Africa Wild

"I wonder how many people even know that Cape parrots cling to existence in the few remaining patches of mist belt forest in South Africa. Centuries of logging of the old yellowwood trees on which they depend, disease and the caged bird industry are significant threats. And then along came climate change and Asian borer beetles ..."



AFRICA'S RAREST PARROT

by Team Africa Geographic



S outh Africa’s remaining Mistbelt forests make up less than 0.15% of the country’s total land area, and less than 5% of these forests are under formal protection. They are small and fragmented, increasingly divided by the steady and persistent advance of human progress. Small though they may be, these forests are biodiversity hotspots in South Africa, home to some of the country’s most unique and unusual plant and animal life. One such creature is the Cape parrot. It is South Africa’s only endemic parrot species, and there are believed to be fewer than 2,000 left.

Click on the title and you can continue to read the fascinating story and admire the gorgeous photos

Also read: Finding Africa’s rarest parrots – Cape parrots in Magoebaskloof

Saving the endangered Cape parrot’s natural habitat by planting one tree at a time


The Cape parrot national population numbers fewer than 2,000. (Photo: Rodnick Biljon)

By Jessica Leaver | 19 Dec 2023

Saving forests and planting new trees are critical to saving the endangered Cape parrot. Dr Jessica Leaver, landscape conservation manager at the Cape Parrot Project, writes that monitoring the Cape parrot habitat will guide sustainable forest management, protection and restoration measures.

Click on the title to read the whole article and to see the great photos.

They are found in Northern Kruger too!

Richprins wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 6:28 pm

They are found in Northern Kruger too!

No The Cape Parrot is found in the E Cape around King Willaimstown, Stutterheim, Hogsback and in Magoebaskloof But not in Kruger >. The quite similar to Cape Parrot in Northern Kruger is the Brown Necked Parrot (Old name = Grey Headed Parrot

Richprins wrote: ↑Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:18 am http://www.thekruger.com/knpbirds/poice ... bustus.htm

Hi Richard >> The Cape Parrot was a resident of the Far North of Kruger until about 1970 when it was separated from the easily seen different Bird the Grey Headed Parrot which was the 'Cape Parrot ' found and incorrectly IDed until it was correctly changed > I enclose 3 Pics of the Difference and Distribution from Sasol Bird Book 5th and latest edition showing the Distribution and Visual representation showing the difference. The Grey Headed is fairly common around Punda Maria and Pafuri when the Trees are Fruiting > The Cape Parrot of which there are no more than 1000 -1500 left in RSA are 95% represented around King Williamstown , Stutterheim and Hogsback and a TINY relic population found in Afromontane Forest of Magoebaskloof . The Cape Parrot is found in Afromontane Forest and in the presence of Yellow Wood Trees and the Grey Headed Kruger Parrot is found in the Lowveld with Boabab Trees . I first found out about the Correct naming around 1984 when I went to visit Bruce Bryden at his House a few Kms south of Shingwedzi when he was Section Ranger at Shingwedzi Section . On his Stoep was a tame Parrot walking around which he had found in the Veld a year earlier when he was visiting the Punda Ranger . I immedietely said ' Oh Wow a Cape Parrot ' to which I then got a lecture that there are no Cape Parrots in Kruger and his Parrot was the Local Far Northern Kruger Special the Grey Headed Parrot

Ok thanks, Peter!

Never knew that!