(_Pæocephalus senegalus_)
Although the name Senegal parrot, or rather _perroquet de Sénégal_, has
been applied to several distinct members of the parrot tribe, it is
now by general consent restricted to the gorgeously coloured species
forming the subject of the accompanying illustration. In addition to
this name, it has also the titles of orange-bellied long-winged parrot
and black-headed parrot, the first of which is the more distinctive,
although the second is preferable on account of its conciseness.
The black-headed parrot is a native of Senegambia and some of the
countries of the West Coast properly so called, although the exact
limits of its distributional area, which probably extend a considerable
way into the heart of the continent, are still imperfectly known.
This parrot has been a well-known bird in Europe from very early days,
as it was mentioned by Aloysius Cada Mosto so long ago as 1445, and was
again referred to by the naturalist Brisson in the year 1760. Large
numbers of these parrots are at times imported into Europe, especially
to Havre and likewise to Liverpool. At the last-named port immense
consignments used to be received now and then, but as these were for
the most part young birds a very large proportion died soon after their
arrival, especially when purchased singly and separated from their
companions. Such young birds used to be sold at prices ranging upwards
from five or six shillings; but tamed individuals are worth from twenty
to thirty shillings each, while the few specimens that learn to talk
fetch much higher prices.
If caught sufficiently young, these parrots make admirable cage-birds,
as they are strikingly handsome, and fairly hardy. Occasionally they
will lay in captivity, if provided with a suitable nesting-place.
Sometimes they become very tame, although they are always nervous and
excitable birds, uttering when alarmed a curious grating sound, and
when thoroughly terrified giving vent to a shrill, whistling scream
of fear. As a talker, the black-headed species bears, however, no
comparison to the common grey parrot; and it has even been stated
that the former is totally unable to learn to speak, although this is
an error. The adult cock, which is rather larger and handsomer than
his partner, has the head, cheek, and the upper portion of the throat
brownish or blackish grey; the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts are
glossy grass-green, while the wing-quills are olive greenish brown, the
wing-coverts green with brown middles, and the shoulders, together with
the lesser under wing-coverts, yellow. Those portions of the upper
surface not already mentioned, together with the throat and the upper
part of the breast and the whole of the tail-feathers, are bright
grass-green. The remainder of the under surface is yellow, passing into
bright orange-red on the middle of the breast and abdomen, the yellow
likewise embracing the under tail-coverts. The beak is dark horny grey
passing into blackish brown, with the soft “cere” at its base, like the
patch of bare skin round each eye, blackish; while the feet are dark
brown. Bright colour reappears in the iris of the eye, which varies
from sulphur-yellow to dark brown, probably according to age.
[Illustration]
In the hen the head is light brownish grey, the under surface uniformly
yellow without any tinge of orange, while the under tail-coverts are
yellowish green instead of yellow. In size the female may be compared
with a small jackdaw.
As is the case with many other members of its tribe, very little is
known with regard to Senegal parrots in a state of nature. They are
stated, however, to associate in small parties of about half a dozen,
and to take up their quarters, whenever possible, in the tops of the
huge monkey-bread trees, where they reveal their presence by uttering
piercing screams at the approach of an intruder on their domains. In
taking wing, and also when settling after a flight, they are stated
to be somewhat awkward, but when once started they fly as straight
and as swift as arrows. Details are wanting with regard to their
nesting-habits; but, when the young are strong enough to fly, the whole
party takes to wandering about, and then frequently do much damage to
the banana, rice, maize, and other crops. In captivity, at any rate,
the males perform a kind of love-dance at the commencement of the
breeding-season.
The Senegal parrot is the typical representative of a genus, with
rather more than a dozen species, confined to Africa south of the
Sahara. That genus belongs to a subfamily (_Pioninæ_), of which the
more typical representatives, such as _Pionus_ and _Chrysotis_ (Amazon
parrots), are South American.