Order Psittaciformes Scientific name Psittacella brehmii Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Superfamily Psittacoidea Subfamily Psittacellinae | |
 | ||
Similar Tiger parrot, Painted tiger parrot, Modest tiger parrot, Blue‑collared parrot, Blue‑headed racket‑tail | ||
Brehm's tiger parrot, Psittacella brehmii, is also known as Brehm's ground parrot. It is a small mainly green parrot found in the highlands of New Guinea, from 1,500-2,600m (extremes 1,100-3,800m). The species is named after Alfred Brehm (1829–1884), a German traveller and collector.
Contents
Taxonomy
There are four subspecies occurring in three distinct populations:
In Brehm's central range the Painted Tiger parrot, P. picta, takes over above 2700m, but that species is not found in the Huon range, where Brehm's ranges higher. They are found singly or in small groups and feed on seeds and berries in the sub-canopy or near ground level.
Description
Brehm's tiger parrot is the largest species in the genus Psittacella and is about 24 cm (9.4 in) in length and weighs between 94 to 120 g (3.3–4.2 oz). It is mainly green with a dull olive-brown head, transverse yellow and black bars on the back and rump, and red undertail coverts. Its irises are red, and its beak is blueish-grey fading to white at the tip. Its legs are grey. The male has a yellow stripe on the sides of its neck and a green breast without barring. Females lack the yellow stripe on the neck and have a yellow and black striped breast. Juveniles resemble females, but have yellowish-brown irises and a more faded green and pale-yellow barring on the breast.