Fun Double-eyed Fig Parrot Facts For Kids

The double-eyed fig parrot is a kind of parrot species belonging to Australia, the New Guinea Islands, and some neighboring islands. The eight subspecies of the double-eyed fig parrot have slightly different ranges which include regions like the Cape York Peninsula, New South Wales, and the Aru Islands.

This bird is the smallest parrot species in Australia. They are also known as red-faced fig or blue-faced fig parrots.

Double-eyed fig parrots have greenish-yellow plumage, with red and blue markings on their face. Male double-eyed fig parrots are much more vibrant than the female.

This bird is characterized by a large head and a short body with a short tail. They are omnivorous in nature, and besides feeding on fig fruits and seeds, they also eat berries, seeds, nectar, and insects.

During the breeding season, this parrot lays between two to three eggs, that hatch after a period of 18-24 days. They are known to live for 10-15 years.

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Double-Eyed Fig Parrot Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a double-eyed fig parrot?

The double-eyed fig parrot is a kind of bird and the smallest parrot in Australia. They are also known as the dwarf-fig parrot, red-faced fig parrot, or blue-faced fig parrot.

What class of animal does a double-eyed fig parrot belong to?

The double-eyed fig parrot belongs to the class Aves. They are a part of the Psittaculidae family, like the Amazon parrot. Double-eyed fig parrots are divided into eight subspecies, some of which are the Coxen's fig parrot (Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni), the Macleay's fig parrot (Cyclopsitta diophthalma macleayana), and the Aru double-eyed fig parrot (Cyclopsitta diophthalma aruensis).

How many double-eyed fig parrots are there in the world?

The exact population of the double-eyed fig parrot has not been estimated in the wild. However. according to the International Union For Conservation Of Nature or IUCN, these birds have a stable population and are locally common. However, one of the subspecies, Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni, has a very small population range consisting of 50-249 mature individuals.

Where does a double-eyed fig parrot live?

This parrot species is found in New Guinea, in some other islands nearby, and along the Australian coast. Out of the eight subspecies, five are from the New Guinea and West Papuan Islands, while the remaining three are found in Australia.

The nominate species is found in the western Papuan Islands, and the western and northern parts of New Guinea, whereas the Astrolabe mountain fig parrot is only found in the south-eastern part of New Guinea.

The Aru double-eyed fig parrot is found in the Aru Islands. The Tagula fig parrot range is limited to the Louisiade Archipelago in the Tagula Island.

Both Cyclopsitta diophthalma marshalli and Macleay's fig parrot are found in Queensland, with the former being present in the extreme northern part, to the east of Cape York Peninsula, and the latter being located in the north-eastern part.

The Coxen's fig parrot is found along the eastern coast of Australia, in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales. Lastly, the Hartet's double-eyed fig parrot species inhabits Goodenough Island and Fergusson Island.

What is a double-eyed fig parrot's habitat?

The double-eyed fig parrot range consists of habitats like second-growth forests, open woodlands, mangroves, montane or lowland forests, and even parks and gardens. The Coxen's fig parrot is also known to inhabit subtropical forests and regions between rain forests and sclerophyll forests. They are particularly found in regions with more Ficus sp. trees.

Who do double-eyed fig parrots live with?

This bird species is found in pairs or small groups. Their flocks do not contain a lot of members.

How long does a double-eyed fig parrot live?

The double-eyed fig parrot lifespan is estimated to be between 10-15 years in the wild and in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season in the double-eyed fig parrots usually lasts from March to May in the New Guinea population and from August to December in Australia. This parrot species is monogamous in nature and makes its own nests by creating holes in rotten tree trunks.

They lay two to three eggs in their nests and the incubation period lasts for 18-24 days, following which the chicks hatch out.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the double-eyed fig parrot has been marked as Least Concern by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature or IUCN. However, habitat loss and exploitative pet trades can harm the double-eyed fig parrot distribution in the future.

One of the subspecies, the Coxen's fig parrot, has been marked as Endangered. This subspecies is very rarely encountered in the wild and are under threat due to habitat loss, hunting and pet trades, and species competition.

