Family Parrots (Psittacidae)
Least Concern
Blue-backed Parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus)
Taxonomy
French: Perruche de Müller German: Everettpapagei Spanish: Loro de Müller
Other common names:
Azure-rumped Parrot
Taxonomy:
Psittacus Sumatranus
Raffles
, 1822,Butung
.
Subspecies and Distribution
T. s. duponti
Parkes, 1971 – Luzon (N Philippines).
T. s. freeri
McGregor, 1910 – Polillo (off E Luzon).
T. s. everetti
Tweeddale, 1877 – Panay, Negros, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao (CE & SE Philippines).
T. s. burbidgii
Sharpe, 1879 – Sulu Is (Sibutu, Bongao, Sanga-Sanga, Tawitawi, Basbas, Loran, Jolo), in SW Philippines.
T. s. sangirensis
A. B. Meyer & Wiglesworth, 1894 – Talaud Is (Karakelong, Salebabu, Kaburuang) and Sangihe Is.
T. s. sumatranus
(Raffles, 1822) – Sulawesi and adjacent small islands (Manterawu, Manadotua, Talisei, Bangka, Lembeh), Togian Is, Banggai Is (Peleng, Banggai), Sula Is (Taliabu, Seho, Mangole, Sanana), Tobea, Muna and Butung.
Descriptive notes
32 cm; 173–334 g. Large bill red; head bright green, becoming more yellowish on mantle and underparts, and darker on wings and tail; lower back and rump rich blue;... read more
Voice
Quite vocal, and calls regularly at night. Most calls involve repeated loud nasal squawks or... read more
Habitat
Lowland and lower montane forest, edges of forest and woodlots in cleared land, peat and freshwater... read more
Food and feeding
Often found in Leptospermum and Ficus trees, so their fruits presumably taken. Attacks and can cause serious damage to... read more
Breeding
Apr on Samar (CE Philippines); otherwise known from Oct–Nov. One nest recorded in hollow of tree 30 m above ground, with two young;... read more
Movements
No information.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. CITES II. Common on Sulawesi, and in 1971 very common on the larger islands of the Sulu Archipelago. In 1978 it was found in smaller numbers than... read more
Proposed race mulleri is synonym of nominate, and indeed species formerly listed as T. mulleri; birds of Banggai have been awarded race incognitus, based on supposedly different iris colour, but data are from unreliable specimen labels. Form described as T. heterurus (Rufous-tailed/Salvadori’s Parrot) based on an aberrant specimen of present species#R. Race sangirensis sometimes included within nominate. Six subspecies recognized.