Hawk-headed Parrot
Deroptyus accipitrinus
- Habitat: tropical, coastal and savannah forests
- Range: Amazon Basin, Northern Brazil, Southeastern Colombia, and Northeastern Peru
- Natural Diet: fruit. seeds, nuts, leaf buds
- Status in the Wild: Common
Fun Facts
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Hawk-headed parrots get their name from their hawk-like appearance, created when they flare up their head feathers on their napes.
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These parrots have brilliant blue and red feathers on their nape
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As with most parrots, they have strong, curved beaks that aid them when climbing and to crack open the hard outer shells of seeds and thick skinned fruits.
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They have unique feet that are zygodactyl (two toes facing forward and two facing back). Their digits have sharp, elongated claws, which are used for climbing and swinging.
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They are highly territorial building their nests in tree hollows. Females usually lay two to three eggs
Conservation Threats
Habitat loss has a detrimental influence on their numbers in the wild