Cape Parrot

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Cape Parrot

Grey-headed Parrot
(Poicephalus robustus suahelicus)

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Psittaciformes
Family:	Psittacidae
Tribe:	Psittacini
Genus:	Poicephalus
Species:	P. robustus

Binomial name

Poicephalus robustus
(Gmelin, 1788)

Poicephalus robustus robustus range

The Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus) is the largest of the Poicephalus parrots.

[edit] Classification

The accepted classification describes three subspecies of the Cape Parrot. Recent DNA findings might indicate that the nominate Poicephalus robustus robustus may be split as a different species from the other two subspecies, but this is not widely accepted. The name Un-cape Parrot has gained some popularity for a new species name for the closely related Poicephalus robustus fuscicollis and Poicephalus robustus suahelicus, the new name for the species would be P. fuscicollis, and its two subspecies would be the Brown-necked Parrot (P. f. fuscicollis) and the Grey-headed Parrot (P. f. suahelicus).

[edit] Conservation status

The Poicephalus robustus robustus is endangered, but the other two subspecies are found more widely in Africa. Hundreds of volunteers do an annual count in May which they have called the "Cape Parrot Big Birding Day". Although, the population is difficult to count because the birds' habitats have become fragmented and because they fly long distances for food, the population in the wild seems to have increased from about 500 specimens in May 2000 to over 1000 in May 2006. Their habitat is being eroded mostly due to logging of African Yellowwood trees, and they have suffered from the fatal Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) viral infection. The Poicephalus robustus robustus is now World Conservation Union (IUCN) classified as an endangered species. Over one hundred Poicephalus robustus robustus parrots are found in aviculture and its survival may depend on captive breeding programs. It is unusual as a pet parrot. Trade and export of wild-caught Cape Parrots has been made illegal by the international CITES agreement (appendix list II) and by South African law.