Size: Medium-large sized parrot, 251-349mm (in length); 260-329g.
Plumage: Sexually dimorphic.
Adult male: Bill colour old ivory; forecrown dark earth-brown in males, orange-red in females; crown olive-green; collar, nape and upper chest yellow-green; chin and throat orange-brown; cheek and ear coverts olive-green to yellow green; lore matt black; mantle colour (area between wings) dark green; edge of scapulars dark oily green; edge of upper wing coverts dark green; flight and tail feathers dark slate; shoulder edge orange-red; back , rump, upper-tail coverts, under-tail coverts, flank, belly and lower chest blue-green; tibio-tarsal joint orange-red. Aberrant yellow wing feathers are sometimes observed.
Adult female: Varied forecrown plumage patterns; some having orange across the forehead and others having none; none of the males have this forehead colouration. Juvenile: Both sexes have orange-red colour on the forehead in their first plumage, but only have red on the tibia or on the edge of the wing when they moult to ad plumage. The colour is more salmon pink and extends further on the crown in juveniles than in adults. At 8-10 months this colour is replaced in males with colour corresponding to the hood plumage colour.
Confusing species: Distinguished from the Grey-headed Parrot P. f. suahelicus by head and neck colouration, body plumage colour is regarded as rare (Downs 2000). Several factors are considered to have caused the decline of the Cape Parrot. These include forest degradation, food and nest-site shortages, low recruitment, removal of birds from the wild for the caged bird trade, and disease (Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease) (Wirminghaus et al. 1999, 2000a). The Cape Parrot only occurs in Podocarpus Afromontane forest patches from the Eastern Cape to southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Wirminghaus 1997), with a relic population in Limpopo Province (Wirminghaus 1997). Although restricted to Afromontane forest patches, the birds are food nomadics and are highly mobile moving between yellowwood forest patches, visiting orchards and occasionally forest near the coast (Mboyti to Port St. Johns). The Cape Parrot’s loud, often continuous, calling makes it conspicuous; it is active for several hours after dawn and before sunset, usually circling over the forest and calling loudly (Wirminghaus et al. 2000b). Flock size varies: singletons, pairs, or groups of 5-6 birds are usually observed. However, at localised food sites flock size may increase to 20-70 birds caused by aggregation and giving a false impression of abundance (Wirminghaus et al. 2001a).
Geographical variation: No recognised races, but appear to be some variation in vocalisations (C.T. Downs, pers. obs.).
Measurements: wing (24m) 210-230 (218.3), (14f) 205-219 (210.5); tail (25m) 90-98.9 (94.8), (16f) 79.6-97.2 (89.3); tarsus (25m) 18.2-23.5 (21.7), (16f) 19.9-22.4 (21.5); culmen (from edge of cere along curve to bill tip) (19m) 37-48 (40.8), (14f) 36-43 (38.3); mass (4 m) 295-329 (306), (3f) 260-328 (294).
Flock size is rarely greater than 10. Larger flocks usually concentrate at roost sites, water points or fruiting trees, and represent an aggregation of several groups. Between periods of activity the birds mostly remain perched; but also call, preen, allopreen, rest and occasionally feed (Skead 1964; Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). Pairing and gregarious flocking behaviour are common (Skead 1964; Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). Preening includes scratching and stretching behaviours (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). When preening, birds vocalise with small chirps, rattle their feathers, then stretch their shoulders back, before scratching the head, especially below and behind the eye. The sequence of behaviours sometimes includes forward leaning with a bill-cleaning action, fluffing of the feathers, and turning the tail to the sun. Backward extension of the shoulders and wings, referred to as the archangel display, is also used in sexual and aggressive contexts. A high-pitched screech is associated with the display (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). Stretching behaviour is accompanied by wing-clips and tail-wags which are also included courtship displays (see Breeding). Cape Parrots are strong fliers, with an erratic (zig-zag) flight pattern (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). Birds fly high above the forest canopy, wheeling and swerving about; or with fast and direct movement when moving between forests; or with a slow and fluttering movement before settling to feed or socialise. They circle (singly or in flocks), dive (after horizontal flight) and swoop. Circling is the most common flight pattern, with birds flying out from snags or trees, to circle before returning to perch. If disturbed, birds take flight, sometimes darting through trees, squawking or screeching loudly (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a).
