Download - World Parrot Trust

Parrots
in the Wild
Meyer’s Parrot
Poicephalus meyeri
by LOUISE WARBURTON
Meyer’s or Brown Parrots are Africa’s most widely distributed parrot
species. They are found in six geographical variations, ranging
across Central Africa, south to the northern tip of South Africa. The
race found in Zambia is the Poicephalus meyeri transvaalensis.
Observations showed there to be considerable colour variation
between individuals, some having a yellow crown, others with very
little yellow at all.
The Meyer’s in the photograph were seen coming to drink in Katue
National Park, Zambia, in late September. The drinking flock
eventually numbered eight, and they were joined by Long-tailed
Starlings and Black-cheeked Lovebirds. In the Nanzhila region Meyer’s
parrots were commonly observed, usually in flocks of 4 or 6 birds
calling noisily as they flew between feeding trees or to water. They
were found across all the regional habitat types which covered
grassland plain, miombo, mopane and riparian vegetation and were
often observed feeding on the sausage fruit of the Kigella africana
tree, Combretum seeds and Julbernadia pods. Local people report
that flocks of over 40 Meyer’s visiting their maize fields at cropripening
is not uncommon. Little is known about their ecology in the
wild; it would certainly be very interesting to study the factors
behind this species’ success.
Listed as a CITES II species, Meyer’s Parrot is not considered to be
globally threatened, although numbers in northern South Africa and
parts of Zimbabwe have been considerably reduced by habitat
destruction.
Printed by Brewers of Helston Ltd. Tel: 01326 558000