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What are your top five favourite parrot species ?

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Onychorhynchus coronatus, 27 Dec 2020.

  1. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Parrots are some of the most charismatic and colourful of all the birds and are often firm favourites amongst zoo visitors.

    What are your top five favourite parrot species and why ?

    Look forward to hearing all your replies.
     
  2. German Zoo World

    German Zoo World Well-Known Member

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    1 Scarlet macaw
    2 Blue and yellow macaw
    3 Hyazinths macaw
    4 Eclectus Parrot
    5 Palm Cocatoo
     
  3. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    The palm cockatoo is an interesting choice, why this species in particular ?

    What do you like most about it ?
     
  4. Stefan Verhoeven

    Stefan Verhoeven Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    1. Anodorhynchus leari (Lear's macaw): beautiful species, smart and a delight to work with
    2. Micropsitta bruijnii (Red breasted pygmy parrot) a beauty and I am very curious about the behaviour of the Micropsitta group as I have never seen one (like almost everybody in the world)
    3. Cyclopsitta gulielmiyertii (Orange breasted fig-parrot): my favorite fig-parrot species, fun and beautiful animals
    4. Nestor notabilis (Kea): very intelligent species and perfect animals to test if an aviary is well build :D
    5. Callocephalon fimbriatum (Gang gang cockatoo): pretty and the ones I know were goofy individuals

    Close calls but not in my top 5:
    - Probosciger aterrimus (palm cockatoo) spectacular and smart
    - Cacatua leadbeateri (major mitchell's cockatoo) such beauties
    - Vini peruviana (blue lorikeet) pretty
    - Strigops habroptilus (Kakapo) for the uniqueness of it's adaptations
    - Prioniturus flavicans (yellowish breasted racquet tail) the racquet-tail makes it something special, unfortunately never have seen one in real life (none of the racquet-tail species)
    - Loriculus galgulus (blue topped hanging parrot) Just fun animals
     
    Last edited: 27 Dec 2020
  5. pipaluk

    pipaluk Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    1 kakapo (because I've never seen one and never will)
    2 Hyacinth Macaw
    3 Red tailed Black cockatoo
    4 Blue throated macaw
    5 kea
     
  6. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for your reply @Stefan Verhoeven ! These are some interesting choices here.

    First question, have you worked with the Lear's macaw as your comment seems to imply that you have ?

    When you say the red breasted pygmy parrot and its behaviour interests you is this because of its diet of fungi and lichen ?

    The orange breasted fig parrot is a gorgeous little species, really beautiful colouration of its plumage.

    I really think that the Kea is a fascinating species and the ones I've seen in zoos seem to have such a lively and obvious intelligence.
     
    Last edited: 27 Dec 2020
  7. CheeseChameleon1945

    CheeseChameleon1945 Well-Known Member

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    The Alwal, Loved this species since I was very young.
    Dracula parrot, A very unique species with a beautiful blend of black and red plumage
    Crimson shining parrot, Colors really pop out of its feathers.
    Red-capped parakeet, A beautiful species with rainbow-like colors
    And of course, the Gang-Gang cockatoo

    Token Extinct species, Paradise parrot.

    And as for one that didnt make the list but I would love to see,
    Nicobar parakeet.
     
  8. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    The Kapapo is fascinating (the strange ecological niche, the nocturnality, the size / behaviour / conservation status) a species I would dearly love to see too. I've actually only seen a couple of taxidermy specimens of the kakapo and like you I suppose I will never see one either which is quite sad.

    The blue throated macaw is another beautiful species too, very endangered and though I've seen them in captivity I would most definitely like to see these in the wild in Bolivia.

    Why the red tailed black cockatoo in particular ?
     
  9. MizzB

    MizzB Well-Known Member

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    1. Kea (Nestor notabilis)
    2. Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)
    3. Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhychus hyacinthinus)
    4. Gang-Gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum)
    5. Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri)
     
  10. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Interesting choices @CheeseChameleon2007 , thanks for sharing !

    I hadn't heard of the "dracula parrot" before until I looked it up just now and found that it is the Pesquet's parrot which I have seen in zoos before.

    Interesting and suitable alternative name for the species as it does look a bit dracula like with that hooked beak and red and black plumage.
     
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  11. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for sharing @MizzB !

    The Major Mitchell's cockatoo is a beautiful bird, I agree, really striking plumage and the ones I've seen in captivity are very engaging and particularly when they raise that awesome crest of theirs.
     
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  12. amur leopard

    amur leopard Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    My favourite is by far the amazing colourful but also sadly endangered Swift Parrot.
    Second, Pesquet's parrot, followed by Spix's macaw, then the Kakapo and finally the Palm cockatoo.
     
  13. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for sharing @amur leopard !

    The swift parrot is a very interesting choice and I agree that it is very sad how close to the brink the species is.

    Have you ever seen this parrot in captivity ?
     
  14. MizzB

    MizzB Well-Known Member

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    Here is something I forgot to add.

    Honorable mention:

    Blue-Throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis)
     
  15. amur leopard

    amur leopard Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Unfortunately not, even though I have been to several zoos which have housed them at some point (the species arrived to two of the zoos, Vienna and Edinburgh, after I visited them :().
     
  16. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    I believe that Paignton zoo or Newquay zoo has them doesn't it ?

    Perhaps a future visit to either of those zoos will lead you to seeing one.
     
  17. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Malabar parakeets. Just beautiful blue in the wild. And for some strange reason, not so popular as other Psittacula in collections.
    https://ebird.org/species/malpar1/
     
  18. Onychorhynchus coronatus

    Onychorhynchus coronatus Well-Known Member

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    I agree, a very beautiful species, such strikingly coloured plumage that blueish grey.

    In general I find the Psittacula parrots to be gorgeous birds.
     
  19. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    1. Pesquet's parrot
    2. imperial amazon parrot
    3. kaka
    4. greater vasa parrot
    5. palm cockatoo

    I deliberately restricted the above list to species I've seen, otherwise kakapo would probably have been number one.
     
  20. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    also:
    hiacynth macaw
    red-fan parrot
    coconut lorikeet - common, so what?
    orange-breasted fig parrot