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Senegal Parrot


Senegal Parrot
Photo Information
Copyright: Thijs van Balen jr (Pentaxfriend) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 478 W: 23 N: 1574] (6347)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-21
Categories: Birds
Camera: Pentax *ist DL, Tamron 28mm-300mm, Digital ISO 200, 62mm B+W Skylight KR1,5
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/125 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-12-09 11:48
Viewed: 1285
Points: 12
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note [Dutch]
The dutch notes are in German

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Tribe: Psittacini
Genus: Poicephalus
Species: P. senegalus
Binomial name: Poicephalus senegalus (Linnaeus, 1766)

The Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalus) is a parrot which is a resident breeder in west Africa. It undergoes local movements, driven mainly by the availability of the fruit and blossoms which make up its diet. It is considered a farm pest, often feeding on crops.

The Senegal Parrot is a bird of open woodland and savannah. It nests in holes in trees, often Oil Palms, laying 2-3 white eggs. The eggs are about 3cm long x 2.5cm wide. It is a gregarious species, continuously chattering with a range of whistling and squawking calls. Senegal Parrots live an average of approximately 25-30 years in the wild, but have been known to live for 50 years in captivity.

The Senegal Parrot is about 23 cm long, plump-looking, and weighs about 125 to 170 gm. Males are generally larger and heavier then female birds. Adults have a charcoal grey head, yellow eyes, green back and throat, and yellow underparts and rump. The yellow and green areas on a Senegal Parrot's front form a V-shape and resemble a yellow vest worn over green. Immature birds are duller, with a lighter grey head and grey eyes. Senegals are not sexually dimorphic, but there are some hypotheses on how to tell the genders apart; it is thought that a female's beak and head are smaller and narrower than the male's and also, the V-shape of the vest is usually longer in females, so that the green area extends down over the chest to between the legs whereas in males it ends midway down the chest.

There are three generally recognized subspecies. They do not differ in behaviour, but only in the color of the "vest". In the pet trade, the nominate subspecies is the most common though all three are raised and sold as pets.

Poicephalus senegalus senegalus (the nominate subspecies): The vest is yellow. Its native range includes southern Mauritania, southern Mali to Guinea and the Island of Los.
P. s. mesotypus: This subspecies has an orange vest. It comes from eastern and northeastern Nigeria and Cameroon into southwest Chad.
P. s. versteri: The vest of this subspecies is red. Its native range is the Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana east to western Nigeria.
dew77, uleko, coasties, taba, pvb has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2006-12-09 12:45]

Hello Thijs,
Very nice capture.I liked dark mood,vivid colors,clear details,eye contact and composition a lot.
TFS...:-)

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3005 W: 162 N: 1005] (2941)
  • [2006-12-09 12:46]

Hello Thijs,
I'm not too keen on birds in captivity but I must comment on this because your capture is really excellent, very sharp and the colours are brilliant against the dark background.
It would be good if you stated where you've taken the picture.
TFS, Ulla

Hi Thijs

Although this shot is a little dark, I thing it suits the subject. You have made good eye contact and the plumage colours show nicely. TFS.

Hello Thijs,
This is another beautiful and colorful bird. I like this POV and details that you caught in a very good composition. The dark BG suits this bird very well with this good use of flash. Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 376 W: 16 N: 495] (1861)
  • [2006-12-10 7:56]

Hi Thijs,
Zo te zien is deze papagaai even de beentjes aan het strekken. Kleuren komen prachtig uit bij de donkere achtergrond. Goede focus en scherpte,
gr. paula

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2233 W: 188 N: 1929] (8127)
  • [2006-12-10 9:41]

Hello Thijs,
what a colorful bird you captured here. I like the POV. The dark BG show of the colors and details very well. Very nice sharpness and very well composed.
Sky

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