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Cape Parrot
The Cape Parrot or Poicephalus robustus robustus is native to South Africa. They are known as ‘Gentle Giants’ as their intelligence level is quite similar to or even goes more than that of an African grey parrot. Cape parrot is restricted to the Afromontane yellowwood forests in the provinces of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo and Eastern Cape. The Cape Parrot depends heavily on the yellowwood trees for food and also for nest.
Cape Parrots are the largest members of the African genus Poicephalus, including Brown-headed, Jardine's, Meyer's, Niam Niam Parrots, Rueppell's, Red-bellied, Senegal, and Yellow-faced. In recent times, the species have been sorted out. Quite recently, P.r. robustus is been officially declared a separate species. P. robustus is the South African Cape Parrot.
The Cape parrot is a medium-sized parrot that stands 30 cm high and can weigh up to 350g. Similar to all parrots, Cape has a robust beak and it is used to crack open nuts and seeds, easily. However, when forest foods become scarce they often move into fruit orchards, enjoying the pips of fruits like apricots and peaches, as well as the seeds from black acacias, eucalyptus and pecans.
Cape parrot can be distinguished easily by its greenish and yellowish brown neck and head. It has a pinkish-red and orange crown and forehead. The true and fair sexing of the bird can only be done by DNA testing. Some of the young cape males also show these markings before they get mature. Both the male and female Cape parrot moult more orange feathers on the upper wings and shoulders.
The preferred habitat of Cape parrot is the misty mountainous forests of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, western Zululand, Swaziland and Mpumalanga. Their nesting sites are generally higher than 1,000 metres above the sea level. They prefer to nest high up in the hollows of standing dead yellow wood trees.
If you want to bring Cape parrot in your home as pet, you will be delighted. Capes are companion birds. They love people and enjoy being loved and cared for. Many Cape owners feel that that they have fabulous talking potential. The baby birds have the potential to pick up words and phrases easily and they do not even need coaching.
The favored seed of Cape parrot is that of the yellowwood tree. It is the availability of these seeds that increasingly influences their seasonal movements. They feed on other forest trees also particularly the Natal plum and White stinkwood. When the indigenous food source is short in supply, the parrots are at times compelled to feed outside the forests.
The breeding season for Cape parrot starts in August and lasts till February. The hen lays two to five eggs and after about 29 days, the eggs hatch. Both the male and female Cape parrots take care of the hatchlings till the young parrots are independent enough to leave the nests, which usually takes about 60 to 70 days. After four to six years, the parrots become ready to mate and breed.