Blue-rumped Parrot Psittinus cyanurus Scientific name definitions

Blue-rumped Parrot is a large short-tailed parrot. In both sexes, the mantle, upper back, and primary coverts are indigo-black, the lower back to uppertail coverts are bright blue, the rest of wing is green with yellow-edged feathers, the underparts are grayish olive with a yellow pectoral tuft, shading ventrally to yellowish green. The flanks and underwing coverts are red and the tail is greenish yellow The underside of the remiges, primary coverts, and rectrices are blackish with red underwing coverts and axillaris.

Male has grayish blue head, blackish mantle, purple back, dark blue median coverts, dark red lesser coverts, and blue tail coverts. Inner vanes of primaries are black.

Female has brown head, dark green upperparts, and yellowish green underparts. Inner vanes of primaries are brown.

Juvenile is dull yellowish green in the head, the feather tips brown with yellow fringes, especially on the face. Duller green wing coverts have bright yellow edges.

No similar species in its range.

This species is unique in its range.

Blue-rumped Parrot has 10 full-length primaries (numbered distally, from innermost p1 to outermost p10), 10 secondaries (numbered proximally, from innermost s1 to outermost s7 and including 3 tertials, numbered t1 to t3 distally), and 12 rectrices (numbered distally on each side of the tail, from innermost r1 to outermost r6, on each side of the tail). Geographic variation in plumage is slight (see Systematics). The following plumage descriptions are based on those of the widespread nominate subspecies in Foreshaw (1 Forshaw, J. M. (1989). Parrots of the world. 3rd ed. Melbourne, Australia: Lansdowne Editions. Close , 2 Forshaw, J.M. (2006). Parrots of the World: an Identification Guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Close , 3 Forshaw, J. M. (2010). Parrots of the World. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ), Collar (4 Collar, N. J. (1997). Family Psittacidae (parrots). In Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4. Sandgrouse to Cuckoos (J. Del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, Editors). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 280–477. Close ), and Juniper and Parr (5 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), along with examination of Macaulay Library images. See Molts for molt and plumage terminology. Sexes are similar in Juvenile Plumage, differ slightly in Formative Plumage, and differ more substantially in Definitive Basic Plumage (bill color is also very useful for sexing; see Bare Parts); definitive appearance is assumed at the Second Basic Plumage.

Natal Down

Occurs in the nest cavity. No information for Blue-rumped Parrot.

Juvenile (First Basic) Plumage

Juvenile is dull yellowish green in the head, the feather tips brown with yellow fringes, especially on the face. Duller green wing coverts have bright yellow edges. Primaries and rectrices are narrower and more tapered at the tips than basic feathers. Male and female appear similar in plumage but can be sexed by bill color (see Bare Parts).

Formative Plumage

Both sexes have a grayish head, though that of female averages duller. Otherwise Formative Plumage is like Definitive Basic Plumage in each sex but can be identified by retained juvenile wing and tail feathers. Some proximal upperwing lesser coverts can be replaced, brighter green, contrasting with duller juvenile distal and greater coverts. Retained juvenile primaries and secondaries are narrower and more tapered at the tips, and are relatively worn and brownish as compared with basic feathers. Retained juvenile rectrices are narrower than basic rectrices, more worn, and duller green or yellowish. Primaries and secondaries lack molt clines shown by definitive basic birds (see below and 6 Pyle, P. (2013). Evolutionary implications of synapomorphic wing-molt sequences among falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots (Psittaciformes). Condor 115(3):593–602. Close , 7 Pyle, P. (2022). Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I, Second Edition. Slate Creek Press, Forest Knolls, CA, USA. Close ). Iris color gradually lightens during the first year, to paler brownish or grayish.

Female

Formative females have duller and browner heads and dark brown bills (see Bare Parts).

Male

Formative males have brighter and grayer heads, dull orange-brown lower bills (see Bare Parts).