Intra-specific behaviours include chasing, diving, tussling with beaks, regurgitating and feeding one another, perching and playing, and moving and vocalising. Groups are often “family” groups of birds (an adult pair with 2-4 juveniles or non-breeding birds) (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). Few interspecific interactions have been recorded with other avian frugivores, namely Rameron Pigeons Columba arquatrix and Knysna Louries Tauraco corythaix when mixed groups forage in fruiting trees. African Goshawks (Accipter tachiro), Black Sparrowhawks (A. melanoleucus) and Lanner Falcons (Falco biarmicus) occasionally chase Cape Parrots (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). Will occasionally mob predators e.g. Gymonogene (Polyboroides typus). Roost sites are usually emergent snags or trees in the forest but sites adjacent to forest are also used (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a); usually tall Eucalyptus species.
Fly as pairs or larger groups with the group breaking up into sub-groups of 1-5 birds, which move in different directions and then regroup. Sometimes fly as singletons (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). Nomadic species, moving between forest patches depending on food availability. Sometimes make long distance (100km) feeding forays to coastal forests (Skead 1964; Skead 1971).
Mating system: Appear to be no helpers, appears to be solitary, non-territorial nester. Degree of mate fidelity – unknown but appears high although will take a new partner if mate dies in captivity. During courtship, a typical male sequence is a quick wing-raise on arrival at a snag, then stretching of the wing (right then left) over a tail-extension, followed by stretching of the leg, rattling of the feathers, then looking around before half wing-raising with a tail-wag. Alternatively males give a tail-wag with the wings back, then do a wing extension followed by a head bob and a mandible rattle. The female responds with a wing stretch followed by a right wing or tail stretch. The male responds with a wing clip, a tail wag, and then a right wing extension (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a).
Laying dates: Breeding usually occurs from August to February, but occurs in other months, particularly in captive birds (Wirminghaus et al., in press b). In the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, breeding in the Cape Parrot has occurred at varied times during the year (Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1962; Clancey 1964; Dean 1971).
Incubation: By the female and lasts 28-30 days.
Development and care of young: At first nestlings have a pink appearance, covered with a sparse white down which gets thicker as the nestlings grow older. Bills have a distinct egg tooth. At 15 days old, pin feathers begin appearing on the forehead. At about 35 days of age, green tail feathers begin to break free of the quills. When chicks emerge from the nest, each resembles an adult female in colouring, with coral pink foreheads (Wirminghaus et al., in press b). First moult begins after 5-7 months. Time taken to moult into mature plumage is variable in both sexes. Both parents attend the nest and regurgitate food to the young. The female spends more time in the nest than the male. Chicks solicit food by chirping continually until fed. Nestlings fledge asynchronously. After fledging (55-79 days), chicks remain in groups with their parents and continue to be fed by regurgitation by both parents. Food given to chicks includes the kernels of P. falcatus and seeds of Acacia mearnsii (Wirminghaus et al., in press b). There is much vocal contact between fledglings and ads. When leaving the nest, both parents appear cautious, before flying off. As chicks grow, they appear at the hole entrance and give ‘zeek-zeek’ calls (Wirminghaus et al., in press b).
Breeding success: Dueting pairs did not appear to defend nest sites, but occasionally chased other avian frugivores away. There was no destruction of any observed clutches or broods by predators. Nesting requirements suggest that nest-sites are limiting (Wirminghaus et al., in press b) as few nests have been found and consequently there is little recruitment (Wirminghaus et al., in press b).
Moult: No data.
