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Collection  >  Order (Birds)  >  Order Information (Psittaciformes)

Psittaciformes

Psittaciformes, from Latin psittacus (“parrot”) and Latin -fōrmis (“-shaped”), in reference to the fact that these animals are all parrots.

Parrots, macaws, conures, lorikeets, eclectus, Amazon parrots, grey parrots, budgerigars, cockatoos, keas, New Zealand kākās, kākāpōs.

Photos

DISTRIBUTION

Neotropics, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern and Southeastern Asia and Oceania.

SIZE

They vary in size from less than 10 g in weight and 8 cm in length to 4.0 kg in weight and 1 m in length

MORPHOLOGY

Their bill is large, curved, and powerful. The upper mandible is pronounced, tapers to a tip, and bends downward. It can move independently because it is not connected to the skull. The lower jaw is shorter and has a cutting edge that faces upward and presses on the upper mandible's flat portion in an anvil-like motion. The eyes are lateral and high in the skull, and the head is big. They can climb and swing thanks to their powerful zygodactyl feet, which have two front and two back toes and sharp, elongated claws. Though most species have some red or another color in small amounts, green is their primary plumage color.

ECOLOGY & HABITAT

Mainly tropical forests, monsoon forests, savannas, swamps and arid regions. Some specific species inhabit mountainous regions with an alpine climate.

DIET

Their diet consists of seeds, fruit, nectar, pollen, buds, and sometimes arthropods and other animal prey.

REPRODUCTION

Mainly nest in tree holes. Some species will add leaves, straws, grass, etc., as nest material. In general, larger species only take care of 1 offspring per year, while smaller species can lay up to 6- 8 eggs per half year. They are monogamous. Both male and female feed the young.

REFERENCES

del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D. A. (2010). Handbook of the Birds of the World Series. Lynx Edicions.

Lovette, I. J., Fitzpatrick, J. W. (2016). Handbook of Bird Biology. Wiley-Blackwell.

Gill, F. B., Prum, R. O. (2019). Ornithology. W.H. Freeman & Co. Ltd.

Total species known

405

Species in the collection

2

Species in Hong Kong

2

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