Family:
Psittacidae
By: Erin Moloney
Psittacidae Phylogeny
Cacatuinae (cockatoos,
galahs, and cockatiels)
Psittacidae (parrots, parakeets,
macaws, lovebirds, and budgerigars)
Psittrichadinae (psequet’s parrot)
Loriculus (hanging parrots)
Micropsittinae (Australian pygmy parrots)
Loriinae (lories and lorikeets)
Nestorinae (kaka and kea)
Strigopinae (kakapo)
Distribution
approximately 330 extant species and 15 extinct
 primarily restricted to the southern hemisphere
 habitat: tropical and subtropical

Identification
relatively short
neck
brightly colored
large robust bill
psittacofulvins: unique
color pigment in parrots
prehensile tongue
zygodactyl feet
Size Range
Hyacinth Macaw
(Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)
length: 100cm
 weight 1.5 to 2kg
 native to South America (Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay)

Pygmy Parrots
(genus: Micropsitta)
length: 8cm
 weight: 65g
 native to New Guinea
 6 species

Natural History

relatively long life span
– lorikeets – 20+ years
– macaws – 70+ years

mainly herbivorous
– seeds, fruits, nuts, nectar,
etc.
– occasionally will consume
grubs and insect larvae
– consume clay – neutralizes
acidity in food

predators – hawks, eagles,
falcons, snakes, mustelids,
cats, etc.
Behavior

Social
– flocks of up to thousands
– bright colors help group
cohesion
– visual and auditory
communication
eclectus chick

Breeding
– monogamous - usually for
life
– cavity nesters
– female incubates eggs
while male brings food
– altricial chicks
– biparental care
cockatoo chicks
Intelligence

Intelligence and
emotional state of a 3-5
year old child
– communication capability
of a 2-3 year old child

capable of
–
–
–
–
–
–
mimicry
communication
intelligent play
tool making
counting
differentiation
Alex and Irene Pepperberg






Irene – wanted to
understand how birds’
minds worked
purchased Alex in 1972 –
Chicago pet store
learned over 100 words
could count to 7
would ask for things –
food, walks, etc.
could differentiate and describe shape,
color, size, and number of objects
Alex intelligence video
North American Parrots
Carolina Parakeet
(Conuropsis carolinensis)



native distribution: eastern United States
habitat: deciduous forests and forest edges
extinct by 1920s
– habitat destruction
– agricultural pest
– over hunting for feathers
Thick-billed Parrot
(Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha)

distribution
– originally: southern Arizona and New Mexico to
Venezuela
– currently: Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains in
northern Mexico

habitat: high elevation coniferous forest
Thick-Billed Parrots

causes of decline
– habitat loss
– over hunting
– pet trade

conservation
– 1983: reintroduction in
southern Arizona
– organizations pay landowners
NOT to log forests (The Wetlands
Project and The Wildlife Preservation
Trust International)
Feral Parrots
released pets
 success due to…

– earlier sexual maturity
– no natural predators
– can have two chicks at a time

problematic pests
– threaten native species
– damage agriculture

populations
– London – rose necked parakeets (Psitacula krameri)
 1983: 500
 today: 10,000
– Florida – 2800+ monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus)
– Chicago – 150 monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus)
– Phoenix - ~2000 peach-faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis)
Feral Parrots – Monk Parakeets
Monk Parakeets
(Myiopsitta monachus)

popular pet during 1960s
– 1968-1972: over 64,000
parakeets were imported into the
US for the pet trade
1967: 35,000 feral parakeets
 1972: feral populations East
Coast through Mid-West and
California
 eradication programs: 4,000 to 5,000 parakeets removed
in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and California

Threats


1/3 of Neotropical parrots are
endangered

Habitat Destruction
– increasing human
populations
– deforestation
almost all parrot species listed
on CITES Appendix I or II
 logging
 ranching

Over harvesting
– hunted
 feathers
 crop destruction
– pet trade

Natural History
–
–
–
–
monogamous for life
slow maturity rate
one clutch / year
small clutch sizes
Pet Trade
parrots can be sold for
$200 to $10,000 each
 ~ 800,000 parrot chicks
are removed from the
wild each year
 75% mortality rate –
stress, disease, rough
handling, crushing,
dehydration, etc.



