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Mindanao Racquet-tailed Parrot

( Prioniturus waterstradti )

Also known as:
Mindanao Montane Racquet-tail

Also known as:
Mindanao Montane Racquet-tail

Geography:

DID YOU KNOW?

It takes two to three moults before the “racquets” or spatules appear on the tail of each individual in this group of parrots.

<p><em>Prioniturus</em></p>
Genus:

Prioniturus

<p><em>waterstradti</em></p>
Species:

waterstradti

Size:

30 cm (11.7 in)

Weight:

120-160 g (4.2-5.6 oz)

Subspecies including nominate:

two: P.w. waterstradti, P.w. malindangensis

Colour Adult:

P.w. waterstradti: Both adults-pale blue forehead to lores and beneath eyes; upperparts washed with brown; low back green/brown; belly olive/green; middle tail feathers green, “racquets” black, side tail feathers green tipped with black.  Beak blue/grey. Eye dark brown.
P.w. malindangensis: Both adults-blue on forehead and beneath eye paler; less brown on back.

Colour Juvenile:

As in female but without spatules.

Call:

Loud and shrill; when startled gives harsh kak kak ak ak ak notes.

Xeno-cano Wildlife Sounds-Mindanao Racquet-tailed Parrot

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

CITES
BirdLife International
Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Birds of the World
Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998
Parrots: Status Survey and Conservation Plan 2000-2004, Snyder, McGowan, Gilardi and Grajal, 2000.
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006. 2010 edition

Captive Status:

Not found in captivity.

Longevity:

Housing:

Diet:

Enrichment:

Nest Box Size:

Clutch Size:

Not recorded.

Fledging Age:

Hatch Weight:

Peak Weight:

Weaning Weight:

World Population:

Estimated at 5000 individuals, declining.

IUCN Red List Status:
Near Threatened

CITES Listing:
Appendix II

Threat Summary:

Not globally threatened. A BirdLife “restricted-range” species. Was abundant in the first half of the 1900s but had become local and uncommon by the early 1990s. However, in Mt Katanglad National Park it remains fairly common on Mts Imbayao, Nangkabulos and Dulang-dulang. Is affected by forest loss and possibly trapping for wild bird trade.

Range:

P.w. waterstradti: Found at Mounts Apo, Matutum, and Mayo, southern Mindanao.
P.w. malindangensis: Found at Mounts Kitanglad and Malindang, and mountains of Misamis Oriental, west-central Mindanao.

Habitat:

Found in humid mountain forest between 850-2000 m (2788-6560 ft).

Wild Diet:

Not recorded.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Little known but assumed to be similar to that of other Racquet-tailed species; occurs in flocks of up to 10 individuals, birds mostly spotted in flight above forest canopy, noisy in flight.

Clutch and Egg Size:

Not recorded.

Breeding Season:

Not recorded.

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