Plum-crowned Parrots
Information on the Pionus, Pet Qualities & Care ... Photo Gallery ... Common Diseases and Disorders
The Plum-crowned Parrot (Pionus tumultuosus) is native to La Paz and Cochabamba in northern Bolivia, northeast to eastern Cajamarca and southwest Amazonas, northwest Peru. The prefer forest areas in temperate zones and adjoining cultivated areas with trees at altitudes ranging between 6,700 ft (2,000 m) and 9,300 ft (2,800 m). Seasonal migration patterns have been observed. These parrots can occasionally be seen foraging in cultivated areas and banana plantations. Their numbers have been declining in some areas due to deforestation and loss of habitat. They are now generally rare.
The breeding season usually commences in November or December and the young fledge in February/March. During this time, the Plum-crowned Parrots are often seen in small groups and flocks - occasionally also larger gatherings. While foraging they are quiet and approachable. At other times, they are shy and alert. They are well camouflaged in the foliage. When alarmed, they fly off loudly screeching.
Their call sounds similar to that of the Red-billed Pionus (Pionus seniloides).
Description:
The Plum-crowned Parrot averages 11.5 inches (29 cm) in length. Its plumage is mostly green. The abdomen and sides of its body are yellowish-green. The forehead, lores and sides of the head are wine-red. All feathers are whitish at the base. The crown and back of the head are dark red. The nape, side of the neck, ear-coverts and the breast are purple-red turning brownish grey-blue on the breast. The under tail-coverts are red with yellowish-green edging to the tips. The primary-coverts and flight-feathers are green. The under wing-coverts and underside of the flight-feathers are dull green. The middle tail-feathers are green. The outer tail-feathers have dull violet-blue tips and a red base. The bill is olive-yellow. They have grey eye rings and brown irises. The feet are grey.
Young birds have a green nape. The back of the crown, chin, cheeks and the breast are also green. The under tail-coverts are yellowish-green with pink edging. They have dark irises.
Personality / Care:
Pionus parrots are gentle in nature and make loving, devoted companions. Although with rare parrots, such as plum-crowns, it is preferred to place them into a well-managed breeding / conservation program to ensure their long-term survival. Once a significant number in captivity has been established, the young can be placed into pet bird situations.
Pionus parrots are appreciated for their sweet and fun disposition, easy-going personality and intelligence. These qualities make this parrot a good choice for first-time parrot owners and a wonderful family pet. It is also an excellent choice for apartment dwellers, due to their calm personality and easy maintenance. Owners describe them as inquisitive and sociable parrots that are easily tamed. They are less apt to bite than other parrot species. With a little bit of training, some may learn to mimic (although not all learn to talk!). They enjoy frequent baths as this helps to keep their plumage in good condition. A medium-sized parrot cage is acceptable for a pionus - but larger is always better, as they are energetic parrots. Toys, to keep them entertained, are always a must. They seem to be particularly fond of swings.
The Pionus parrots are devoted to their owners and thrive on attention - however, some of them, particularly males, may bond with one person and aggressively protect that person from perceived dangers, including other family members. They are active by nature and may become overweight if closely confined. Even though these parrots are less noisy birds than other parrots, they do make light, high-pitched squeaking calls that might annoy those who are sensitive to noise.
Caring for Your Pionus:
The Pionus is a very active parrot and needs the largest space that your home can accommodate -- ideally, this parrot should be able to fly from perch to perch, especially so if the pionus is kept in the cage most of the day. This being said, however roomy the cage, every bird should be allowed to be out of the cage for a minimum of three hours each day. Many birds can spend a good deal of their time on a play pen or parrot perch. As they are not strong chewers, durable cage construction is not as critical as it would be for the largest species of parrots. They are technically inclined and learn to open locks pretty quickly and locks or escape-proof latches may be recommended.
When setting up your pionus, please visit this website: How to Keep Your Pet Parrot Happy and Healthy for ideas and recommendations.
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Once they have learned a behavior such as stepping up they are very obedient and will remain steady in their training.