1998-2000: over 1 million
parrots traded worldwide
US imports declining
– 1990: 150,000
– today: 17,000

US-Mexico border
significant smuggling
point
Conservation
International Efforts

CITES
– 40 on Appendix I
– all other parrot species on
Appendixes II or III
– cockatiels and budgerigars
not regulated

IUCN Red Listed Species
United States Efforts

– 95 species listed

25 listed by the U.S.
Endangered Species Act
Wild Bird Conservation
Act – 1992
– prohibits import of wild
parrots
– except countries with
approved management and
conservation
References
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Allaby, M. “Psittacidae”. Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Oxford University Press.
Accessed 18 Mar. 2008. <http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Psittacidae.html>.
“Birds: Thick-billed Parrot”. Animal Bytes. 2008. San Diego Zoo. Accessed 19 Mar.
2008. <http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-thick-billed_parrot.html>.
“Carolina Parakeet”. All About Birds. 2007. Cornell Ornithology Lab. Accessed 18 Mar.
2008. <http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/conservation/extinctions/
carolina_parakeet>.
Ehrlich, D., Dobkins, D., and Wheye, D. “Feral Birds”. Birds of Stanford. 1988.
Standford University. Accessed 25 Mar. 2008. <http://www.stanford.edu/group/
stanfordbirds/text/essays/Feral_Birds.html>.
Owen, J. “Feral Parrot Population Soars in U.K., Study Says”. National Geographic
News. 8 July 2004. National Geographic Society. Accessed 22 Mar. 2008. <http://
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0708_040708_feralparrots.html>.
“Parrot Trade”. Wildlife Trade. 2008. World Wildlife Fund. Accessed 28 Mar. 2008.
<http://www.worldwildlife.org/trade/faqs_parrot.cfm>.
“Pet Trade Dangers: Poaching Major Threat to Parrots”. Science Daily. 31 May 2001.
Accessed 25 Mar. 2008. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05
/010529234701.htm>.
Roberson, D. “Parrots Psittacidae”. Bird Families of the World. 20 Feb. 2008. Creagrus
at Monterey Bay. Accessed 18 Mar. 2008.
<http://montereybay.com/creagrus/parrots.html>.
“Thick-billed Parrot”. 2002. National Audubon Society. Accessed 18 Mar. 2008.
<http://audubon2.org/watchlist/viewSpecies.jsp?id=204>.
HUMMINGBIRDS
CLASSIFICATION


Hummingbirds are in
the order Apodiformes,
meaning “without feet”
The Order consist of 3
Families:
-Hemiprocmidae
(Tree swifts)
-Apodidae
(Swifts)
-Trochilidae
(Hummingbirds)
Trochilidae

325-340 species of
Hummingbirds
Geographic
Range
Hummingbirds are only
found in the New World
in the Neoarctic and
Neotropics.
Most species are found
in the tropical and
subtropical region
Anatomical Features
Hummingbirds have
characteristically small feet.
 Family includes the smallest
bird in the world- Bee
Hummingbird (Mellisuga

helenae )
Have taken flight to
extreme!
 Wingbeats range 70-80
beats per second in small
hummers, 10-15 beats for
giant hummers
 Long slender bill

Feeding habits
Hummingbirds are
nectivores and
insectivores
 Specialization has coevolved with certain
hummingbirds and
flowers
 Hummingbirds will
also feed on sap
during scarce times

Reproduction





Hummingbirds are
polygynous
Birds will breed during
peak season of nectar
Only females are
involved in parenting
Clutch size average
are 2 eggs
Atricial chicks
Response to
climate change
-Some species of
hummingbirds migrate while
others move toward higher
elevations in response to
seasonal changes
-Rufous hummingbird has been
documented to fly distances of
more than 5000 miles round
trip!
-Torpor is used in some
hummingbirds to save energy
during low temperature
conditions
Hummingbirds found in Az
Black- chinned
Hummingbird
Anna’s
Hummingbird
Costa’s
Hummingbird
Rufous
Hummingbird
Broad-tailed
Hummingbird