Psittaculirostris desmarestii
Colourization Adult: P.d. desmarestii: both adults orange/red lores and forehead, merging to orange/yellow on crown and nape; nuchal collar blue; green hindneck; blue spot below eye; green cheeks and ear coverts, tipped with bronze/yellow; bright paler green at tips of elongated feathers; upper breast has pale blue stripe, bordered below by orange/red stripe; yellow/orange inner wing coverts edged with yellow/orange; underwing stripes wide and off-white/yellow. Bill grey/black. Eye dark brown. P.d. intermedia: both adults as in desmarestii, but much deeper orange crown and nape; green cheeks and ear coverts with orange/yellow tips to a few feathers; blue nuchal collar missing or minimal. P.d. occidentalis: both adults deep golden/yellow cheeks and throat, turning to bright yellow on elongated ear coverts; paler blue below eye and more green; blue collar absent. P.d. blythii: both adults as in occidentalis, but with brighter orange/yellow cheeks; blue below eye absent. P.d. godmani: male-blue on occiput and below eye absent; orange/red crown and nape with yellow stripe on hindneck; bright yellow cheeks and ear coverts; pale blue band across breast more extensive, but orange/red band below absent or minimal. Female-green hindneck, yellow band absent. P.d. cervicalis: both adults as in godmani, but with blue nape and hindneck; breast band darker blue; orange/buff tinge to lower breast and abdomen. Colourization Juvenile: P.d. desmarestii: as in adults, but with dull yellow crown. P.d. intermedia: as in adults. P.d. occidentalis: as in adults. P.d. blythii: as in adults but with blue below eye. P.d. godmani as in adult female. P.d. cervicalis: green crown and nape. Call: Calls are described as high-pitched and thin, with down slurring contact call. Also chattering and clinking notes, and oft-repeated chet-chet notes at the nest.
Not Threatened.
Colourization Adult: P.d. desmarestii: both adults orange/red lores and forehead, merging to orange/yellow on crown and nape; nuchal collar blue; green hindneck; blue spot below eye; green cheeks and ear coverts, tipped with bronze/yellow; bright paler green at tips of elongated feathers; upper breast has pale blue stripe, bordered below by orange/red stripe; yellow/orange inner wing coverts edged with yellow/orange; underwing stripes wide and off-white/yellow. Bill grey/black. Eye dark brown. P.d. intermedia: both adults as in desmarestii, but much deeper orange crown and nape; green cheeks and ear coverts with orange/yellow tips to a few feathers; blue nuchal collar missing or minimal. P.d. occidentalis: both adults deep golden/yellow cheeks and throat, turning to bright yellow on elongated ear coverts; paler blue below eye and more green; blue collar absent. P.d. blythii: both adults as in occidentalis, but with brighter orange/yellow cheeks; blue below eye absent. P.d. godmani: male-blue on occiput and below eye absent; orange/red crown and nape with yellow stripe on hindneck; bright yellow cheeks and ear coverts; pale blue band across breast more extensive, but orange/red band below absent or minimal. Female-green hindneck, yellow band absent. P.d. cervicalis: both adults as in godmani, but with blue nape and hindneck; breast band darker blue; orange/buff tinge to lower breast and abdomen. Colourization Juvenile: P.d. desmarestii: as in adults, but with dull yellow crown. P.d. intermedia: as in adults. P.d. occidentalis: as in adults. P.d. blythii: as in adults but with blue below eye. P.d. godmani as in adult female. P.d. cervicalis: green crown and nape. Call: Calls are described as high-pitched and thin, with down slurring contact call. Also chattering and clinking notes, and oft-repeated chet-chet notes at the nest.
18 cm. 108-126 g
Taxonomy:
- Psittacus Desmarestii Desmarest, 1826, Manokwari, New Guinea. Genus sometimes lumped into Cyclopsitta (or Opopsitta). Six subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * blythii (Wallace, 1864) - Misool, W Papuan Is. * occidentalis (Salvadori, 1875) - Batanta, Salawati and W Vogelkop. * desmarestii (Desmarest, 1826) - E Vogelkop. * intermedia (van Oort, 1909) - Onin Peninsula, Irian Jaya. * godmani (Ogilvie-Grant, 1911) - S New Guinea from SE Irian Jaya to R Fly. * cervicalis (Salvadori & D'Albertis, 1875) - R Fly E to extreme E New Guinea.
Found up to 1300m, locally to 1650m in lowland and hill forest, riverine forest, forest edge and sometimes savanna.
Diet consists mainly of figs and their seeds, nectar, and probably insects.
July-October. 2 eggs. Gathers in small groups to feed high up in the canopy on fruiting figs. Will nest communally in groups of up to three pairs. Very active, they dart from branch to branch and fly rapidly through the trees, searching for food
