Black-headed Caiques
Caiques
The Black-headed Caique (Pionites melanocephalus) - also known as Black-headed Parrot, Black-capped Parrot or Pallid Parrot is one of the two species of parrot in the genus Caique (Pionites) - the other species being the White-bellied Caique.
This parrot is endemic to South America, specifically Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela - where it can be found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests or swamps. These parrots are social beings. In the wild, caiques are generally seen in pairs or flocks up to 30 birds, calling loudly during flight. Both black-headed caiques and white-bellied caiques prefer the same type of canopies and lowland forests.
In the wild, they eat mostly flowers, pulp, and seeds and possibly insects.
Description:
The Black-headed Caique is slightly smaller than the White-bellied Caiquet, with an average length of around 9 inches (23 centimeters).
The forehead, crown and nape are black and stand out in stark contrast to the bright green plumage of the back, wing and tail feathers. The cheeks, throat, thighs, undertail and flanks are a bright yellowish orange. The black-headed caiques have creamy white abdomen and breasts. They have bluish primaries, greyish bills and black feet.
Male and female birds look identical.
Juveniles have yellow/orange bellies.
Their life expectancy is about 30 years.
Caiques as Pets - Personality Traits
Care and Feeding:
- General Info on Housing your bird / Fun & Safe Toys
- Purchasing or Adopting your Companion or Aviary Birds
- Breeders:
- Florida: Shady Pines Aviary, Photos & Pricing & Availability
- Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? If so please e-mail for information. - Please note: A small annual listing fee for non-contributors to the Avianweb applies. Listing is subject to maintaining high ethical breeding and business standards.
- NOTE: Aviculturists and breeders of Protected Species that take part in the preservation and conservation of critically endangered birds are encouraged to list their group information at no cost to them. Please e-mail me the information.
- Optimal nutrition to keep your bird healthy
- Caring for your companion bird
Taxonomy:
Species: Scientific: Pionites melanocephala melanocephala ... English: Black-headed Caique ... Dutch: Zwartkopcaique ... German: Grünzügelpapagei ... French: Caïque à tête noire
Sub-Species: pallida, melanocephala
Description: General plumage green. The forehead and nape black. Lores and stripe under eye green. Cheeks, throat, band to nape, thighs and flanks orange. Breast and abdomen creamy-white. Under tail-coverts yellowish-orange; primary-coverts and primaries violet-blue; tail upperside with yellow tips, underside dull olive-yellow; bill blackish; periophthalmic ring dark grey; iris red; feet dark grey. Immatures with paler plumage, bill horn-colored with blackish base. Iris dark.
CITES II - Endangered Species
Sub-species:
Species: Scientific: Pionites melanocephala pallida ... English: Pallid Caique ... Dutch: Bleke Caique ... German: Blasser Berlepschs Grünzügelpapagei ... French: Caïque à tête noir pallida
Description: As Black-headed Caiques (melanocephala) pictured above, but all orange plumage yellow; breast and abdomen whitish
Distribution: Southern Colombia, North-eastern Peru, Eastern Ecuador
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
Photo contributions and articles are welcome!
