Black-headed Parrot
A species of Caiques Scientific name : Pionites melanocephalus Genus : Caiques
Black-headed Parrot, A species of Caiques
Botanical name: Pionites melanocephalus
Genus: Caiques
Content
Description
Photo By Charley Hesse TROPICAL BIRDING 
Description
The black-headed parrot is a medium-small, short-tailed parrot with a black crown, yellow to orange head, whitish belly, yellow thighs and crissum (the area around the cloaca), green back, wings and upper tail, blue primaries (blackish from below), and greyish-black bill and feet. The white breast feathers of wild caiques are often stained a chestnut brown (or 'isobel') colour. This may be tannin staining, as result of their particular affinity for bathing by rubbing their bodies against wet leaves and other plant matter. Male and female birds have identical plumage. 
Size
23 cm
Life Expectancy
22.6-30 years
Feeding Habits
Black-headed Parrot has a varied diet, consuming seeds, pulps, flowers, and leaves from multiple plant species. They exhibit foraging behavior, utilizing unique adaptations to access a range of foods, with a preference for certain seeds and pulps.
Habitat
Black-headed Parrot typically inhabits lowland humid tropical regions, thriving in both terra firme forests, which are not susceptible to flood, and seasonally flooded várzea forests. These birds are also found in second-growth woodlands and clearings, indicating a certain level of adaptability to disturbed habitats. Geographically, black-headed Parrot can be found throughout the wider Amazon Basin, with some populations venturing into areas at elevations up to 1000 meters, particularly in the western part of their range.
Dite type
Frugivorous
