Pygmy parrot
{{Short description|Genus of birds}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Pygmy parrot
| image = NasiternaPusioKeulemans.jpg
| image_caption = M. pusio
| taxon = Micropsitta
| authority = Lesson, 1831
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
}}
Pygmy parrots are the smallest members of the parrot order. The six species of pygmy parrots are all in the genus Micropsitta, which is the only genus in the Micropsittini tribe.Joseph L., Alicia Toon, Erin E. Schirtzinger, Timothy F. Wright, Richard Schodde, [http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/~twright/publications/Josephetal2012Zootaxa.pdf A revised nomenclature and classification for family-group taxa of parrots (Psittaciformes) (PDF)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211091044/http://biology-web.nmsu.edu/~twright/publications/Josephetal2012Zootaxa.pdf |date=2013-12-11 }}, in Zootaxa, vol. 3205, 2012, pp. 26–40.
Pygmy parrots are native to the forests of New Guinea and nearby islands. They are tiny birds, fast-moving, and mostly green with bright highlights. A pygmy parrot spends a good deal of time climbing through foliage, using its large feet and beak, and stiffened tail feathers. At a little over {{convert|8|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, the buff-faced pygmy parrot is the smallest parrot species.
Pygmy parrots are also among the few species in the order (other examples include Pyrilia and Nannopsittaca species) that have never been successfully kept, let alone bred, in captivity. All attempts to do so have resulted in the quick deaths of the little birds. Stress and dietary deficiencies are probably to blame.Arndt, T. (1997). Lexicon of Parrots. Arndt Verlag. {{ISBN|3-9805291-1-8}} Pygmy parrots are among the few birds that feed on fungi and lichens, which play a major role in their diet.Juniper, T., & M. Parr (1998). A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, East Sussex. {{ISBN|1-873403-40-2}} Their precise dietary needs are poorly understood.{{citation needed|date=June 2009}}
Description
Pygmy parrots are the smallest parrots and range is size from about {{convert|8|to|10|cm|in|abbr=on}}. They have long toes and long, curved claws. The shafts of their tail feathers are stiff and form projections at the end of the tail. The cere is prominent. The external appearance of the adult males and adult females differ to varying extents in different species. Juveniles are duller.{{cite book |first=Joseph M. |last=Forshaw |author-link=Joseph Forshaw |title=Parrots of the World; an Identification Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/parrotsofworldid0000fors |url-access=registration |others=Illustrated by Frank Knight |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=0-691-09251-6 |at=plates 24–25 |year=2006 }}
Taxonomy
The genus was defined by French naturalist René-Primevère Lesson in 1831. The name Micropsitta is derived from the Greek mikros meaning small and psitta for parrot.{{cite book | author = Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott | year = 1980 | title = A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition) | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = United Kingdom | isbn =0-19-910207-4}}
The pygmy parrots consist of six species and several subspecies:{{cite web | url =http://www.zoonomen.net/avtax/psit.html |title = Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Psittaciformes (Version 9.024) |date =2009-05-30|publisher = www.zoonomen.net }}
Genus: Micropsitta Lesson 1831 (pygmy parrots)
{{Species table |genus=Micropsitta |authority-name=Lesson|authority-year= 1831 |species-count=six|no-note=y|narrow-percent=75}}
{{Species table/row
|name=Red-breasted pygmy parrot |binomial=Micropsitta bruijnii
|image=File:Micropsitta bruijnii 3308704.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Salvadori |authority-year=1875 |authority-not-original=yes
|range=the Maluku Islands and Melanesia.
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Five subspecies |bullets=on
| M. b. bruijnii (Salvadori 1875)
| M. b. buruensis Arndt 1999
| M. b. necopinata Hartert 1925
| M. b. pileata Mayr 1940
| M. b. rosea Mayr 1940
}}
}}
{{Species table/row
|name=Finsch's pygmy parrot |binomial=Micropsitta finschii
|image=|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Ramsay, EP|authority-year= 1881 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Bismarck Archipelago.
|range-image=File:Finsch's Pygmy Parrot.png
|range-image-size=180px
|size=
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Five subspecies |bullets=on
| M. f. aolae (Ogilvie-Grant 1888)
| M. f. finschii (Ramsay, EP 1881)
| M. f. nanina (Tristram 1891)
| M. f. tristrami (Rothschild & Hartert 1902)
| M. f. viridifrons (Rothschild & Hartert 1899)
}}
}}
{{Species table/row
|name=Geelvink pygmy parrot] |binomial=Micropsitta geelvinkiana
|image=|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Schlegel|authority-year=1871 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= Biak and Numfoor islands in Western New Guinea
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Two subspecies |bullets=on
| M. g. geelvinkiana (Schlegel 1871)
| M. g. misoriensis (Salvadori 1876)
}}
}}
{{Species table/row
|name=Yellow-capped pygmy parrot |binomial=Micropsitta keiensis
|image=File:Micropsitta keiensis 315676556.jpg|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Salvadori|authority-year=1876 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= western New Guinea
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Three subspecies |bullets=on
| M. k. chloroxantha Oberholser 1917
| M. k. keiensis (Salvadori 1876)
| M. k. viridipectus (Rothschild 1911)
}}
}}
{{Species table/row
|name=Meek's pygmy parrot |binomial=Micropsitta meeki
|image=|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Rothschild & Hartert|authority-year=1914 |authority-not-original=
|range= Papua New Guinea.
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Two subspecies |bullets=on
| M. m. meeki Rothschild & Hartert 1914
| M. m. proxima Rothschild & Hartert 1924
}}
}}
{{Species table/row
|name=Buff-faced pygmy parrot |binomial=Micropsitta pusio
|image=|image-size=180px |image-alt=
|authority-name=Sclater, PL |authority-year=1866 |authority-not-original=yes
|range= New Britain and New Guinea.
|range-image=
|range-image-size=180px
|size=
|habitat=
|hunting=
|iucn-status= LC
|population=
|direction=
|subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Four subspecies |bullets=on
| M. p. beccarii (Salvadori 1876)
| M. p. harterti Mayr 1940
| M. p. pusio (Sclater, PL 1866)
| M. p. stresemanni Hartert 1926
}}
}}
{{Species table/end}}
References
{{Wikispecies|Micropsitta}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Psittacopasseres|Ps.|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q244282}}