Guaiabero facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Guaiabero
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Psittaculidae
Genus:	Bolbopsittacus Salvadori, 1891
Species:	B. lunulatus
Binomial name
Bolbopsittacus lunulatus (Scopoli, 1786)
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The guaiabero (say "gwah-YAH-beh-roh") is a special type of parrot found only in the Philippines. It's a small, colorful bird that belongs to a unique group of parrots. People in the Philippines sometimes call it bubutok. Its common name comes from its favorite food: guavas!

What Does the Guaiabero Look Like?

The guaiabero is a small, strong parrot, about 15 cm (5.9 in) long. That's about the size of a small ruler! It has a big beak and a short tail.

Male and female guaiaberos look a bit different:

• Males are mostly green. Their belly is more yellowish. They have a light blue face, a blue ring around their neck, and blue on their wing feathers. Their bottom (rump) is yellow-green. Their beak is grey-blue with a darker tip, and their eyes are dark brown.
• Females are also green, but they have a yellow ring around their neck. They have less blue on their face. You can see black crescent (moon-shaped) marks on the back of their neck and on their rump. Their beak is a lighter grey.

Guaiabero Behavior and Life

These parrots live in lowland forests and open areas nearby. They mostly eat fruit. You might spot them near fruit trees like mangos.

For a long time, nobody knew much about how guaiaberos nested in the wild. But recently, people have watched them. It seems they dig out their nests inside the homes of ants or termites that live in trees! This is a very clever way to build a safe home.

Types of Guaiabero Parrots

The guaiabero was first described by a scientist named Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1786. It's the only parrot in its special group, which makes it quite unique!

There are four main types, or subspecies, of guaiabero parrots. They live in different parts of the Philippines and have slight differences in their colors:

• The lunulatus type lives on Luzon.
• The intermedius type on Leyte is darker with a clearer blue neck ring and some purple on its face.
• The mindanensis type on Mindanao and Panaon has greener cheeks.
• The callainipictus type on Samar is similar to the Leyte type but has more yellow overall.

Images for kids

• 

  An illustration of the B. l. intermedius subspecies by John Gerrard Keulemans from 1891.