Endemic to South Africa. Associated with Afromontane Podocarpus forests with a discontinuous distribution from Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape through to the Karkloof in KwaZulu-Natal (Wirminghaus 1997; Wirminghaus et al. 1999; Wirminghaus et al. 2000a; Wirminghaus et al. 2000b), with a small relict population in the Limpopo Province (Harrison et al. 1997; Wirminghaus et al. 1999). Breeds in Afromontane forests above 1000m (Skead 1964; Wirminghaus et al. 1999, Wirminghaus et al., in press b). Important forests are those in the Eastern Cape (the Amatole forest complex, Mkambati Nature Reserve, Insikeni and forests around Umtata and Port St. Johns) and in the KwaZulu-Natal Mistbelt Forests (Barnes 1998; C.T. Downs, unpubl. data).
Cape Parrots have the most restricted trophic niche of any Poicephalus parrots studied thus far. There diet is specialized to focus on yellowwood fruits throughout the year, including all three species distributed within their historical range. Due to the variable fruiting phenology of yellowwood species, Cape Parrots are food nomadics, moving between forest patches, occasionally making long feeding forays of up to 100km to coastal forest. In their natural habitat, Cape Parrots are known to also fed on Cape Chestnut (Calodendrum capense), Red stinkwood (Prunus africana), Cape Beech (Rapaneae melanophloes), Highveld Protea (Protea caffra), Cat-thorn (Scutia myrtina), Sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum), Pittosporum (Pittosporum viridiflorum), Ironwood (Olea capensis), White Stinkwood (Celtis africana), White Pear (Apodytes dimidiata) and the exotic, all pervasive Black Wattle (Acacia mearnsi). In recent years there have been an increasing number of reports of Cape Parrots feeding on exotic tree species in residential and rural gardens (e.g. Syringa (Melia azedarach)) and fruit and nuts in orchards (e.g. pecan farms throughout their range).
Habitat: Primarily associated with Afromontane forest, but are not confined to it, occasionally flying to other habitats in search of food (Skead 1964; Rowan 1983). Afromontane forests are dominated by Podocarpus species and occur at 1000-1500m altitude, on steep, south-facing slopes on dolerite ridges that receive frequent mist in the summer and mean annual rainfall of >1000mm. Yellowwood trees, particularly Podocarpus falcatus (a forest canopy tree), are important for breeding, feeding and social interactions (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a).
Like all parrot populations, Cape Parrot numbers are difficult to estimate (Casagrande & Beissinger 1997). Birds fly long distances between nesting, roosting and feeding areas (Chapman et al. 1989, Casagrande & Beissinger 1997). They are often difficult to detect and mark-recapture methods are unsuitable (Casagrande & Beissinger 1997). Trends in the population size of the Cape Parrot are particularly important because of its Endangered status, and for its conse ex-Transkei) (Skead 1964, 1971, Dalldorf pers. comm.), and in KwaZulu-Natal (Skead 1971, Kerr, Geekie pers. comm.) and little in the Northern Province, where it remains scarce (Brooke 1984). Accurate estimates of population size are difficult as standard bird census techniques are inappropriate because the birds are not predictable in their occurrence at particular forests.
Numbers and presence are determined during annual intensive national surveys which have been held since 1997 in the form of the Cape Parrot Big Birding Day. Presence of birds is unpredictable at forest patches in the Eastern Cape (know includes the ex-Transkei), Limpopo Province and KwaZulu-Natal. Present distributions in forest fragments reflect past distribution in a large mosaic of forest patches. Numbers are exceedingly low and the best estimate of numbers is 300-350 birds in the Eastern Cape, 150-170 in KwaZulu-Natal, and 50-60 in the Transvaal Drakensberg. This suggests about 500-600 Cape Parrots remain in the wild (for more current data on Cape Parrot numbers click here) Breeding success is low and populations are considered to be declining (Wirminghaus et al. 1999; Wirminghaus et al. 2000b).
The Cape Parrot is not represented by a metapopulation as the birds are able to visit various forests and the subpopulations do not seem isolated with the exception of those in the Limpopo Province (Meffe & Carroll 1997).
