Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot

Micropsitta keiensis

9,5 cm. length between 11 and 14 g. of weight.

The crown of the Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot (Micropsitta keiensis) is yellow ocher, with a warm brown in forecrown; lores, chin and area under the eyes, brown; coverts outpus, dark green, tending to lighter green on cheeks and throat.

Upperparts, dark green with center at wing-coverts and feathers of black color with a black colored margin extrecho; flight feather black with vane Green external; feathers wings green. The underparts are yellowish-green, with fine dark stripes; undertail-coverts yellow and green. Upper, the tail It is iridescent, slightly greenish blue in the Center, Foreign feathers blackish with yellow spot on the ends. Under, the tail dark blue and yellow.

Bill dark grey; irises brown; legs dark gray.

Both sexes similar.
Immature like females but with bill pale yellow.

• Sound of the Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot.

[audio:HTTPS://www.mascotarios.org/wp-content/themes/imageless_gray_beauty/sonidos/Microloro las Kai.MP3]

• Micropsitta keiensis keiensis

  (Salvadori, 1876) – the subspecies nominal.

• Micropsitta keiensis viridipectus

  (Rothschild, 1911) – Similar a nominal, but darker.

• Micropsitta keiensis chloroxantha

  (Oberholser, 1917) – The mature more muted. The underparts with red markings male, dyed yellowish in female.

It inhabits in the forests of lowlands, in secondary growth and, sometimes around inhabited areas and coconut trees. The ecology species is similar to that of the Buff-faced Pygmy-Parrot. The birds are alone, in pairs or in small groups, and they can be distributed by undergrowth to some 20 meters above the ground. They climb on trunks and branches, and they can go down head, in inverted position, sometimes.

Nest and roost Termites in tree cavities, the cavity they dig for themselves; the passageways of the tunnel going upwards and can be folded before arriving at the nido-camara. up the laying two white eggs deposited in a cavity unlined (dimensions around 20 cm x 15 cm.), and they can be occupied by other adults roost (up to four) during the breeding season. The exact role of these visiting birds is unknown, It is thought that they can help with the tasks of nest. nesting It has been recorded from October to March

With feed lichen, fungi, seeds, fruits and insects. Most of the Lichen directly collected it from the surface of the bark of the trees.

Size of its range (breeding/resident): 763.000 km2

The Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot is distributed among the Islands of Papua, in the West area, including Waigeo, Gébé, Kofiau, Salawati and Misool; through Vogelkop and Onin peninsula (West Papua Province); in the Kai and Aru Islands, and in the South of New Guinea between Mimika and the Fly River. The species is common to scale local.

• Micropsitta keiensis keiensis

  (Salvadori, 1876) – The subspecies nominal.

• Micropsitta keiensis viridipectus

  (Rothschild, 1911) – South of New Guinea.

• Micropsitta keiensis chloroxantha

  (Oberholser, 1917) – Archipelago Raja Ampat and West New Guinea;

• Current IUCN Red list category: Least concern

• Population trend: Stable

The size of the world population It has not been quantified, It is estimated over the 100,000 specimens.

The species, According to sources, It is considered very common within its range (pit et to the. 1997).

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

Not usually survive in captivity.

– Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot, Yellow capped Pygmy Parrot, Yellow-capped Pygmy Parrot (English).
– Micropsitte pygmée (French).
– Gelbkappen-Spechtpapagei (German).
– Micropsitta keiensis (Portuguese).
– Microloro de Kai, Microloro de las Kai (Spanish).

– Order: Psittaciformes
– Family: Psittaculidae
– Scientific name: Micropsitta keiensis
– Citation: (Salvadori, 1876)
– Protonimo: Nasiterna keiensis

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Yellow-capped Pygmy-Parrot (Micropsitta keiensis)

Sources:

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

– Photos:

(1) – Parrot-birds – link
(2) – «NasiternaPygmaeaFKeulemans» by John Gerrard Keulemans — Ornithological Miscellany. Volume 1. Licensed public via domain Wikimedia Commons.

– Sounds: Hans Matheve (Xeno-canto)