Senegal parrot
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The Senegal parrot (Poicephalus senegalus) is a parrot which is a resident breeder across a wide range of west Africa.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /><ref name="wingscc.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It makes migrations within west Africa,<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /> according to the availability of the fruit, seeds and blossoms which make up its diet. It is considered a farm pest in Africa, often feeding on maize or millet.<ref name="wingscc.com"/> It is popular in aviculture.<ref name = "DA 2003"/>
TaxonomyEdit
In 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the Senegal parrot in his Ornithologie based on a specimen collected in Senegal. He used the French name La petite perruche du Sénégal and the Latin name Psittacula senegalensis.<ref name=brisson>Template:Cite book The two stars (**) at the start of the section indicates that Brisson based his description on the examination of a specimen.</ref> Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.<ref name=allen>Template:Cite journal</ref> When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson.<ref name=allen/> One of these was the Senegal parrot. Linnaeus included a terse description, coined the binomial name Psittacus senegalus and cited Brisson's work.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> This species is now placed in the genus Poicephalus which was introduced by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1837.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
There are two subspecies.<ref name=ioc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- P. s. senegalus (the nominate subspecies): this subspecies has a yellow vest; its native range includes Senegal, southern Mauritania, southern Mali to Guinea and Lobos Island.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
- P. s. versteri: this subspecies has a deep-orange<ref name = "DA 2003"/>/red vest; its range is from the Ivory Coast and Ghana east to western Nigeria.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
They do not differ in behaviour, but only in the colour of the "vest".<ref name="wingscc.com"/> In the pet trade, the nominate subspecies is the most common though both are raised and sold as pets.
DescriptionEdit
Senegal parrots are about Template:Convert long, weigh about Template:Convert.<ref name="wingscc.com"/> They have a relatively large head and beak for their overall size, and feathers form a short broad tail. Adults have a charcoal grey head, grey beak, bright yellow irises,<ref name="wingscc.com"/> green back and throat, and yellow underparts and rump. The yellow and green areas on a Senegal parrot's front form a V-shape resembling a yellow vest worn over green. Young Juveniles have dark grey, almost black, irises, which change to light grey.
Senegal parrots are not sexually dimorphic, but there are some hypotheses which sometimes might help to determine the sex of adult birds:
- The V-shape of the vest is usually longer in females; in females the green area extends down over the chest to between the legs, whereas in males the tip of the green area ends midway down the chest.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
- The female's beak and head are generally slightly smaller and narrower than the male's.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
- The under-tail covert feathers (short feathers under the base of the main tail feathers) are generally mostly yellow in the male and generally mostly green in the female.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
- Males are generally, but not always, larger and heavier than female birds.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
- DNA testing is another way to determine the sex <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Senegal parrots are birds of open woodland and savanna.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /><ref name="wingscc.com"/> They flock most commonly in countries in West Africa.<ref name="Parrots Guide">Template:Cite book</ref> It is a gregarious species, continuously chattering with a range of whistling and squawking calls. Senegal parrots live an average of approximately 25–30 years in the wild, and have been known to live for 50 years in captivity.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Research by Texas State University conducted in southeastern Senegal found that the parrots ate a diet of about 77% fruit, with figs (Ficus sp.), African grapes (Lannea microcarpa), and shea fruits (Vitellaria paradoxa) being the most commonly eaten. Seeds made up about 22% of the diet, and the remaining 1% consisted of flowers.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
BehaviourEdit
Senegal parrots nest in holes in trees, often oil palms, usually laying three to four white eggs.<ref name = "DA 2003">Template:Cite book</ref> The eggs are about Template:Convert long by Template:Convert wide. The eggs are incubated by the female, starting after the second egg has been laid, for about 27 to 28 days. Newly hatched chicks have a sparse white down and they do not open their eyes until about two to three weeks after hatching. They are dependent on the female for food and warmth who remains in the nest most of the time until about four weeks after hatching when the chicks have enough feathers for heat insulation. During this time the male brings food for the female and chicks, and guards the nest site. From about two to four weeks after hatching the female also begins to collect food for the chicks. The chicks fly out of the nest at about 9 weeks and they become independent from their parents at about 12 weeks after hatching.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
Conservation statusEdit
Because of its vast range in Africa, the wild Senegal parrot population is difficult to estimate.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /> Nevertheless, in 1981 concerns about extensive trapping of wild parrots for the pet trade led to it being listed on appendix 2 of The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), along with all parrot species.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /> This has made the trade, import and export of all wild caught parrots illegal.
AvicultureEdit
PetsEdit
Hand reared Senegal parrots are one of the most popular parrots to be kept as pets,<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /> and the most popular Poicephalus parrot.<ref name = "DA 2003"/> Their calls are generally high pitched whistles and squawks along with mimics, but they are not as noisy as many other parrot species.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" /> They make for a good companion and are quite friendly compared to other parrot species. Senegal parrots are independent at times, needing a very fair amount of sleep during the day. Keeping two as pets can very well aid the parrots social and physical health as they have a companion.
Wild caught Senegal parrots do not usually become tame, and do not make good pets.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
BreedingEdit
Senegal parrots are relatively easy to breed in captivity and there is a small industry in breeding and hand rearing Senegal parrots and other parrots for the pet trade. In aviculture Senegal parrots can start to breed at the age of 3 to 4 years in captivity, but some do not breed until age 5 years. Parent reared birds are known to breed as early as 2 years of age.<ref name="wingscc.com"/>
Senegal parrot nest boxes can be any of a variety of sizes and shapes; but for example, a nest box about Template:Convert high and Template:Convert to Template:Convert square would be suitable.<ref name="wingscc.com"/> An exit and entrance port about Template:Convert in diameter would be suitable, and the birds may enlarge the port by chewing the wood. Nest boxes generally have a secure side door for inspecting the nest.
GalleryEdit
- Poicephalus senegalus (juvenile) -pet-8a.jpg
A pet juvenile. Its irises are grey.
- Poicephalus senegalus -pet looking upwards-8a.jpg
Pet looking upwards
- Pet Senegal parrot.jpg
A pet adult showing yellow irises
- Senegal Parrot nestbox 26m07.JPG
Senegal parrot nest box
- Senegal egg 10s06.JPG
Senegal parrot egg
(on 1 cm grid) - Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalus) perching on concrete perch.jpg
Pet parrot in a cage with toys. The perch is made from a hard material in an attempt to wear down the tips of claws. However, these type of perches tend to cause lesions on the bottoms of the feet and are not very effective at keeping the nails short.
ReferencesEdit
- Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, Template:ISBN
- Guide to the Senegal Parrot and its family. By M.S. Allan & D. Deter. Barron's. Template:ISBN
External linksEdit
- Collection of articles about Senegal parrots written by Senegal parrot owners
- Source of information about Senegal parrots, weight distribution, and sexing
- Capture and sale of wild Senegal parrots is still common in Africa
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