Blue-backed Parrots aka Müller's (or Mueller's) Parrots, or Azure Rumped Parrots
The Blue-backed Parrot, Tanygnathus sumatranus, is also known as Müller's (or Mueller's) Parrot, or Azure Rumped Parrot. It is a parrot found the on the islands around the Philippines and Sulawesi (Indonesia).
It is of medium size (32cm), basically green with yellow-streaked wings, a blue rump, and blue wing bends. The head, mantle, wings and tail are darker green, the belly and collar are lighter green. It is sexually dimorphic (most parrots aren't), with the male having a red beak and the female a pale yellow or horn colored beak.
There are six subspecies:
- T. s. sumatranus: Sulawesi and nearby islands
- T. s. sangirensis: Sangir Islands and Karakelong. More blue on wing bends and wing coverts, head darker green. Yellow iris.
- T. s. burbidgii: Sulu Islands. Darker green with lighter collar. Yellow Iris.
- T. s. everetti: Panay, Negors, Leyte, Samar, Mindanao. Mantle and back darker, rump and head lighter. Some blue in mantle. Red iris.
- T. s. duponti: Luzon. Dark green with yellow collar. Yellowish underwing coverts. Iris red.
- T. s. freeri: Polillo Islands. More uniform color with less contrast, more yellow on nape. Iris red.
All occur in up to 800m in lowlands and lower mountains; in forest, along forest edge, and some in cultivated areas. Flocks are small and often active at night. Known to eat crops, including corn.
Source: Wikipedia.org
Sub-species:
Burbidgei's / Burbidge's Blue-backed Parrots:
Species: Scientific: Tanygnathus sumatranus burbidgii ... English: Burbidgei's Blue-backed Parrot ... Dutch: Witsnavelpapegaai ... German: Weißschnabelpapagei ... French: Perroquet d'Archipel Sulu
Description: Same as Müller's Parrots (sumatranus) pictured above, but head yellow-green; upper back green, clearly defined by lighter head colouring; lower back pronounced blue; entire upper wing-coverts green with narrow yellow-green edging; tail upperside dark green; iris red; on average slightly larger. 
Length: 32 cm (12.5 ins), wing length: 210 mm - 230 mm (8 - 9 ins)
CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 3 - click on link to view photo.)
Du Pont's Blue-backed Parrots:
Species: Scientific: Tanygnathus sumatranus duponti ... English: Du Pont's Blue-backed Parrot ... Dutch: Du Pont's Witsnavelpapegaai ... German: Du Ponts Weißschnabelpapagei ... French: Perroquet de Du Pont
Description: Same as Everett's Blue-backed Parrots (everetti), but upper back greener with paler blue tinge; lower back slightly paler blue; under wing-coverts yellowish; iris red. Length: 31 cm (12 ins), wing length: 199 - 204 mm (8 ins)
CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Luzon Island, Philippines
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 5 - click on link to view photo.)
Everett's Blue-backed Parrots:
Species: Scientific: Tanygnathus sumatranus everetti ... English: Everett's Blue-backed Parrot ... Dutch: Kleine Witsnavelpapegaai ... German: Kleiner Weißschnabelpapagei, Everett Papagei ... French: Perroquet de Everett
Description: Same as Müller's Parrots (sumatranus) - pictured above, but upper back green tinged with blue; yellowish-green band between head and upper back; lower back pronounced blue; breast and abdomen feathers slightly darker; entire upper wing-coverts green with narrow yellow-green edging; tail upperside darker green; iris red; on average smaller. Length: 31 cm (12 ins), wing length: 180 - 208 mm (7 - 8 ins)
CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Panay, Leyte, Samar, Negros and Mindanao in the Philippines
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 4 - click on link to view photo.)
Species: Scientific: Tanygnathus sumatranus freeri ... English: Freer's Blue-backed Parrot ... Dutch: Freer's Witsnavelpapegaai ... German: Polillo Weißschnabelpapagei ... French: Perroquet d'ile Polillo
Description: Same as Everett's Blue-backed Parrots (everetti), but plumage generally more yellowish, particularly on nape; crown paler green; wing-coverts with paler edging; upper back green tinged paler blue; lower back slightly paler blue; iris red; larger. Length: 34 cm (13.5 ins), wing length: 230 - 240 mm (9 - 9.5 ins)
CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Polillo
Island, Philippines
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 6 - click on link to view photo.)
Müller's Parrots, Müller's Blue-backed Parrots:
Species: Scientific: Tanygnathus sumatranus sumatranus ... English: Müller's Parrot, Müller's Blue-backed Parrot ... Dutch: Müllers Papegaai ... German: Müllers Edelpapagei ... French: Perroquet de Müller
Description: General plumage green; upper back, breast and abdomen more yellowish; lower back and rump feathers pale blue; lesser wing-coverts and primary wing-coverts tinged with blue; median wing-coverts and secondary wing-coverts with yellow-green edging; under wing-coverts green-yellow; tail green with green-yellow tips; tail underside dirty yellow; skin to narrow periophthalmic ring grey; bill red with pale tip; iris pale yellow; feet grey. Female as male, but without yellowish tinge to upper back; lesser wing-coverts virtually without blue tinge; bill pale horn colour. Immatures as female; male attains adult bill colouration at 10 - 12 months. Length: 32 cm (12.5ins), wing length 200 - 222 mm (8 - 8.5ins)
CITES II - Endangered
Species Distribution: Celebes,
Togian and Sula Islands, Banggai Archipelago, Muna & Buton
Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots
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