Scientific Classification
- Common Name
- Brazilian hawk-headed parrot
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittacidae (true parrots)
- Genus Species
- Deroptyus (neck fan) accipitrinus (resembling a hawk)
Fast Facts
- Description
- This small parrot has a long, square tail, large beak and head. These birds have dark red and blue head feathers on their head and their face is sable brown with white flecks. The wings, back, and tail are emerald green.
- Size
- Approximately 31 cm (12 in.)
- Weight
- Approximately 300 g (10.5 oz.)
- Diet
- Includes fruit, seeds, buds, nectar, and pollen; occasionally feeds on insects or other meat
- Incubation
- 26 days
- Clutch Size
- 1 to 3 eggs
- Fledging Duration
- 10 to 12 weeks
- Sexual Maturity
- Approximately 4 to 7 years
- Life Span
- Up to 50+ years
- Range
- This species has an extremely large range and can be found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname; Venezuela, and Bolivia.
- Habitat
- Inhabits forests
- Population
- The total population size has not been quantified but scientists believe there are at least 10,000 mature individuals. The population is decreasing but is not severely fragmented.
- Status
- IUCN: Least Concern
CITES: Appendix II
USFWS: Not listed
Fun Facts
This species gets its common name from the distinctive dark red-blue feathers covering its head and neck. When angry or alarmed, it raises these feathers, framing the face like a headdress.
Hawk-headed parrots travel in pairs or small groups and roost singly in trees. Because they are more solitary, they are harder to capture and not commonly collected for the pet trade.
Ecology and Conservation
These birds play an important role in their habitat by helping to propagate the forest. Some of the seeds consumed are not fully digested and are carried to different areas of the forest.
These birds may help pollinate several species of tropical plants while feeding on nectar.
The U.S. Wild Bird Act forbids the commercial import of any bird listed by CITES which includes most parrots.
This species is expected to lose 25-30% of the suitable habitat within its distribution over the next two decades based on the current rates of deforestation.
Bibliography
Forshaw, J.M. Parrots of the World. New Jersey. T.F.H. Publications Inc. 1978.
Marrison, C. and A. Greensmith. Birds of the World. New York: Dorling Kindersley, Inc. 1993.
Perrins, C. (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Birds. New York: Facts on File Publications. 1985.
American Federation of Aviculture. afa.birds.org/watchbird/archives/99/6/hawkhead.html
BirdLife International. 2016. Deroptyus accipitrinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22686416A93110677. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22686416A93110677.en. Downloaded on 28 November 2018.
Photo Credit: Deroptyus accipitrinus-National Zoo-Washington DC-USA-8.jpg. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Image by: wjarretto. Year Created: 12 October 2008. Website: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deroptyus_accipitrinus_-National_Zoo_-Washington_DC_-USA-8.jpg. License: CC by 2.0 Generic.
