Chapter 21 - BROTOGERYS PARRAKEETS

This is a genus of small green Parrakeets widely kept as pets. Their body is green with a small orange spot on the chin. Two of them are: TOVI or BEE BEE PARRAKEET (Bro-togerys j. jugularis). Habitat: Mexico to Colombia. Green with orange spot on chin. This is the best known. And the WHITE-WINGED PARRAKEET (Brotogerys v. versicolorus). Body green with a band of white and yellow on the wings.

DWARF PARROTS

These are Green Parrots smaller than the Amazons, and are from six to ten inches in length. The smaller species are green birds with bronzy shoulders. Some have patches of yellow on throat or forehead. The sexes are alike. They are not very good talkers, but do get used to a cage. Their feed­ing is the same as that given for large Parrakeets, rather than for the Amazon Parrots. Their habitat is from Mexico to Central America.

ECLECTUS PARROTS

The two sexes of this Parrot have remarkable coloration which exists only in this genus. The cocks are bright green with red side markings while the hens are red with blue side markings. For some time zoologists took them to be different species. Their sizes run from 11 to 13 inches. RED-SIDED ECLECTUS (Lorius r. pectoralis). Habitat: New Guinea and Papua. SOLOMON ECLECTUS or KING PARROT (Lorius roratus). Solomon Islands. Cock: Green body with outer wings and tail feathers blue. A red patch under the wings extends to the flanks. Upper bill and iris, orange. Feet and lower bill, black. Hen: head and throat, bright red. Back, wings and thighs, dark red. Underwing and a band running across upper back and abdomen, blue. Flight feathers blue. Tail, red with pale tips. There is a sub-species in the Solo­mon Islands (Lorius solomonensis).

The feeding of the above described Psittacine Birds is the same as that given for larger Parrakeets. Furnished the proper nesting arrangements, they are not difficult to breed Only one breeding pair should be in an enclosure. The nest box made of plywood boards or from a hollowed out log should be about 18-20 inches high, x 12 inches wide, x 12 inches deep. A hollowed-out wooden block should be on the bottom for the eggs. The entrance hole near the top 4 inches in diameter, with an 8 inch alighting perch fastened on the outside.

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