- Web Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
Diet:
The Pionus parrot should be provided a high-quality seed mix, a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, such as berries and apples. Some breeders suggest Pretty Bird High Protein or Daily Select as staple diets for Pionus parrots; they will tend to waste less food if fed small-sized pellets such as Pretty Bird Daily Select Small. I personally prefer unprocessed food as I am concerned about chemicals / additives and also because synthetic supplements usually added to formulated diets are never as good as the nutrients found in natural food. Some supplementation may still be necessary if a variety of nutrient-rich food is not accepted by a bird or not provided by the keeper. One of the most nutrient-dense food items that you can feed your birds and are usually eagerly accepted by birds (even picky ones!) are sprouted seeds.
As is the case with most parrot species, their diet should include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables daily to add nutrition and psychological enrichment. Their food intake should be monitored as overfeeding can lead to selective feeding and wasteful throwing of food. Pionus parrots should be fed little to no sunflower or safflower seeds. Vitamin supplements are not needed for birds that are eating a formulated diet. However, if the base diet is seed-based, a good avian supplement should be given to prevent deficiency diseases. Such supplements should be added to soft food items rather than adding them to the water, as this dilutes the vitamins and water-soluble vitamins break down rapidly. Also, water containing sweetened vitamins is a good growth medium for bacteria. On the other hand, supplements sprinkled over seeds are usually lost when the bird shells the seeds.
- Click here for more information on bird nutrition
Breeding:
Breeding has seldom been achieved. In the U.S. breeding begins in spring. This is an energetic bird that is considered medium-noisy. They are particularly vocal in morning. They are initially shy and flighty; when alarmed produces typical panting with fear. They are slow to become trusting.
Newly imported birds are extremely susceptible to diseases and frequent mortalities have resulted. They are particular prone to serious aspergillosis infections. Provided they are properly acclimatized, they are pretty hardy. Initially they should not be exposed to temperatures below 70°F (22°C). Once they have adjusted to the local climate, they may be able to endure temperatures as low as 50°F (10°C).
They often are intolerant of other birds, so keeping pairs in their flights would be the best way. To protect birds in adjoining cages, it is recommended to install double wiring. They enjoy bathing and are not hard chewer. The Pionus is of breeding age when they are about 3 to 5 years old. In North America, the breeding season stretches from February or March to June or July.
One problem that breeders face is that the male pionus in breeding condition can get aggressive towards their mates. One option to protect the female is to clip the male's wings prior to the breeding season to give the female an advantage when trying to escape the aggressive male.
For cage construction, breeders suggested the following dimensions: 4 feet wide by 4 feet tall by 6 to 8 feet long. Suspended cages facilitate sanitation as droppings and discarded food fall through the wire cage floor. Grandfather-style nest boxes work best. A size that works well is 10" wide x 10" deep x 18-24" high. Place the nest box high up in a dark, secluded area of the aviary.
The hen typically lays 3 to 5 eggs, which she incubates for 24 to 26 days. The chicks usually fledge when they are 8 to 12 weeks old. Pionus chicks are challenging to handraise and it is best to allow the parents to take care of the chicks for at least the first week. Various green foods and mealworms are appreciated by the parents for feeding the chicks. Corn cob is a favorite weaning food.
If you decide to pull the chicks at this time, Exact or Pretty Bird Handfeeding formulas are suitable for handfeeding the young.
Taxonomy:
Species: Scientific: Pionus tumultuosus tumultuosus ... English: Plum-crowned Parrot, Restless-, Tschudi's Parrot ... Dutch: Pruimekoppapegaai, Rozekoppapegaai ... German: Rosenkopfpapagei, Purperstirnpapagei ... French: Perroquet de Tschudi
CITES II - Endangered Species
Sub-species:
Distribution: mountains of north-western Venezuela, Central Andes of Colombia, south through western Ecuador, north-western Peru.
Species: Scientific: Pionus tumultuosus seniloides aka Pionus seniloides ... English: Grey-headed Parrot ... Dutch: Grijskoppapegaai ... German: Greisenkopfpapagei ... French: Perroquet Macena
May be classified as a subspecies, Pionus tumultuosus seniloides, but this is controversial and it is sometimes classified as the separate species, Pionus seniloides.
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