Moluccan king parrot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moluccan king parrot |
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| Nominate subspecies at Brevard Zoo, Florida, USA | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Alisterus
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| Species: |
amboinensis
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| Synonyms | |
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Psittacus amboinensis Linnaeus, 1766 |
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The Moluccan king parrot (Alisterus amboinensis) is a beautiful parrot that lives only in certain parts of Indonesia. You can find it on Peleng Island, the Maluku region, and West Papua. Sometimes people call it the Ambon king parrot, but that name can be a bit confusing. This is because it lives on many islands, not just Ambon.
Both male and female Moluccan king parrots look very similar. They have bright red heads and chests. Their wings are usually green, but one type has blue wings! Their backs and tails are blue. There are six different kinds, or subspecies, of this parrot. Only a few of these are commonly kept as pets or in zoos. In the wild, these parrots live in rainforests. They enjoy eating fruits, berries, seeds, and even plant buds.
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About the Moluccan King Parrot
The Moluccan king parrot is one of three types of "king parrots." The other two live in Australia and Papua New Guinea. The scientific name for this parrot, Alisterus amboinensis, was given by a famous Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus in 1766. He was the one who created the system we use today to name all living things.
There are six different kinds of Moluccan king parrots, called subspecies. Each subspecies lives in a slightly different area and might have small differences in their looks:
- A. a. amboinensis is the main type. It lives on Ambon and Seram islands.
- A. a. buruensis lives on Buru island in central Maluku.
- A. a. dorsalis is found in West Papua. This type has slightly darker red feathers.
- A. a. hypophonius is special because it has all blue wings! It lives only on Halmahera island in northern Maluku.
- A. a. sulaensis lives on the Sula Islands.
- A. a. versicolor is found only on Peleng island, which is part of the Banggai Islands.
What They Look Like
An adult Moluccan king parrot is about 35 to 40 centimeters (14 inches) long. They have a bright red head and chest. Their outer wings are a dull green, except for the A. a. hypophonius type, which has blue wings. Their back and the feathers covering their tail are a dark purple-blue. Their tail is a darker, blackish-blue color.
Their eyes are orange, and their legs are dark grey. The lower part of their beak is blackish. The upper part is orange-red with a black tip, but the A. a. buruensis subspecies has an all blackish beak. Unlike many other parrots, male and female Moluccan king parrots look almost exactly the same. This is called not having "sexual dimorphism."
Young parrots look a bit different. They have a dark-brown beak with a lighter tip. Their back is greenish, and their eyes are dark brown. Their side tail feathers have red tips. These young birds grow up and become adults in about one year.
Behavior and Life Cycle
Moluccan king parrots are usually seen alone or in pairs. Sometimes, you might spot them in small groups. They like to stay hidden in thick forests, often in the lower and middle parts of the trees. They are quite quiet and hard to notice, unless they are flying.
Their diet mainly consists of fruits, berries, seeds, and plant buds. When it's time to nest, they find a hollow spot inside a tree. The breeding season usually starts in February and March. In zoos, these parrots lay about two eggs. The parents keep the eggs warm for about 19 days until they hatch. After the chicks are born, they are ready to leave the nest when they are about nine weeks old.
Where They Live and Their Status
Moluccan king parrots live in rainforests. Sometimes, they might visit nearby farms or gardens. They usually live in areas below 1,200 meters (about 3,900 feet) in New Guinea, or below 1,600 meters (about 5,200 feet) in the Maluku Islands. However, they have been seen at higher altitudes, up to 2,100 meters (about 6,900 feet).
These parrots are not very common in general. This is because their forest homes are shrinking, and some are caught to be sold as pets. However, they are still quite common in some places, like the Sula Islands, Halmahera, and Buru. Overall, experts believe this parrot is not in immediate danger of disappearing. Because of this, it is listed as "least concern" by organizations like BirdLife International and IUCN. Like most parrots, the Moluccan king parrot is protected under CITES, which means its trade is controlled to help protect the species.
Parrots in Zoos and Homes
For a long time, only two types of Moluccan king parrots, A. a. amboinensis and A. a. hypophonius, were commonly seen in zoos or as pets. But now, other types like A. a. buruensis and A. a. dorsalis are also being kept, especially in zoos. These parrots have been successfully bred in captivity, meaning they have had babies while living in places like zoos, for example, in Denmark.
