| Pygmy parrot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| M. pusio | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittaculidae |
| Subfamily: | Psittaculinae |
| Genus: | Micropsitta Lesson, 1831 |
| Species | |
Micropsitta pusio | |
Pygmy parrots are the smallest members of theparrot order. The sixspecies of pygmy parrots are all in the genusMicropsitta, which is the only genus in theMicropsittinitribe.[1]
Pygmy parrots are native to the forests ofNew Guinea and nearby islands. They are tinybirds, fast-moving, and mostly green with bright highlights. A pygmy parrot spends a good deal of time climbing through foliage, using its large feet and beak, and stiffened tailfeathers. At a little over 8 cm (3.1 in) long, thebuff-faced pygmy parrot is the smallest parrot species.
Pygmy parrots are also among the few species in the order (other examples includePyrilia andNannopsittaca species) that have never been successfully kept, let alone bred, in captivity. All attempts to do so have resulted in the quick deaths of the little birds. Stress and dietary deficiencies are probably to blame.[2] Pygmy parrots are among the few birds that feed onfungi andlichens, which play a major role in their diet.[3] Their precise dietary needs are poorly understood.[citation needed]
Pygmy parrots are the smallest parrots and range is size from about 8 to 10 cm (3.1 to 3.9 in). They have long toes and long, curved claws. The shafts of their tail feathers are stiff and form projections at the end of the tail. The cere is prominent. The external appearance of the adult males and adult females differ to varying extents in different species. Juveniles are duller.[4]
The genus was defined by French naturalistRené-Primevère Lesson in 1831. The nameMicropsitta is derived from theGreekmikros meaning small andpsitta for parrot.[5]
The pygmy parrots consist of six species and several subspecies:[6]
Genus:MicropsittaLesson 1831 (pygmy parrots)
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-breasted pygmy parrot
| Micropsitta bruijnii (Salvadori, 1875) Five subspecies
| the Maluku Islands and Melanesia. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Finsch's pygmy parrot | Micropsitta finschii (Ramsay, EP, 1881) Five subspecies
| Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Bismarck Archipelago. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Geelvink pygmy parrot] | Micropsitta geelvinkiana (Schlegel, 1871) Two subspecies
| Biak and Numfoor islands in Western New Guinea | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Yellow-capped pygmy parrot
| Micropsitta keiensis (Salvadori, 1876) Three subspecies
| western New Guinea | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Meek's pygmy parrot | Micropsitta meeki Rothschild &Hartert, 1914 Two subspecies
| Papua New Guinea. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
| Buff-faced pygmy parrot | Micropsitta pusio (Sclater, PL, 1866) Four subspecies
| New Britain and New Guinea. | Size: Habitat: Diet: | LC |
