Lesser Vasa Parrot
Encyclopedia
The Lesser Vasa Parrot or Black Parrot Coracopsis nigra is a black coloured parrot native to Comoros
, Madagascar
, Mayotte
, and Seychelles
. It is one of two species of vasa parrot
s, the other being the Greater Vasa Parrot
C. vasa; although, the subspecies C. n. barklyi, of the Seychelles
, is sometimes split as a third species
, the Seychelles Black Parrot
.
The Lesser Vasa Parrot was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus
in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae
; it was given the name of Psittacus niger, meaning "black parrot". It was later transferred to the new genus Coracopsis in 1826.
Lesser Vasa Parrots inhabit the mangrove
swamps and evergreen
forests of Madagascar
and the Seychelles Islands. They eat seeds
, blossoms and fruit
- especially berries and mango
s.
They build their nest
s in tree hollow
s and go through courtship
in February. During this time, the female
may shed the feathers on her head giving it a yellow
ish tone. The male
's beak
may also turn white
during this time.
Coracopsis nigra sibilans and Coracopsis nigra barklyi are considered a single subspecies by some authors.
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, Mayotte
Mayotte
Mayotte is an overseas department and region of France consisting of a main island, Grande-Terre , a smaller island, Petite-Terre , and several islets around these two. The archipelago is located in the northern Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, namely between northwestern Madagascar and...
, and Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
. It is one of two species of vasa parrot
Vasa parrot
The vasa parrots are two species of parrot which are endemic to Madagascar and other islands in the western Indian Ocean.- Taxonomy :There are two species and several subspecies:Coracopsis, Wagler 1832...
s, the other being the Greater Vasa Parrot
Greater Vasa Parrot
The Greater Vasa Parrot Coracopsis vasa is one of two species of vasa parrot, the other being the Lesser Vasa Parrot C. nigra. The Greater vasa parrot can be found throughout Madagascar and the Comoros...
C. vasa; although, the subspecies C. n. barklyi, of the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
, is sometimes split as a third species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, the Seychelles Black Parrot
Seychelles Black Parrot
The Seychelles Black Parrot, Praslin Parrot or Kato Nwar is a sombre-coloured, medium-sized parrot endemic to the Seychelles. It is usually treated as a subspecies of the Lesser Vasa Parrot, though it is sometimes considered a full species...
.
The Lesser Vasa Parrot was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae
Systema Naturae
The book was one of the major works of the Swedish botanist, zoologist and physician Carolus Linnaeus. The first edition was published in 1735...
; it was given the name of Psittacus niger, meaning "black parrot". It was later transferred to the new genus Coracopsis in 1826.
Lesser Vasa Parrots inhabit the mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
swamps and evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
forests of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
and the Seychelles Islands. They eat seeds
SEEDS
SEEDS is a voluntary organisation registered under the Societies Act of India....
, blossoms and fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
- especially berries and mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
s.
They build their nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
s in tree hollow
Tree hollow
A tree hollow or tree hole is a semi-enclosed cavity which has naturally formed in the trunk or branch of a tree. These are predominantly found in old trees, whether living or not...
s and go through courtship
Courtship
Courtship is the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement and marriage, or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. In courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement...
in February. During this time, the female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
may shed the feathers on her head giving it a yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
ish tone. The male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
's beak
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
may also turn white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
during this time.
Taxonomy
There are three of four subspecies depending on classification systems:- Coracopsis nigra, (Linnaeus) 1758
- Coracopsis nigra libs, Bangs 1927
- Coracopsis nigra nigra, (Linnaeus) 1758
- Coracopsis nigra sibilans, Milne-Edwards & Oustalet 1885
- Coracopsis nigra barklyi, Newton 1867
Coracopsis nigra sibilans and Coracopsis nigra barklyi are considered a single subspecies by some authors.