• Found only in
South Africa. Regarded as Endangered.
• Virtually the
whole lifestyle of these birds is centred on yellowwood trees.
Their preferred feeding, roosting and nesting sites are in forests
dominated by these trees.
• In South Africa
suitable forest patches are found in the Eastern Cape and southern
KwaZulu-Natal with a few scattered yellowwood forest patches in Limpopo
Province. • Must not be
confused with the Grey-headed Parrot, (Poicephalus
fuscicollis suahelicus) which
looks very similar to the Cape Parrot, but is found in the Northern
Province, Mocambique and Zimbabwe and is now regarded as a separate
species from the Cape Parrot.
• A mature Cape
Parrot stands 30cm high and can weigh up to 350g. Like all parrots it
has a robust beak that is used to crack open nuts and seeds. The
favoured seed is that of the yellowwood tree and their availability
greatly influences seasonal movements of these birds. They also feed on
other forest trees especially the Natal plum and White stinkwood. If
the indigenous food source is in short supply, the parrots are
sometimes forced to feed outside forests and will raid fruit orchards
or pecan nut trees.
• Nest in cavities
usually in dead yellowwood trees. They usually lay three eggs of which
one to two chicks survive the first year.
• Use mature
yellowwood trees, which usually project out of the forest canopy, as
roosting sites and vantage points. They are active and inquisitive
birds that are often seen flying around and above forest patches in the
early morning or late afternoon.
• Characteristic
loud squawk is usually heard when the birds are in flight and contact
calls between roosting birds may also be heard.
How to Conserve Cape Parrots
There are about 1000 Cape Parrots in
the wild (for more current data on Cape Parrot numbers click here), mostly in the Eastern Cape and about 250 in KwaZulu-Natal.
Recording the decline of an animal population is pointless unless that
information is used to assess how that decline can be stopped. In
search of food, the parrots fly substantial distances between forest
patches. So to conserve the parrots we need to recognise this and
maintain a network of suitable forests. Within these forests we need to
enhance the food and breeding possibilities for parrots.
How you can Help?
So what can you do as a private
individual?
1. Preserve existing
forest patches and provide food sources
Education of land-owners and the
general public as to the importance of indigenous forests is essential.
To do so requires that these forests become more user-friendly to the
public. This could be done with a network of forest trails, which could
include aerial walkways. The planting of food trees at the forest edge
and erection of nest boxes will also help.
2. Help prevent
illegal trade
Prevention of removal of live birds
from the wild is essential. Capture from the wild is illegal. Effective
law enforcement relies on rapid information transfer and those people
who live within the range of the parrot, or keep captive birds, must
remain on alert to any signs of capture and trade of Cape Parrots. In the Eastern Cape report to: Jaap
Pienaar, Head of Special Investigations at the Eastern Cape Nature
Conservation: 046 6228262/082 6923760. In Kwa-Zulu Natal, report to
Sharron Hughes, Permit Officer, Kwa-Zulu Natal Wildlife: 033 8451324.
Or to the Cape Parrot Working Group: Colleen Downs 033
2605127/082 9202026.
3. Take part in the
count
Without observers this count would
not be possible. The information obtained during the count makes a
valuable contribution to knowledge of Cape Parrots. It is hoped that,
as in previous years, participants will volunteer for the 2007 Cape
Parrot Big Birding Day to be held on the afternoon of Saturday 5 May
and the morning of Sunday 6 May 2007.
The Cape Parrot Working Group
This is a working group that was
initiated by Prof Perrin, University of KwaZulu-Natal,
Pietermaritzburg Campus. The Cape Parrot Research group at the
University of KwaZulu-Natal is part of the Cape Parrot Working Group
and undertakes research and investigations on the status of the
threatened Cape Parrot. One of the important activities is the
annual Cape Parrot Big Birding Day (CPBBD), undertaken largely by a
team of volunteers, which has been held for the tenth consecutive year
in May 2007. Counts are held throughout the range of this parrot.
Contact person
Overall Co-ordinator of CPBBD, Prof Colleen
Downs, School of Biological and
Conservation Sciences, University of KZN, PMB Campus, Tel.
033-2605127/04, Email: Downs@ukzn.ac.za All donations for Cape Parrot
Research go to the University of KwaZulu-Natal, c/o Prof CT Downs
