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Horned Parakeet
Eunymphicus cornutus

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Horned parakeet

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Anatomy-parrots-eng

Description

32 cm.. length and an approximate weight of 140 g..

The Horned Parakeet (Eunymphicus cornutus) has a considerable size. It is an incredibly colorful and distinctive bird.. The forecrown is bright red. The front of the crown It has a set of Red curly feathers with black bases. Two long black feathers with Scarlet trim emerge from the center of the crown. The area of the mumps is orange-yellow, that contrasts sharply with the lores and the sides of the cheeks that are black.

The bottom of the cheeks has a greenish black color. Neck and back of the crown bright orange yellow, Turning is gradually to colour green yellow or green bright in the part superior of the the mantle.

The upperparts are green, with the exception of the rump that is greenish-Orange.

The wings covers are green. The primaries are blue-purple on the vane outer, Blackish in the vane inner. The secondaries they are darker on the outer rim.

The underparts is greenish. The lower parts are yellowish green clear. The undertail- coverts they have a slightly bluish in tips. The upper part of the tail is green with strong blue pink, the bottom is dark gray.

The bill It is blue-grey with black tip, irises orange. The legs are black.

Male and female are similar.

The youth they have more gray and less developed facial ornaments. The ear-coverts are pale green, the back of the neck olive green. The bill is color Horn and the irises They are brown.

Taxonomic status:

Until very recently, was generally considered conspecific with the species Eunymphicus uvaeensis. Monotypic.

Subspecies description:

  • Eunymphicus cornutus

    (Gmelin) 1788 – Nominal


  • Eunymphicus uvaeensis

    (Layard,THE & Layard,ELC) 1882 – Of, approximately, 32 cm length. Green color, with the face and dark green head, front with a small red bow and a thin and small dark green Crest. The nape and neck of greenish-yellow, chest and abdomen yellowish green.

    Long tail. black beak.

    It has no sexual dimorphism.

    Today it is considered a kind monotype. See

Habitat:

Horned parakeet, Nymphicus cornutus (above) and Ouvea parakeet, Nymphicus uvaensis (then)
Horned parakeet, Nymphicus cornutus (above) and Ouvea parakeet, Nymphicus uvaensis (then)

The Horned Parakeet frequent, as a priority, humid forests. They are also areas that are regenerated and scrublands.

The preferred habitat of these birds are the kauris forests (Agathis australis), which are evergreens that are found mainly in the North of New Caledonia. But, They also appreciate the mixed forests with trees of the family Araucaria angustifolia. This species It can live up to the 1200 m. Avoid coconut plantations and areas close to the coast.

endemic to New Caledonia. Its distribution is highly fragmented. These birds are present in the 57% the mountains in the North of the island and in the 42% the mountains of the South. Probably they are very common in the central channel.

The Horned Parakeet they tend to be very prudent, remaining in silence most of the time, and making it difficult to, Therefore, its location.

These parrots they live in pairs or in small flocks of up to ten individuals. When resent, They fly a distance of 100 meters or more before landing at the top of a tree. They rest in the canopy or in the cavity of a tree an hour before dawn., just before starting its activity.

During courtship, the Horned Parakeet, he tries to seduce the female with repeated head inclinations, erect their feathers, shaking his crest and emitting cries intermittently.

Reproduction:

The time of reproduction extends from October to December. The nest is often found in a cavity or on a tree branch healthy, of all of the species of Metrosideros myrtacee. You can also build the nest in the soil, under a rock or under a fallen tree.

The female lays of 3 to 4 eggs, but, generally, only two chicks manage to develop.

In captivity, the incubation lasts a few 21 or 22 days. The young leaves the nest after 5 to 6 weeks.

Food:

The Horned Parakeet they are almost exclusively vegetarian. They feed on flowers, dried fruits, fruit, berries and seeds that are found in shrubs and trees. Also like ripe papaya.

Distribution:

The Horned Parakeet It is endemic to the main island of New Caledonia in the Southwest Pacific, where due to the poor coverage of observers, the status of the species may vary. It is probably stable, but may be threatened to some degree due to trade .

Recent check-ins at Blue River Provincial Park (The Blue River) indicate that it is relatively common in the park. It is almost certainly more common in less accessible areas, over 470 m.

Subspecies distribution:

Conservation:


Vulnerable


• Current Red List of UICN: Vulnerable.

• Population trend: Increasing.

The Horned Parakeet It has a small population that probably has been declining for many years with unknown reasons.
Current populations are threatened by habitat degradation and, probably, by the introduction of other mammals, particularly rats. Fortunately, his capture and poaching do not constitute a significant threat for this species.

Considering their low numbers and the small size of their territory, It classified as vulnerable.

Some of the measures taken for their conservation is the start control against introduced predators. Increase the area of ​​suitable habitat to protect their status and establish captive breeding populations for future reintroductions.

"Horned Parakeet" in captivity:

Very rare poultry.

According to sources, a sample lived during 19,7 years in captivity

Alternative names:

Horned Parakeet, Crested Parakeet, Horned Parakeet (Horned), Long-horned Parakeet (ingles).
Perruche cornue (French).
Hornsittich (German).
Periquito-de-chifres (Portuguese).
Perico Cornudo, Perico Maorí Cornudo (español).


scientific classification:

Gmelin Johann Friedrich
Gmelin Johann Friedrich

Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Genus: Eunymphicus
Scientific name: Eunymphicus cornutus
Citation: (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
Protonimo: Psittacus cornutus

Images “Horned Parakeet”:

Videos "Horned Parakeet"

“Horned Parakeet” (Eunymphicus cornutus)

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) – Horned Parakeet By Tunpin.ong (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
(2) – Horned Parakeet, Nymphicus cornutus (above) and Uvea Parakeet, Nymphicus uvaensis (below Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1882 By Joseph Smit (1836-1929) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
(3) – Horned parakeet by AlexKant – zoochat
(4) – A adult bird perched on a branch by Tomasz Doroń – Lynx
(5) – A bird perched in a tree by Josep del Hoyo – Lynx
(6) – Feeding on papaya in a garden by Julien Baudat-Franceschi – Lynx

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