Red-fronted Parrot
Jardines Parrot Congo, one of the subspecies of the Congo parrot
The Congo Parrot ( Poicephalus gulielmi ), also Green Parrot Congo, Rotstirnpapagei called Jardines Congo parrot or Gulielmis Rotstirnpapagei, is a species in the genus of the long wing parrots. Together with the other species of this genus as well as the Grey Parrot, the lovebirds, the Rose-ringed Parakeet and endemic to Madagascar Vasa Parrots counts this type to the typical parrot species of the Afrotropical.
Area of distribution and habitat
The distribution is Central Africa. He comes there from Cameroon and the Central African Republic before to northern Angola, Kenya and northern Tanzania. In its large area of distribution Congo Parrots occur with varying frequency. To the west of its range Congo Parrots are less common than in the central and eastern part of its range. Your preferred habitat are primary forests, which they colonize at different heights. They come up to altitudes of 3500 meters before and colonize or populated the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and the Mount Elgon; but they are also found in the tropical lowland rain forests in Ghana, Liberia and the Ivory Coast.
Appearance
Congo Parrots are together with the Kappapagei and the Grey-headed Parrot to the large species within the genus of the long wing parrots.
Congo Parrots are black feathers with a broad, strong dark green Federsaum on the body top. The head feathers are black with green edges. Vertices and bend of wing and the legs are orange. On the underparts of the Congo parrot has fed on green springs, which have a blackish spring center. The flight feathers and tail are black. The lower mandible is exclusively black. The upper beak is horn colored contrast to the middle and dark gray bill only on its beak. The iris is reddish brown. The eyes are surrounded by a striking white skin ring.
Congo Parrots and humans
After also scoring on the long wing parrots Mohrenkopf parrots parrots include Congo to the most commonly exported types of long- wing parrots. At Mount Kilimanjaro led fishing actions mean that the species is probably extinct there. The first bred in captivity reach 1978. Not all captive birds are very tame. As with all other species of parrot parrots Congo should only be kept in aviaries and in pairs.
The systematic position within the genus Poicephalus
The following cladogram shows the genus Poicephalus with their respective degrees of relationship. It lacks the Niam - Niam Parrot ( Poicephalus crassus ), whose species status is disputed. Kinship of Kappapagei is particularly close to the Congo parrot and the yellow-headed parrot. In size, plumage coloration and behavior exist between these three types is very similar.
Poicephalus gulielmi
Poicephalus robustus
Poicephalus fuscicollis
Poicepalus flavifrons
Poicephalus senegalus
Poicephalus rufiventris
Poicephalus cryptoxanthus
Poicephalus meyeri
Poicephalus rueppellii
The following subspecies are described for the Congo Parrot:
- Poicephalus gulielmi gulielmi
- Poicephalus gulielmi massaicus
- Poicephalus gulielmi fantiensis
- Poicephalus gulielmi permistus