Blue-backed Parrot

Tanygnathus sumatranus

32 cm.. length between 173 and 334 g. of weight.

The Blue-backed Parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus) has the head and the the mantle a light yellowish green (slightly more yellowish mantle). The low back, buttocks and uppertail-coverts strongly impregnated with light blue.

Wings Green darker that the the mantle, with fine verde-amarillentos margins to coverts; primary coverts Blue sharp; bend of wing turquoise blue color marked; primaries Foreign and blackish green in vane inner.

Wing feathers greenish yellow; underside of flight feather, blackish. The underparts yellowish-green illuminated.

Upper, the tail green, marked in yellow on the vane inmates of the lateral feathers; Under, the tail varies from the color yellow to the Brown dark.

Bill red; irises yellow; legs grey.

It presents sexual dimorphism. The female has the bill yellowish or whitish grey; less greenish-yellow in the the mantle and less blue in the under wing-coverts.

Male young acquires the bill Red after ten to twelve months.

• Sound of the Blue-backed Parrot.

[audio:HTTPS://www.mascotarios.org/wp-content/themes/imageless_gray_beauty/sonidos/Loro of Muller.mp3]

It is distributed mainly in lowland and lower montane forests, next to forests, and from time to time in the plantations or rice fields until 800 m altitude (less common in coastal habitats).

The birds are usually found in pairs or in small groups and may be quite accessible. They can be harmful to the crops, especially maize crops, and they are often active at night.

Little is known of the species reproductive cycle, but a condition of being reproductive female was observed in April and birds have been investigating possible nests in September. In Sulawesi during November were observed in several nests chicks.

The diet includes fruits, seeds, nuts and berries.

Müller Parrot is distributed by the Celebes island e close Islands, including Buton and Tobea in the South-East, groups Togian and Banggai East, and Talisei, BANGKA and Manadotua in the North, extending northward through the Sangir group, at least in Karakelong in the Talaud group.

In Philippines, the species going from the Sulu archipelago, in the South-West, including at least Bongao, Sanga Sanga, Sibutu, Tawitawi, Jolo, Loran and Basbas.

Also distributed in the main islands of Philippines Luzon, Samar, Leyte, Surigao del Sur, Black, and Mindanao, as well as the Polillo Islands, but it is very rare in the country.

Widespread and locally common elsewhere, While the capture and loss of habitat have caused declines in some areas. Apparently less common than the Blue-naped Parrot, which cohabit.

• Current red list category of the UICN: Least concern

• Population trend: Stable

The size of the world's population has not been quantified, It is estimated over the 50.000 specimens.

The species was reported that it may be common to very frequent (pit et to the. 1997).

The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence of any reduction or substantial threats.

It adapts well to captivity, Although they are rare.

– Blue-backed Parrot, Azure-rumped Parrot, Blue backed Parrot, Mèller’s parrot, Mueller’s Parrot, Muller’s Parrot, Müller’s Parrot (English).
– Perruche de Müller, Perroquet de Müller (French).
– Everettpapagei, Everett Papagei, Everett-Papagei (German).
– Tanygnathus sumatranus (Portuguese).
– Loro de Müller (Spanish).

– Order: Psittaciformes
– Family: Psittaculidae
– Genus: Tanygnathus
– Scientific name: Tanygnathus sumatranus
– Citation: (Raffles, 1822)
– Protonimo: Psittacus Sumatranus

————————————————————————————————

Blue-backed Parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus)

Sources:

– Avibase
– Parrots of the World – Forshaw Joseph M
– Parrots A Guide to the Parrots of the World – Tony Juniper & Mike Parr
– Birdlife
– Wikipedia

– Photos:

(1) – “Tanygnathus sumatranus-adult male-8-1c” by Tanygnathus_sumatranus_-adult_male-8. jpg: Chrisderivative work: Snowmanradio (talk) – originally posted to Flickr at Parrot and uploaded to Commons as Tanygnathus_sumatranus_-adult_male-8. jpg. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
(2) – “Tanygnathus sumatranus-captive-6a” by TJ Lin – originally posted to Flickr as muller’ s parrot. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
(3) – Female Müller’ s Blue-backed Parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus) By [email protected] – Zoochat
(4) – Tanygnathus sumatranus sumatranus By © Angie Pattison – igoterra
(5) – Azure-backed – animalphotos
(6) – “Tanygnathuseverettikeulemans” by John Gerrard Keulemans – Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Volume 20. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

– Sounds: David Farrow (Xeno-canto)