Meyer's parrot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meyer's parrot
P. m. transvaalensis pair in Zimbabwe
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Poicephalus
Species:	meyeri
range and subspecies

The Meyer's parrot (also called the brown parrot) is a type of parrot that lives in Africa. These colorful birds have grey feathers, a turquoise belly, and a blue rump. They also have bright yellow spots on their wings, near where the wing bends. Many Meyer's parrots also have some yellow on top of their heads.

There are six different kinds, or subspecies, of Meyer's parrots. They look a bit different and live in various places. For example, some subspecies have more yellow on their heads than others.

About Meyer's Parrots

The Meyer's parrot was first described in 1827 by a German doctor and bird expert named Philipp Jakob Cretzschmar. The parrot was named in honor of another German bird expert, Bernhard Meyer.

There are six main types, or subspecies, of Meyer's parrots:

• P. m. meyeri — found from southern Chad to western Ethiopia.
• P. m. saturatus — lives in Uganda, western Kenya, and western Tanzania.
• P. m. matschiei — found in central Tanzania, southeastern Congo, Zambia, and northern Malawi.
• P. m. reichenowi — lives from central Angola to southern Congo.
• P. m. damarensis — found in northern Namibia, southern Angola, and northwestern Botswana.
• P. m. transvaalensis — lives in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and northern South Africa.

Some of these subspecies, like P. m. damarensis and P. m. reichenowi, do not have yellow markings on their heads. The P. m. transvaalensis subspecies might have very little or no yellow on its head. The colors on their bellies and rumps can also be different shades of turquoise or blue, depending on the subspecies.

Where Meyer's Parrots Live

Meyer's parrots live in the woodlands of Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. They can be found in different types of forests and open woodlands, like miombo and savanna areas. They also live in grassy woodlands and forests near rivers or farms.

You can find many Meyer's parrots in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. They also live in other parts of southern and central Africa. This includes countries like Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo, Angola, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Namibia.

Meyer's Parrot Behavior

What Meyer's Parrots Eat

In the wild, Meyer's parrots eat a variety of foods. Their diet includes fruits, seeds, nuts, and berries. They also eat crops grown by farmers. They especially love the seeds from different leguminous trees found in African woodlands. These seeds are a very important part of their diet in some areas.

Meyer's parrots usually travel in pairs or small groups. However, if there is a lot of food available, many parrots might gather together. During dry years, they will travel around to find enough food.

Meyer's Parrot Reproduction

Meyer's parrots build their nests inside holes in trees. The female parrot lays white eggs, usually three or four at a time. She sits on the eggs for about 28 days until they hatch. The baby chicks stay in the nest for about 60 days after they hatch before they are ready to fly out on their own.

Protecting Meyer's Parrots

Meyer's parrots are still quite common in the wild. However, their numbers have gone down in some places because woodlands have been destroyed. Overall, they are not considered to be in danger of extinction. This is because they have a large population and a huge home range of about 6 million square kilometers. Also, there isn't much hunting or trading pressure on them.

It is legal to buy and sell Meyer's parrots that have been raised by people (in aviculture). Meyer's parrots are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna. This means that a limited number of these birds can also be taken from the wild and traded legally.

Meyer's Parrots as Pets

Meyer's parrots are often raised to be sold as pets. They are known for being relatively quiet and small birds. They can also learn to say many words, sometimes dozens!

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  P. m. damarensis pair at Etosha, Namibia
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  P. m. saturatus in the Serengeti, Tanzania
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  Captive pair
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  A three-year-old pet