Adult: M.b. bruijnii: male- mostly green in colour; buff/red to brown/orange crown; deep blue nape and hindneck; line extending from nape to area behind eye and from hindneck as collar around to lower throat; blue on sides of breast, reaching to meet collar on neck; buff/orange throat and cheeks to ear coverts; pale red centre of underparts; blue central tail feathers; lateral tail feathers blue/black. Bill horn in colour with grey at base. Cere and eye ring pink. Eye brown. Female- in general green, red markings absent; dark blue crown; pale off-white forehead and cheeks; blue on sides of breast, nape and hindneck absent. Cere and eye ring grey. M.b. pileata: male- brown/red on crown deeper and reaching farther down nape; narrow, blue nuchal collar. Female- undescribed. M.b. necopinata: male- deep brown crown, turning to pale yellow/brown in centre; red/orange cheeks, throat and centre of breast to abdomen; yellow undertail coverts. Female- as in bruijnii, but more purple/blue crown. M.b. rosea: bright red/pink crown; pinker and brighter cheeks and throat. Female- as in bruijnii. Colourization Juvenile: M.b. bruijnii: as in adult female, but with white forehead and lores; some orange/red on underparts of males. Call: Calls are described as high-pitched short notes or series of short notes; some notes also shrill and penetrating.
Not Threatened.
Adult: M.b. bruijnii: male- mostly green in colour; buff/red to brown/orange crown; deep blue nape and hindneck; line extending from nape to area behind eye and from hindneck as collar around to lower throat; blue on sides of breast, reaching to meet collar on neck; buff/orange throat and cheeks to ear coverts; pale red centre of underparts; blue central tail feathers; lateral tail feathers blue/black. Bill horn in colour with grey at base. Cere and eye ring pink. Eye brown. Female- in general green, red markings absent; dark blue crown; pale off-white forehead and cheeks; blue on sides of breast, nape and hindneck absent. Cere and eye ring grey. M.b. pileata: male- brown/red on crown deeper and reaching farther down nape; narrow, blue nuchal collar. Female- undescribed. M.b. necopinata: male- deep brown crown, turning to pale yellow/brown in centre; red/orange cheeks, throat and centre of breast to abdomen; yellow undertail coverts. Female- as in bruijnii, but more purple/blue crown. M.b. rosea: bright red/pink crown; pinker and brighter cheeks and throat. Female- as in bruijnii. Colourization Juvenile: M.b. bruijnii: as in adult female, but with white forehead and lores; some orange/red on underparts of males. Call: Calls are described as high-pitched short notes or series of short notes; some notes also shrill and penetrating.
Taxonomy:
- Nasiterna bruijnii Salvadori, 1875, Mount Arfak. A distinct yellow-crowned form has been noted in Ok Tedi region of Papua New Guinea. Race pileata known in museums from only three male skins, none of which shows great differences from the variation present in nominate race. Four subspecies currently recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * pileata Mayr, 1940 - Buru and Seram, in S Moluccas. * bruijnii (Salvadori, 1875) - mountains of New Guinea from Vogelkop in W to Owen Stanley Range in E. * necopinata Hartert, 1925 - New Britain and New Ireland. * rosea Mayr, 1940 - Bougainville, Guadalcanal and Kolambangara, in Solomon Is.
Its natural habitat is the boreal forests, subtropical or tropical dry forests, and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. This particular species is found at higher altitudes than other pygmy parrots, and uses trees rather than arboreal termite nests as breeding sites.
Feed on seeds, nuts, berries , and fallen fruits that they may find, but they would rather eat plants than fruits. They also eat insects, and insect larvae.
Unlike other pygmy parrots the Red-breasted Pygmy Parrot bores its nest cavities into the sides of dead snags, not arboreal termitaria (termite mounds in trees).