Brown-headed Parrot

Taxobox
name = Brown-headed Parrot
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1


image_width = 200px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Psittaciformes
familia = Psittacidae
tribus = Psittacini
genus = "Poicephalus"
species = "P. cryptoxanthus"
binomial = "Poicephalus cryptoxanthus"
binomial_authority = (Peters, 1854)The Brown-headed Parrot ("Poicephalus cryptoxanthus") is a mostly green African parrot with a greyish-brown head and yellow under its wings. The adult birds have yellow eyes and juvenile birds have brown eyes.

The yellow under its wings explains its name "cryptoxanthus", which means "hidden yellow";from Greek "xanthos" or ξανθος means "yellow", and "crypto", from the Greek "kryptos", is an English prefix that means "hidden" or "secret".

Taxonomy

Up to three subspecies are sometimes recognised:
*"Poicephalus c. cryptoxanthus" — e South Africa to s Mozambique
*"Poicephalus c. tanganyikae" — Mozambique to Kenya
*"Poicephalus c. zanzibaricus" — Zanzibar and Pemba islandsThe differences are however slight and White (1965) considers the species monotypic.Fact|date=July 2008

Aviculture

The Brown-headed Parrot are popular in aviculture. They have a very sweet temperament and tend to be a quieter bird. All parrots make some noise, but they tend to be quiet enough to make a good apartment bird.Fact|date=July 2008

References

*Guide to the Senegal Parrot and its family. By M.S. Allan & D. Deter. Barron's. ISBN 0-7641-0332-6