Definitive Basic Plumage

In both sexes, the mantle, upper back, and primary coverts are indigo-black, the lower back to uppertail coverts are bright blue, the rest of wing is green with yellow-edged feathers, the underparts are grayish olive with a yellow pectoral tuft, shading ventrally to yellowish green. The flanks and underwing coverts are red and the tail is greenish yellow. The underside of the remiges, primary coverts, and rectrices are blackish with red underwing coverts and axillaris.

From above, the primaries and secondaries are broader and more squared than juvenile feathers, and rectrices are also broader than in juvenile feathers. Primaries and secondaries show molt clines, with middle primaries (p6 or p5) more worn and gradually freshening in both directions to p1 and p10, and the middle secondary (s5) most worn and showing gradually freshening outward (toward s1) and inward toward the tertials (see Molts and 6 Pyle, P. (2013). Evolutionary implications of synapomorphic wing-molt sequences among falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots (Psittaciformes). Condor 115(3):593–602. Close , 7 Pyle, P. (2022). Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I, Second Edition. Slate Creek Press, Forest Knolls, CA, USA. Close ).

Female

Female has a brown head, dark green upperparts, and yellowish green underparts. Inner vanes of primaries are brown.

Male

Male has a grayish blue head, blackish mantle, purple back, dark blue median coverts, dark red lesser coverts, and blue tail coverts. Inner vanes of primaries are black.

Molt and plumage terminology follows Humphrey and Parkes (8 Humphrey, P. S., and K. C. Parkes (1959). An approach to the study of molts and plumages. Auk 76(1):1–31. Close ) as modified by Howell et al. (9 Howell, S. N. G., C. Corben, P. Pyle, and D. I. Rogers (2003). The first basic problem: a review of molt and plumage homologies. Condor 105:635–653. Close ). Under this nomenclature, terminology is based on evolution of molts along ancestral lineages of birds from ecdysis (molts) of reptiles, rather than on molts relative to breeding season, location, or time of the year, the latter generally referred to as “life-cycle” molt terminology (10 Jenni, L., and R. Winkler (2020). Moult and Ageing of European Passerines. Second edition. Bloomsbury, London, UK. Close ; see also 11 Pyle, P. (2022). Defining moults in migratory birds: a sequence-based approach. Journal of Avian Biology 2022(5):e02958. Close ,7 Pyle, P. (2022). Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I, Second Edition. Slate Creek Press, Forest Knolls, CA, USA. Close ). As in most or all Psittacids, Blue-rumped Parrot appears to show a Complex Basic Molt Strategy, with a partial preformative molt and complete prebasic molts but no prealternate molts.

Prejuvenile Molt

The Prejuvenile Molt occurs in the nest cavity. There is no information on timing of development.

Preformative Molt

The Preformative Molt appears to be partial, including the body feathering and some proximal upperwing secondary coverts but no primary coverts, remiges, or rectrices. This is a common molt extent in parrots and parakeets (7 Pyle, P. (2022). Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I, Second Edition. Slate Creek Press, Forest Knolls, CA, USA. Close ).

Definitive Prebasic Molt

Definitive prebasic molt appears to be complete; no evidence for incomplete molts, as found in some larger parrots (6 Pyle, P. (2013). Evolutionary implications of synapomorphic wing-molt sequences among falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots (Psittaciformes). Condor 115(3):593–602. Close ), is known.