Clancey’s (1997) proposals are adopted with P. robustus (which is associated with Afromontane forest habitats) as a separate species from P. fuscicollis. This is based on morphological, biogeographical and ecological differences. The arrangement of P. fuscicollis is revised; with two subspecies P. f. fuscicollis (which historically occurred in W Africa but is now only common in the Gambia) and the Grey-headed Parrot P. f. suahelicus (which occurs in low-lying woodland in south-central Africa).
The genus Poicephalus was proposed by Reichenow (1881) to replace Psittacus for the Cape Parrot. Latham (1781) first described the specimen as Robust Parrot (which is now lost) from J. Banks’ collection which Gmelin (1788) used for his type description of Poicephalus robustus (then described as Psittacus robustus). Psittacus is the same genus as the African Grey Parrot (P. erithacus). Poicephalus robustus robustus (Gmelin) was described as Psittacus robustus in the Eastern Cape Province (Clancey 1963). Poicephalus robustus (Gurney, 1873 Ibis, p. 255 (Natal); Salvad. 1891 Cat. B. M. xx, p. 363; Shelley, 1896, B. Afr. I, p. 138; Woodward & Woodward, 1897, p. 125) (See Stark & Sclater 1903 for details). Poicephalus robustus suahelicus (Reichenow) was described as Poicephalus suahelicus (Reichenow) from Msua, near Bagamoyo, Tanzania (Clancey 1963).
A recent review paper (Perrin 2005) collates and summarises the ecological and behavioural, as well as morphological and molecular, data in relation to the taxonomy of the Cape Parrot. This paper includes colour photos of these species.
Loud, often continuous, calling makes it conspicuous. Distinct vocal repertoire; calls heard most frequently include five distinct calls described as 'tzu-weee, zu-wee, zeu-wee, zz-keek' and a nasal 'zeek' (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a). In flight, very vocal: calling before taking off, and calling continuously while flying; characteristic high-pitched call during flight. A raucous alarm call is given by disturbed Cape Parrots. It is rapid with a rasping tone, with up to 12 identifiable harmonics. When disturbed, they dart through canopy trees or fly out squawking or screeching loudly. Adult and juvenile birds threatened in Breeding pairs at the nest are usually quiet but infrequently chirp (Wirminghaus et al. 2000a).
The Cape parrot (Poicephalus robustus) or Levaillant's parrot is a large, temperate forest dwelling parrot of the genus Poicephalus endemic to South Africa. It was formerly grouped as a subspecies along with the savanna-dwelling brown-necked parrot (Poicephalus fuscicollis) and grey-headed parrot (P. f. suahelicus), but is now considered a distinct species.
The Cape parrot was described in 1781 by the English ornithologist John Latham under the English name, the "robust parrot".[2] When in 1788 the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin revised and expanded Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae, he included the Cape parrot with a short description, coined the binomial name Psittacus robustus and cited Latham's work.[3] The type locality is South Africa.[4] The Cape parrot is now placed with nine other species in the genus Poicephalus that was introduced by the English naturalist William John Swainson in 1837.[5][6] The genus name is from the Ancient Greek phaios "grey" and -kephalos "headed". The specific epithet rubustus is Latin for "strong" or "robust".[7] The species in monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.[6]
The Cape parrot was formerly considered to be one of the three subspecies of the brown-necked parrot (Poicephalus fuscicollis). The Cape parrot is smaller than the other two taxa and has an olive-yellow rather than a silvery-grey head.[8] A detailed genetic analysis of the three taxa published in 2015 confirmed the distinctness of brown-necked and cape parrots, and suggested that ancestors of the two had diverged between 2.13 and 2.67 million years ago in the late Pliocene to early Pleistocene epoch. This period was a period of changes in climate, where grassland and forest were expanding and contracting, which presumably led to isolation and eventually speciation of separate populations.[9]
The Cape parrot is a short-tailed moderately large bird with a very large beak used to crack all sorts of hard nuts and fruit kernels, especially those of African yellowwood trees (Podocarpus spp.). This contrasts with the closely related savanna species (Poicephalus fuscicollis) which feeds on a wide variety of tropical woodland trees such as marula, Commiphora spp. and Terminalia spp. These species are sexually dimorphic, with females typically sporting an orange frontal patch on the forehead. Juveniles also show a larger orange - pink patch on the forehead but lack the red on shoulders and legs of adults.[10] These plumage characteristics vary among individuals and among the three recognized forms.[11]
