Black-headed Caiques
Caiques
The Black-headed Caique (Pionites melanocephala melanocephala / 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 - the other species being the White-bellied Caique.
This parrot is endemic to South America, specifically northern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and southern 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.
Their life expectancy is about 30 years.
Description:
The Black-headed Caique is slightly smaller than the White-bellied Caiquet, with an average length of around 9 - 9.2 inches (23 - 25 centimeters).
They weigh between 145 to 170 grams
The forehead, crown and nape (lower back of the neck) 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 (longest wing feathers), greyish bills and black feet. Male and female birds look identical.
Juveniles have yellow/orange bellies.
Incubation Data:
- Average Clutch Size: 3 eggs
- Incubation: 25 - 27 days
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
- 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 / Races Including Nominate: pallida, melanocephala
Description: General plumage green. The forehead and nape (lower back of the neck) black. The lores (the regions between the eye and bill on the side of a bird's head) and stripe under eye are green. Cheeks, throat, band to nape (lower back of the neck), thighs and flanks orange. Breast and abdomen creamy-white. Under tail-coverts yellowish-orange; primary-coverts and primaries (longest wing feathers) are 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. ... Length: 23 cm (9 ins)
CITES II - Endangered Species ... Distribution: Brazil, Venezuela, South-eastern Colombia
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 ... Length: 23 cm (9 ins)
Distribution: Southern Colombia, North-eastern Peru, Eastern Ecuador, Brazil ... CITES II - Endangered Species
Breeding Data: Average Clutch Size: 3 eggs; Incubation: 25 - 27 days
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
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