Pesquet’s Parrot (Dracula Parrot)

Don’t fear the Dracula parrot. Though the sounds it makes late at night in its rainforest habitat can be hair-raising, the bird does not drink human blood or any sort of blood. Indeed, it is a frugivore that mostly craves certain types of figs. If figs aren’t available, it will settle for mangoes, other fruit, nectar, and flowers.

When we think of parrots, we usually imagine them as green, blue, red, and white; however, this type of parrot is a lot different from what you may envision. In fact, there are 393 different species of parrot, and all are very different, with the Dracula parrot being the most interestingly gothic parrot you will see today!

Four Amazing Facts About the Dracula Parrot

• The bare skin on its head avoids feathers being befouled by the sticky fruits it eats.
• Males can be identified from females by the red spot behind the eye. Females lack this.
• It’s only found in the mountain and hillside rainforests of New Guinea.
• The Dracula parrot is the only animal in its genus.

Where to Find the Dracula Parrot

Psittrichas fulgidus is only found in the rainforests of the hills and mountains of New Guinea, usually at elevations between 1,968 and 3,937 feet, though they’ve been found as low as 98 feet and as high as 6,562 feet. They roost high up in tall trees and prefer to hop from one limb to another instead of flying. Unfortunately, this makes them easier for predators to catch.

Nests

The parrot builds a nest inside the cavity of an old tree. Other than this, not a lot is known about the bird’s nesting habits.

Classification and Scientific Name

The Dracula parrot’s scientific name is Psittrichas fulgidus. Psittrichas comes from the Greek words for “parrot,” which is psittake, and “hair,” which is trikkos or thrix. This describes the bird’s feathers. Fulgidus is Latin for “glittering.” There are no subspecies of Psittrichas fulgidus. Not only this, Pesquet’s parrot is both the only member of its genus and the only member of its subfamily, Psittrichasinae.

Appearance

The appearance of this large parrot is striking. It is 18 inches long with a weight of between 21 and 28 ounces. Its feathers are mostly deep black, though there may be some gray on the chest. The belly, wing panels, and the coverts of the broad tail are brilliant red. The bird famously has a bald, black face and a long, curved beak that makes its head look disproportionately small for a parrot. Indeed, its head resembles the head of a vulture, which gives it its other name: vulture parrot.

Behavior

P. fulgidus lives high in the trees of its rainforest habitat. It can be solitary, found in pairs, or found in flocks of 20 individuals. Most parrots grab onto a branch with their beak when they want to change location. The Dracula parrot does call while flying, and the sound can be described as loud, rasping, and strangled. Mated pairs also call to each other with a more slurring sound. The parrot is seen flying slowly, with shallow beats of its wings. It also glides until it finds a perch.

Diet

Pesquet’s parrot is not vampiric. Its diet is made up mostly of figs. It has also been seen eating mangoes and the fruit and flowers of the climbing pandanus. Nectar and seeds are also part of the bird’s diet.

Predators and Threats

Though not much is known about the parrot’s natural predators, like other parrots, it is probably subject to predation by birds of prey, snakes, and bats, especially when it’s young. Fortunately, it is spared predation by monkeys, as New Guinea does not have monkeys. But the Dracula parrot’s most dangerous predator is the human, which hunts it for its feathers and destroys its habitat through logging.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

The Dracula parrot’s breeding season begins in February and lasts through April or May. The female builds a nest in a hollow tree and usually lays two eggs. She is the one who incubates the eggs, and the male feeds her as she does so. The eggs hatch after about a month, and the chicks, which are born helpless, are fed by both parents. They fledge after about 12 weeks. The lifespan of the bird ranges between 20 and 40 years in the wild.

Population

The population of Pesquet’s parrot is between 20,000 and 49,999 individuals, and the population is decreasing due to habitat loss and poaching for its black and scarlet feathers. According to the IUCN RedList, its conservation status is vulnerable.