Birds · Psittaciformes · Psittacidae
Senegal Parrot
Poicephalus senegalus
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
The Senegal parrot is a small, compact parrot with a grey head, a green back and a yellow or orange belly depending on the subspecies. It is one of the most widespread African pet birds in the world and, in the wild, a common inhabitant of the wooded savannahs of West Africa. It nests in tree holes and feeds on seeds, shoots and fruit, including millet and sorghum crops.
Weight
120 g – 170 g
Size
22 cm – 25 cm
Lifespan
30 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
Fun facts
- GeneralA small parrot, very popular as a pet for its calm temperament.
- It is one of the most heavily exported African parrots in history: in the 1980s and 1990s alone hundreds of thousands of wild-caught birds were traded, before the European Union banned the import of wild birds in 2007.
- Its flight is fast and direct, with stiff, shallow wingbeats, very different from the undulating glide of other African parrots.
- It is notably quiet for a parrot, which has helped make it popular as a pet against noisier species.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Wooded savannah, open woodland and farmland of the Sudanian belt of West Africa
- Birth weight
- Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
- Size at birth
- Altricial: born blind, naked or with sparse down and entirely dependent
- Sexual maturity
- 3 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 27 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 3 eggs
Sources consulted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal_parrot
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round in the savannahs of West Africa, by day; it gathers in fruiting trees and in baobabs laden with fruit.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 11 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Senegal Parrot — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Helmeted Guineafowl
Numida meleagris
Violet Turaco
Musophaga violacea
Village Weaver
Ploceus cucullatus
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Psittacula krameri
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
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