Primaries and secondaries are replaced from nodes at p5-p6 and at s5, followed by bidirectional replacement from these nodes within each tract (6 Pyle, P. (2013). Evolutionary implications of synapomorphic wing-molt sequences among falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots (Psittaciformes). Condor 115(3):593–602. Close ). Initiation of primary molt varies between p5 and p6 in parrots, including within species, suggesting that the node's position may be fluid within a defined area along the alar tract (6 Pyle, P. (2013). Evolutionary implications of synapomorphic wing-molt sequences among falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots (Psittaciformes). Condor 115(3):593–602. Close ); it is unknown which specific primary or primaries can be nodal in Blue-rumped Parrot. This replacement pattern is unique to parrots and falcons and may indicate an ancestral molting pattern evolved before parrots and falcons diverged. The strategy may have developed in order to replace all remiges more quickly in these species, which rely heavily on flight ability, without incurring large gaps in the wings (6 Pyle, P. (2013). Evolutionary implications of synapomorphic wing-molt sequences among falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots (Psittaciformes). Condor 115(3):593–602. Close ). Sequence of rectrix replacement poorly known, but they are generally replaced distally from the central rectrices (r1) on each side of the tail, with some variation probable; e.g., the outer rectrices (r6) may molt before central rectrices (r3-r5) as occurs in other birds (4 Collar, N. J. (1997). Family Psittacidae (parrots). In Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4. Sandgrouse to Cuckoos (J. Del Hoyo, A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, Editors). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. pp. 280–477. Close ).

Bill

In adults, bill color is dark brown to blackish in females, and is strikingly orange on the upper mandible and dark on the lower mandible in males. In nestlings and young juveniles it is mostly yellowish but rather quickly gains the sex-specific colors of adults, the upper mandible becoming dusky in females and duller orange-yellow to yellow in males. First-year birds are reliably sexed by these bill-color patterns.

Iris and Facial Skin

The iris is gray. In Juveniles it is darkest gray iris; during the first year both sexes start to gain a whiter gray iris which gets paler as the birds age. The orbital rings are gray.

Tarsi and Toes

Legs and feet are pale gray with dark gray claws.

Linear Measurements

Length

180-195 mm.

Wings

120-123 mm in females, and 120-131 mm in males (12 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

Mass

No data.

Blue-rumped Parrot is often treated as conspecific with Simeulue Parrot (Psittinus abbotti) (e.g., 13 Peters, J. L. (1937). Check-list of Birds of the World. Volume 3. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, USA. Close , 14 Dickinson, E. C., and J. V. Remsen, Editors (2013). The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Fourth edition. Volume 1. Aves Press, Eastbourne, UK. Close , 15 Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood (2022). The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Close ), but recognized as a distinct species here on the basis of morphological and plumage differences. In their assessment of the taxa, del Hoyo and Collar (16 del Hoyo, J., and N. J. Collar (2014). HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ), using the Tobias et al. (17 Tobias, J. A., N. Seddon, C. N. Spottiswoode, J. D. Pilgrim, L. D. C. Fishpool, and N. J. Collar (2010). Quantitative criteria for species delimitation. Ibis 152(4):724–746. Close ) criteria from which the numbers in brackets are derived, found that Simeulue Parrot differed from Blue-rumped Parrot in its stronger green underparts (ns[1]); larger size (both sexes) [effect size versus subspecies pontius of Blue-rumped Parrot, 2.62 for wing, 2.85 for tail, score 2]; lack of gray mantle and back [3]; lack of powder-blue rump [3]; green versus brown hood in female [3]; and strong blue crown and hood with sharp blackish hindcollar (ns[1]). In addition to these differences, Eaton et al. (18 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2016). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ) noted possible vocal differences as well, but further research is needed to fully document the scope of the differences.

Blue-rumped Parrot is likely closely related to Simeulue Parrot (Psittinus abbotti), with which it was formerly considered conspecific. However, Simeulue Parrot has not been included in any molecular phylogenetic studies. In a comprehensive phylogeny of parrots that included Blue-rumped Parrot, it was found to be sister to the genus Psittacula (20 Provost, K. L., L. Joseph, and B. T. Smith (2018). Resolving a phylogenetic hypothesis for parrots: implications from systematics to conservation. Emu 118(1):7–21. Close ).

Extreme southern Myanmar and southern Thailand south through Peninsular Malaysia and Riau and Lingga Archipelagos to Sumatra, Bangka, and Borneo, and Mentawai Islands, off western Sumatra.

Extralimital Records

Record from China in May 2005 presumably an escapee (21 Liu Yang, Wei Qian, Dong Lu and Lei Jin-Yu (2013). [On an update of recent new bird records in China]. Chinese J. Zool. 48(5): 750–758. In Chinese with English summary. Close ).

