Paradise parrot
Paradise parrot | |
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Live individual photographed by the entrance to its nest, Burnett River, Queensland, 1922 | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittaculidae |
Genus: | Psephotellus |
Species: | †P. pulcherrimus
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Binomial name | |
†Psephotellus pulcherrimus (Gould, 1845)
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Synonyms | |
Psephotus pulcherrimus |
The paradise parrot (Psephotellus pulcherrimus) was a colourful medium-sized
Description
The plumage was extraordinarily colourful, even by parrot standards, a mixture of turquoise, aqua, scarlet, black and brown. The tail was almost the same length as the body, unusual for a bird that, although a rapid flyer, spent almost all of its time on the ground.
Taxonomy
The description of the species was first published by
Gilbert's diary records his first encounter with the parrot at the Condamine River, where he also obtained specimens. He later met the species at the Comet River to the north, while journeying with the second expedition led by Leichhardt, and made his last recorded sighting in June 1845 at Mitchell River, shortly before he was killed.[3]
The species is allied to genus
Ecology
The species was observed in pairs or small family groups, making their nests in hollowed-out
The reasons for the sudden decline of the paradise parrot remain speculative. Possibilities include
A collection of these eggs was made at
When comparing the genetic diversity of the Paradise Parrot to genomes of endangered birds, you find that the Paradise Parrot is more genetically diverse than those currently listed as endangered. Research has shown that population size of the Paradise Parrot has dramatically changed with temperature since the last glacial cycle.[5]
A series of searches turned up a few more individuals over the next decade, but the last confirmed sighting was on 14 September 1927.[citation needed]
The Atlas of Australian birds (
Gallery
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video of rotating bird skin specimen. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, acquisition of 1862
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video of bird skeleton video. Naturalis, acquisition of 1890
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Two individuals by a nest, 1922
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Nest, 1922
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"Ant hillock, showing nest of the beautiful parrakeet, from a photo byD. Le Souef"[8]
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Specimen at the Australian Museum
References
- . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
- ^ ISSN 0007-1595.
- ^ Mathews, G. (1913). "New generic names, with some notes on others". Austral Avian Record; A Scientific Journal Devoted Primarily to the Study of the Australian Avifauna. 2: 57.
- ^ hdl:10072/387076.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-522-84285-2.
- ^ .
- ^ .
- Glimpses of Paradise: The Quest for the Beautiful Parakeet, Penny Olsen ISBN 978-0-642-27652-0, Canberra: National Library of Australia, 2007