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NEWSLETTERS Volume 1, 2004
Pesquet's Parrot
By Amanda Whitaker
Native to remote mountain areas of New Guinea , little is
known about the wild habits of the threatened
Pesquet’s Parrot. This is a
medium sized bird with an elongated
head that gives it a vulture like
appearance. The bare head and long
beak are probably an adaptation to
keep the soft fruits that it feeds upon
from collecting on its feathers. The
diet is believed to consist mainly of
several species of figs. Pesquet’s are
mostly black, with parts of the
wings and belly a bright red. The
striking feathers on the Pesquet’s
Parrot are ultimately its downfall.
The native peoples of New Guinea
regularly hunt these parrots for
their feathers being the third most
common traded item behind pigs
and money. The feathers are used
for elaborate headdresses that are
worn during ceremonies and parties.
The contrasting red and black
feathers are thought to symbolize
good and evil and man and woman.
The feathers are often used as ornamentation
in wedding ceremonies.
To curb some of the hunting of the
Pesquet’s Parrot, the St Augustine
Alligator Farm and the few other
AZA zoos that hold Pesquet’s are
joining together to send feathers
back to New Guinea. By collecting
naturally shed feathers, we hope to
save at least a few of these rapidly
disappearing birds.
In this issue...
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