Indonesia birdwatching, Birding Sulawesi, Birding West Papua and Birding Halmahera: October 2019

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Female Pesquet's Parrot

Summary

Newly erected family containing this species and the Madagascan/Mascarene Coracopsis black parrots, split from parrots on basis of genetic differences denoting great antiquity. Broad-winged and large-headed.

The Pesquet's Parrot (Psittrichas fulgidus), also known as the vulturine parrot (leading to easy confusion with pyrilia vulturina from Brazil), is the only member of its genus, and its genus is the only member of the subfamily Psittrichadinae. It is endemic to hill and rainforest in New Guinea.

Endemic to New Guinea. Monotypic. Occurs from lowlands to hills through NG, being more widespread in hills at 400-1200 m, but locally to 1800 m. Declining, and classified as Vulnerable owing to hunting pressure for skins, which are widely used for ceremonial purposes in highland, also local losses due to logging.

The Pesquet's Parrot is a large parrot with a total length of approximately 46 cm (18 in) and a weight of 680-800 g (24-28 oz). Its plume is black, with greyish scaling to the chest, and a red belly, uppertail coverts and wing-panels. The adult male has a red spot behind the eye, which is not seen in the adult female. Compared to most other parrots it appears unusually small-headed, in part due to the bare black facial skin and the relatively long, hooked bill. This rather vulture-like profile is the reason behind its alternative common-name.

Behaviour
Distinctive flight, with three or so flaps followed by a glide. Seen singly, in pairs or in a small flocks, rarely up to 20 birds in more remote areas. Vocal characteristic loud, raucous tearing repetitive series, vaguely reminiscent of cockatoo but louder, more raspy, often given by several birds together. They highly specialised frugivore, feeding almost exclusively on a few species of figs. Flower and nectar have also been reported. At least in parts of its range, it is seasonally nomadic in response to the availability of fruits. The bare part of the head is presumably an adaptation to avoid feather-matting from sticky fruits. Little known about its breeding habits in the wild, but the two eggs are laid in a nest in a large, hollow tree.

Well, that is a little information about Pesquet's Parrot. Hope you like it and the information is useful for you. If you have interest to see this bird do not hesitate to contact us on:
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A large globally distributed family of at least 121 species, kingfisher ranging in length from 10 to 42 cm (4 to 16.5 inches). All species have a proportionately large bill, large head, short neck and syndactylous toes. Plumages range from cryptic to brilliantly coloured, some species having extravagant long tail. Most are forest-dwelling, many use termitaria or three holes for nesting. and few are water-based with a diet centred on fish and crabs. The group is sometimes divided into three families, namely the riverkingfisher (Alcedininae), the tree kingfisher (Halcyoninae) and kookabura (Dacelo)

Kingfishers feed on a wide variety of prey. They are most famous for hunting and eating fish, and some species do specialise in caching fish, but other species take crustaceans, frogs and other amphibians, annelid worms, molluscs, insects, spiders, centipedes, reptiles (including snakes), and even birds and mammals. Individual species may specialise in a fiew items or take a wide variety of prey, and for species with large global distributions, different populations may have different diets. Kingfisher usually hunt from an exposed perch, when the prey item is observed, the kingfisher swoops down to snatch it, then it returns to the perch. Kingfisher of all three families beat larger prey on a perch to kill the prey and to dislodge or break protective spines and bones.

Kingfishers are territorial, some species defending their territories vigorously. They are generally monogamous, although cooperative breeding has been observed in some species and is quite common in others, for example the laughing kookaburra, where helpers aid the dominant breeding pair in raising the young.

Like all Coraciiformes, the kingfishers are cavity nesters, with most species nesting in holes dug in the ground. These holes are usually in earth banks on the sides of the rivers, lakes or man-made ditches. Some species may nest in holes in trees, the earth clinging to the roots of an uprooted tree, or arboreal nests of termites (termitarium). These termite nests are common in forest species. The nests take the form of a small chamber at the end of a tunnel. Nest-digging duties are shared between the genders. During the initial excavations, the bird may fly at the chosen site with considerable force, and birds have injured themselves fatally while doing this. The length of the tunnels varies by species and location, nests in termitariums are necessarily much shorter than those dug into the earth, and nests in harder substrates are shorter than those in soft soil or sand.

Here's some kingfisher photos from Sulawesi :