The Cape parrot is endemic to South Africa. It occurs in Afromontane forests at moderate altitudes in eastern South Africa from the coastal escarpment near sea-level to the midlands at around 1000m. These forests occur as a series of small patches around the south and east of South Africa and are dominated by yellowwood trees (Podocarpus latifolius, Podocarpus falcatus and Podocarpus henkelii). Cape parrots have a disjunct distribution with the largest population around in the Amathole mountains of the Eastern Cape Province and extending east, with several large gaps, through the Mthatha escarpment and Pondoland in the Eastern Cape and the southern midlands of KwaZulu-Natal Province to Karkloof, near Pietermaritzburg. A very small population, of around 30 individuals occurs over 600 km to the north in the Magoebaskloof area of Limpopo Province. Cape parrots are absent from large areas of afromontane forests such as those along the southern coast of South Africa, near Knysna, the higher altitude Afromontane forests in the Drakensberg mountains of KwaZulu-Natal, or the moderate-altitude forests of northern KwaZulu-Natal province and Eswatini, which separate the KwaZulu-Natal midlands and Limpopo escarpment populations.[12] All of these areas are within the dispersal range of the parrots and there are old records of Cape parrots from northern KwaZulu-Natal.
Over one hundred P. robustus parrots are kept as cage birds, most of which are wild-caught birds although they do breed reasonably well in captivity. To date there have not been any successful releases of captive birds and the survival of this species is dependent on habitat conservation to maintain wild populations. Trade and export of wild-caught Cape parrots from South Africa has been made illegal by the international CITES agreement (appendix list II) and by South African law. They are rare as pets, despite low-levels of ongoing illegal collection and trade. Those that are kept have demonstrated wonderful personalities, and a talking ability that rivals their larger cousin the grey parrot. A small trade still persists in the related Grey-headed and brown-necked parrots.
The IUCN Red List, which uses the Birdlife International checklist, lumps the common and widespread grey-headed parrot with Cape parrots and brown-necked parrots, each of which are more narrowly distributed and more threatened, leading to an assessment of least concern.[13] This contrasts with alternative assessments of the South African endemic P. robustus, as endangered[14] and possible threatened status of the brown-headed parrot of West Africa.
Hundreds of volunteers participate on the first weekend each May in the "Cape Parrot Big Birding Day" which is an annual count of the population throughout its distribution. The parrots are relatively easy to count at any forest patch due to their distinctive silhouettes, slow, 'rowing' flight and raucous calls. Counts are made in the evening as parrots arrive at roost patches and in the following morning as the parrots leave. A complete census of the population is difficult to achieve, however, as these forests are naturally fragmented and there are insufficient volunteers to count the more remote patches. There are also difficulties in achieving a precise count because the birds fly long distances for food and may be 'double-counted' at both feeding and roosting sites. Counts increased from about 500 specimens in May 2000 to over 1000 in recent years, although this may be largely explained by an increase in the particular sites that were counted. The parrots are particularly threatened by the fatal psittacine beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), and there have been suggestions that a diet heavy in yellowwood fruits greatly reduces the symptoms, although this has not been empirically investigated. Their habitat is being reduced by logging and modification of African yellowwood trees, in particular the loss of old trees and dead snags with suitable nesting hollows. The provision of nesting boxes has had some success and offers some hope for increasing the proportion of breeding individuals.
The Cape parrot (Poicephalus robustus) or Levaillant's parrot is a large, temperate forest dwelling parrot of the genus Poicephalus endemic to South Africa. It was formerly grouped as a subspecies along with the savanna-dwelling brown-necked parrot (Poicephalus fuscicollis) and grey-headed parrot (P. f. suahelicus), but is now considered a distinct species.
