diet.

Who does a Pesquet's parrot live with?

Pesquet's parrots generally live alone. However, they also live in pairs and small groups known as a flock or company of parrots. These birds have been observed flying over tall trees and canopies in pairs or small flocks.

How long does a Pesquet's parrot live?

A Pesquet's parrot (Psittrichas fulgidus) has a long life expectancy, and these wild birds can live for 20 to 40 years in the wild.

How do they reproduce?

Pesquet's parrots are oviparous which means they lay their eggs without any embryonic development within the female's body. Their breeding season takes place from February to April, or it can extend up to May. Females usually nest in tall-hollow trees and lay around two eggs in each reproduction cycle. Females incubate the eggs for around a month. Meanwhile, the male feeds the female, followed by the hatching of the eggs. The chicks are altricial at the time of their birth which means they need nourishment, and they are born without feathers, blind and feeble. The young ones often fledge in December.

What is their conservation status?

Pesquet's parrots are listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Moreover, they are mentioned in Appendix II of CITES or Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora.

What do Pesquet's parrots look like?

A Pesquet's parrot is a rare and quirky-looking bird with grayish black feathers. These small-headed birds have a complete black plumage. It has a black body with a grayish scaling over its chest, a red belly, upper tail coverts, and wing panels. The male and female species are distinguished by a red spot behind the male's eye. An adult female does not possess any red spot behind her eyes. It has a relatively small head, owing to the hairless (bare) solid black skin on its face and its bill is comparatively longer and hooked. Its name is derived due to its similarity with vultures.

How cute are they?

The small-headed Pesquet's parrot is really cute with their dark but saturated coloration of their plumage gives them some vibrancy. They are one of the most unique-looking and fascinating birds.

How do they communicate?

A Pesquet's parrot is a very harsh and noisy bird. They make raping, harsh, and growling calls while they are flying in small groups. They have a higher-pitched voice which is somewhat weak but rasping. Moreover when pairs are far away, they use their nasal up slurred notes to communicate and rasping cries to guard the fruiting trees.

How big is a Pesquet's parrot?

A Pesquet's parrot is around 18 in (46 cm) in length, and its weight is around 21-28 oz (600-800 g). This bird species is around double the size of mealy parrots.

How fast can a Pesquet's parrot fly?

This bird species (Psittrichas fulgidus) are excellent flyers and during flight, they swap between vigorous flapping and short-swift glides.

How much does a Pesquet's parrot weigh?

A Pesquet's parrot or Vulturine parrot weighs around 21-28 oz (600-800 g).

What are their male and female names of the species?

In terms of gender, they are not classified with separate names but they are a member of the Aves class. A female bird is known as hen and a male is known as a cock.

What would you call a baby Pesquet's parrot?

A baby Pesquet's parrot is known as a chick or a hatchling.

What do they eat?

A Pesquet's parrot is a highly skilled frugivore that feeds almost exclusively on various figs. Their diet also consists of soft fruit, nectar, flowers, and seeds. They eat pulpy soft fruit such as mangoes.

Are they dangerous?

No, they are not dangerous but some might find them scary because of their vulture-like appearance.

Would they make a good pet?

No, they would not make a good pet as they are habituated to living in the wild. Also, these parrots have been listed as Vulnerable and are in need of conservation.

Did you know...

A Pesquet's parrot is one of the three parrots with bare (featherless) faces. It's assumed that the bare part of the head is most likely an adaptation to prevent sticky fruits from touching the feathers.

While another name for this bird is the Dracula parrot, this name is only given to this parrot because of its physical appearance, not because it likes to drink the blood of other species.

What is the other most common name of Pesquet's parrot?

The Pesquet's parrot or Psittrichas fulgidus has various other common names such as Vulturine parrot or Dracula parrot.

Can you own a Pesquet's parrot?

No, a Pesquet's parrot cannot be owned as a pet as they are evaluated as a threatened species and listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. However, despite these conservation measures, some of these parrots are still sold on the black market. If you come across such sellers, please report them to the appropriate authorities.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including little bee eater, or peacock.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Pesquet's parrot coloring pages.

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