Apparently also in Mainland Southeast Asia in 19th century.

Plains-level primary and logged rainforest, forest edge, and clearings, oil-palm, rubber (22 Mann, C. F. (2008). The Birds of Borneo: An Annotated Checklist. B.O.U. Checklist 23. British Ornithologists’ Union, and British Ornithologists’ Club, Peterborough. Close ), and coconut plantations, exceptionally mangroves, generally up to 700 m (observed once at 1300 m in Peninsular Malaysia) (12 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Observed mainly in dry forest areas and kerangas, Kalimantan.

Long-distance, possibly nomadic dispersal suspected: birds may have very large home ranges or else follow seed-flushes opportunistically; evidence of seasonal aggregations in Kalimantan, and apparently only an irregular summer visitor to southern Myanmar.

Poorly documented. Mesocarp of oil-palm fruits extracted individually from the bunch, fruits of Macaranga rhizinoides and seeds of Parkia speciosa; also fruits of <em>Averrhoa carambola</em> . Usually forages at canopy level.

Flight call  is a shrill, sharp chittering, two- or three-noted “chi, chi, chi,” “whee-chi-chi” or “chew-ee,” also some musical whistling notes, usually given while perched.

Degree of Sociality

Observed in flocks of up to 20, more usually in groups smaller than ten individuals (12 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

Nest inspection recorded late November and February, with eggs in May; May–September in Borneo (22 Mann, C. F. (2008). The Birds of Borneo: An Annotated Checklist. B.O.U. Checklist 23. British Ornithologists’ Union, and British Ornithologists’ Club, Peterborough. Close ).

Nest in a small natural hole 30 m or more in live forest tree, including Shorea.

Clutch three white eggs, size 23.1–26.5 mm × 20.3–21.3 mm (12 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Currently considered Near Threatened. Global population thought to be > 100,000 individuals, but declining. Restricted to lowland forest in Greater Sundas, but ability to exploit oil-palms suggests it is relatively secure. Common in primary habitat, becoming uncommon in disturbed forest and plantations; estimated to be increasing locally in parts of Borneo (23 Johns, A. G. (1996). Bird population persistence in Sabahan logging concessions. Biological Conservation 75(1):3–10. Close ). Known from a number of protected areas across its range, e.g., Similajau National Park, Sarawak (24 Duckworth, J. W., R. J. Wilkinson, R. J. Tizard, R. N. Kelsh, S. A. Irvin, M. I. Evans, and T. D. Orrell (1996). Bird records from Similajau National Park, Sarawak. Forktail 12:159–196. Close ), and Ulu Segama Forest Reserve, Sabah (23 Johns, A. G. (1996). Bird population persistence in Sabahan logging concessions. Biological Conservation 75(1):3–10. Close ). Widespread in Kalimantan and Brunei, considered scarce by some and not uncommon by others; huge concentrations in March recorded in one area. Now sparse in southern Thailand doubtless owing to deforestation. Overall forest cover loss in 2000–2010 estimated at 23.7% for Sumatra, 12% for Borneo and 8.2% for Peninsular Malaysia; on Sumatra, it has been estimated that c.36% of primary forest cover in 1990 was lost by 2010 (including degraded primary forest). However, its use of forest fragments, logged forest, second growth, other modified habitats and habitats at higher elevations implies that the species should not be in rapid decline. As many as 3180 entered trade in 1990, almost all out of Malaysia, with no indication of effects on overall population levels.

Chuenchom Hansasuta received a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Chulalongkorn University. During her long and distinguished career in dentistry, she studied and practiced in places such as Thammasat University (Thailand), State University of New York at Buffalo (USA), and University of Connecticut Health Center (USA) and retired in 2020. Chuenchom always had an intense curiosity for birds that over time, evolved into an acute interest in plumages. She has long been active in education and volunteering, becoming chairwoman of The Flyway Foundation and actively engaging and educating the public in the study of birds and their plumages.