Micropsitta pusio
Adult M.p. pusio: both adults forehead and sides of head buff/brown, paler in female; centre of crown and occiput dark blue, less noticeable in female; underwing coverts yellow/brown; undertail coverts yellow; centre tail feathers dark blue, the feathers on the side blue/black. Bill grey. Eye brown. M.p. beccarii: both adults in general darker in colour; forehead and sides of head darker brown. M.p. harterti: both adults less yellow on underparts; blue suffusion on throat; head markings duller. M.p. stresemanni: both adults as in harteri, but more yellow underparts; slightly larger in size.Colourization Juvenile: M.p. pusio: as in adults but crown and occiput green; brown on sides of head duller. Bill pale yellow tipped with grey/brown. M.p. beccarii: as in adults. M.p. harterti: as in adults. M.p. stresemanni: as in adults. Call: While in flight a continuous ssii...ssii or high-pitched tseet-tseet. Alarm call a repetitious note szeeei...szeeei. Silent while feeding, with occasional contact calls to others.
Not Threatened.
Adult M.p. pusio: both adults forehead and sides of head buff/brown, paler in female; centre of crown and occiput dark blue, less noticeable in female; underwing coverts yellow/brown; undertail coverts yellow; centre tail feathers dark blue, the feathers on the side blue/black. Bill grey. Eye brown. M.p. beccarii: both adults in general darker in colour; forehead and sides of head darker brown. M.p. harterti: both adults less yellow on underparts; blue suffusion on throat; head markings duller. M.p. stresemanni: both adults as in harteri, but more yellow underparts; slightly larger in size.Colourization Juvenile: M.p. pusio: as in adults but crown and occiput green; brown on sides of head duller. Bill pale yellow tipped with grey/brown. M.p. beccarii: as in adults. M.p. harterti: as in adults. M.p. stresemanni: as in adults. Call: While in flight a continuous ssii...ssii or high-pitched tseet-tseet. Alarm call a repetitious note szeeei...szeeei. Silent while feeding, with occasional contact calls to others.
Taxonomy:
- Nasiterna pusio P. L. Sclater, 1866, Solomon Islands; error = Duke of York Island. Forms a superspecies with M. keienis and M. geelvinkiana. All races very similar and validity has been questioned, as characters are not obvious and provenance of some material currently in doubt; species may be better considered monotypic. Four subspecies tentatively recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * beccarii (Salvadori, 1876) - N New Guinea from W Geelvink Bay to Kumusi R, and islands of Manam, Karkar, Bagabag and Rook. * pusio (P. L. Sclater, 1866) - SE New Guinea and Bismarck Archipelago. * harterti Mayr, 1940 - Fergusson I (D'Entrecasteaux Is). * stresemanni Hartert, 1926 - Misima I and Tagula I (Louisiade Archipelago).
Buff-faced Pygmy Parrots are found across the northern lowlands of the island of New Guinea from the west to the southeastern tip up to an altitude of around 800 m, as well as in the Bismarck Archipelago. They inhabit subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. They are found in small groups of up to six birds and are highly active, hopping around on tree trunks.
The Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot feeds while gripping upside down on the sides of tree trunks, tail braced as a prop. They pause while feeding, turning their heads right around like an owl, possibly to check for predators.
Until about two years of age, male and female fig parrots look the same, then the males begin to color out on the head and bib and are ready for breeding. The breeding season starts in July. Fig parrots excavate nesting chambers at the end of tunnels in the dead trunks and branches of rainforest trees. The incubation of the eggs is done by the female, but the male helps feed the chicks.