# Pesquet's parrot (*Psittrichas fulgidus*) Pesquet's parrot, also known as the Dracula parrot, has a unique look with bright red and black feathers. These friendly birds love to eat fruits and are found in the lush forests of New Guinea. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Dracula Parrot ![Pesquet's parrot](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Psittrichas_fulgidus_-Miami_Zoo%252C_USA-8-2c.jpg&width=800) Photo: Psittrichas_fulgidus_-Miami_Zoo,_USA-8.jpg : bogniets derivative work: Snowmanradio ( talk ), CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Psittrichas_fulgidus_-Miami_Zoo%252C_USA-8-2c.jpg) ## Appearance The Pesquet's parrot is a large, striking bird with sooty black plumage and a bright red belly and underwing. Its unique featherless black head resembles a vulture, and males also have a distinctive red patch behind each eye. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Psittaciformes - **Family:** Psittacidae - **Genus:** Psittrichas ## Interesting facts - It's the only species in its genus, making this parrot truly one-of-a-kind! - Its calls are deep, growling screeches, very different from typical parrot chirps! - These parrots are found exclusively in the remote lowland rainforests of New Guinea. - Unlike many parrots, they mainly eat soft fruits, especially various types of figs. ## Special abilities - **Bald Head Advantage:** Pesquet's parrot has a bald, vulturine head which helps them stay clean while feasting on sticky rainforest fruits. - **Specialized Frugivore:** Pesquet's parrot can digest a diet almost solely of figs, allowing them to thrive where other parrots might struggle. - **Powerful Beak:** Pesquet's parrot has a strong, hooked beak that helps them tear into tough fruit husks to get at the soft pulp. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 46-50 cm - **Wingspan:** 65-75 cm - **Weight:** 0.68-0.8 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-40 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 27-31 days ## Diet & Feeding This parrot almost exclusively eats figs and other soft fruits, a true fruit specialist! - **Primary Foods:** Figs (Ficus spp.), Other soft fruits, Nectar, Flowers - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Common Red-stem Fig (*Ficus variegata*) — Relies heavily on its soft, ripe fruits for nourishment. - **Eats:** Septic Fig (*Ficus septica*) — Consumes the pulp and seeds of this widespread fig species. - **Eaten by:** Meyer's Goshawk (*Accipiter meyerianus*) — Can be prey for this powerful forest raptor. - **Eaten by:** [Green Tree Python](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-tree-python) (*Morelia viridis*) — Nests and young parrots may be targeted by arboreal snakes. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pesquet's parrot? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Pesquet's parrot? 46-50 cm ### What is Pesquet's parrot's wingspan? 65-75 cm ### How much does Pesquet's parrot weigh? 0.68-0.8 kg ### How long does Pesquet's parrot live? 20-40 years ### How fast can Pesquet's parrot move? 60 km/h ### What does Pesquet's parrot eat? This parrot almost exclusively eats figs and other soft fruits, a true fruit specialist! ### Where is Pesquet's parrot usually found? Forests ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Pesquet's parrot: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pesquets-parrot)