African Wildlife & Environment Issue 82

BIRDING

Brown-headed Parrot feeding on Sycamore figs

Brown-headed and Meyer’s Parrots are known to attack ripening maize, millet, grain and sorghum crops in large numbers, while Meyer’s Parrots also like feeding in orange orchards. Breeding All three parrots nest in suitable tree cavities, often in the old nesting hole of a woodpecker or barbet, some 3 to 10 m above the ground. The parrots widen the original entrance hole, normally to 50 to 55mm but can be up to120mm. The

breeding cavity is normally 400 to 900mm deep, and eggs are laid on the floor of decaying wood chips. Nests are used for roosting in as well.

Meyers Parrots in flight (Photograph: Grant Atkinson)

Cavities are re-used for many years; one record for the Brown-headed Parrot being 20 years using the same breeding site. The eggs are white and there are usually three to five in a clutch.The female incubates the eggs. Meyer’s Parrots lay 3-4 eggs at 1 to 3 day intervals, from March to April with a 29 to 31day

Meyer’s parrot showing yellow shoulder patches in flight (Photograph: Grant Atkinson)

47 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 82 (2022)