Double-Eyed Fig Parrot Fun Facts

What do double-eyed fig parrots look like?

The double-eyed fig parrot has quite a distinctive look. This bird is predominantly green-yellow.

However, the feathers on the back appear greener in comparison to the plumage on their underparts, which has more of a yellow tinge to it. Its face has red and blue markings which makes it stand out. This bird is sexually dimorphic and the female parrot is not as bright in appearance as the male.

Some differences in color exist among the different subspecies. However, they all have a short tail and a larger head in comparison to the rest of the body.

How cute are they?

The double-eyed fig parrot species is undoubtedly very cute to look at. Their bright appearance and small size add to their adorableness.

How do they communicate?

These birds communicate through different calls and vocalizations. Right before flying and while in flight, the double-eyed fig parrot is known to produce high-pitched 'seet-seet' notes. They also have chattering and 'chink' calls, while communicating with each other. The young chicks make 'ju ju ju' calls while begging for food.

How big is a double-eyed fig parrot?

The double-eyed fig parrot is the smallest parrot species in Australia. Their body length is between 5.1-6.2 in (13-16 cm). Another species of parrots, known as thick-billed parrots, are more than twice the size of the double-eyed fig parrot, measuring nearly 15 in (38 cm).

How fast can a double-eyed fig parrot fly?

The exact flight speed of the double-eyed fig parrot has not been quantified. However, it has been observed that these birds are quick fliers. They tend to fly swiftly and directly.

How much does a double-eyed fig parrot weigh?

The weight of this small parrot species is between 0.8-2 oz (25-56 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Male and female parrots of this species are referred to as cocks and hens, or simply as male double-eyed fig parrots and female double-eyed fig parrots.

What would you call a baby double-eyed fig parrot?

A baby double-eyed fig parrot is known as a chick.

What do they eat?

The double-eyed fig parrot diet consists mainly of fig. They also feed on other kinds of fruits, berries, seeds, nectar, insects, and fungal growth. They have been observed to feed at multiple levels of vegetation, where their feeding grounds overlap with figbirds, fruit doves, and other species of parrot.

Are they dangerous?

If provoked, a double-eyed fig parrot can resort to biting. However, in general, they pose no threat to humans.

Would they make a good pet?

Double-eyed fig parrots can be kept in captivity but they would require a large aviary. They do well in pairs and should not be kept alone. However, just like most other birds, these parrots are best left in their own natural habitat.

Did you know...

Fig parrots are very closely related to budgerigars and lories. Both of these birds belong to the same family Psittaculidae as fig parrots. Evolutionary and phylogenetic studies have been used to support the theory that fig parrots, budgerigars, lories, and lorikeets fall in the same group.

What are the different types of fig parrot and how are they different?

There are two genera of fig parrots, namely Cyclopsitta and Psittaculirostris, under which five species of fig parrots are placed.

The large fig parrot, which belongs to the genus Psittaculirostris, is found in parts of Papuan Island, New Guinea Islands, and Indonesia. This parrot occupies tropical and sub-tropical areas. This bird has a yellow face, a green body, and red or orange crown feathers.

Another kind of fig parrot belonging to the genus Psittaculirostris is the Edward's fig parrot. The range of this bird is limited to the lowland habitats of northeastern New Guinea.

The male Edward's fig parrot has green plumage on its back, with red feathers on its cheeks and breasts. The female parrot of this species appears similar but has a wider blue band on its back.

Apart from the double-eyed fig parrot, the orange-breasted fig parrot is also a part of the genus Cyclopsitta. This bird occupies similar habitats to that of double-eyed fig parrots in New Guinea and a few western islands nearby.

Their plumage is mostly green. The male bird has an orange breast, while the female is observed with orange patches on its face.

Why is it called the double-eyed fig parrot?

Fig parrots are known by this name because figs and fig seeds form a substantial part of their diet. To add to that, this species is known as the 'double-eyed fig parrot' due to the red feathers located above and below their eyes. This patch of feathers gives them the appearance of having two sets of eyes.

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 flamingo facts and birds of paradise facts pages.

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