Pygmy parrots are the smallest members of the parrot order. The six species of pygmy parrots are all in the genus Micropsitta, which is the only genus in the Micropsittini tribe.Joseph L., Alicia Toon, Erin E. Schirtzinger, Timothy F. Wright, Richard Schodde, A revised nomenclature and classification for family-group taxa of parrots (Psittaciformes) (PDF) , in Zootaxa, vol. 3205, 2012, pp. 26–40.
Pygmy parrots are native to the forests of New Guinea and nearby islands. They are tiny Aves, fast-moving, and mostly green with bright highlights. A pygmy parrot spends a good deal of time climbing through foliage, using its large feet and beak, and stiffened tail . At a little over long, the buff-faced pygmy parrot is the smallest parrot species.
Pygmy parrots are also among the few species in the order (other examples include Pyrilia and Nannopsittaca species) that have never been successfully kept, let alone bred, in captivity. All attempts to do so have resulted in the quick deaths of the little birds. Stress and dietary deficiencies are probably to blame.Arndt, T. (1997). Lexicon of Parrots. Arndt Verlag. Pygmy parrots are among the few birds that feed on fungus and , which play a major role in their diet.Juniper, T., & M. Parr (1998). A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, East Sussex. Their precise dietary needs are poorly understood.
The pygmy parrots consist of six species and several subspecies:
Genus: Micropsitta Lesson 1831 (pygmy parrots)
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