Blue-crowned Racket-tail

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Blue-crowned Racket-tail
Juvenile
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Superfamily: Psittacoidea
Family: Psittaculidae
Subfamily: Psittaculinae
Tribe: Psittaculini
Genus: Prioniturus
Species: P. discurus
Binomial name
Prioniturus discurus
(Vieillot, 1818)

The Blue-crowned Racket-tail (Prioniturus discurus) is a parrot found on all the larger islands of the Philippines not starting with "P" (i.e., not Palawan or Panay). It is 27 cm, basically green with a blue crown, bluish undertail, whitish beak, and dark underwings with green coverts. The Blue-headed Racket-tail (P. platenae) was formerly included in this species.

Taxonomy

Illustration by John Gould

There are three or four subspecies:

  • P. d. discurus: Jolo, Mindanao, Olutanga, Basiilan, Guimara, Luzon.
  • P. d. whiteheadi: Negros, Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Masbate, Cebu. Less blue on crown.
  • P. d. nesophilus: Tablas, Sibuyan, Catanduanes. Still less blue. May be part of P.d. whiteheadi.
  • P. d. mindorensis: Mindoro. Green forehead, hindcrown shades to violet. (sometimes elevated to species status)

It inhabits humid forests, mangroves, and cultivated areas up to 1750m. Small flocks of 5-12, but more gather at fruit trees. Eats fruit, berries, nuts and seeds. Widespread but threatened by habitat destruction and trapping.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Prioniturus discurus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013. 

External links

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