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The Caique
The caiques are species of parrots in the genus Pionites. They are relatively small and stocky, with a short, square tail. Due to their very bright, pure colours they are considered among the most beautiful parrot species
Caique
in the aviculture business.
Their typical weight is 150–170 grams. They can live up to 40 years. They are endemic in the Amazon Basin in South America, with the black-headed north of the Amazon River, and the white-bellied south. They are listed on Appendix 2 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as a species of least concern. They generally prefer forested areas and subsist on fruits and seeds.
Caiques are generally canopy dwellers, spending most of their time in the tops of trees, foraging and playing. Caique wing feathers produce a distinctive whirring sound in flight. They are highly vocal.
Originally Pionites had two species, the Black-headed Parrot and White-bellied Parrot. However recent morphological work has indicated that the White-bellied Parrot should be split into three species based on plumage and leg coloration. In the past these parrots were often allied with South American parakeets, recent mitochondrial and nuclear DNA work has found Pionites being the sister taxon to the Deroptyus (the genus that contains the Red-fan parrot); the two genera occupy a basal position in the tribe Arini.
These parrots are found in the edges of forests and secondary-growth forests. They usually forage on at higher levels in the canopy, although can also be found lower at forest edges. At least two members of the flock acted as sentries during feeding time. Their diet consists of flowers, fruit, pulp, and seeds, although in captivity they are known to eat insects.
Depending on the species and the location, they can breed from October to May at various times of the year. Caiques are high-nesting cavity birds and roost communally. The number of the flock is usually around 10 to 30 individuals.
The species of the White-bellied parrot complex is found in humid forest and wooded habitats in the Amazon south of the Amazon River in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. It is generally fairly common throughout its range and is easily seen in a wide range of protected areas.
The Black-headed parrot is found in forests (especially, but not exclusively, humid) and nearby wooded habitats in the Amazon north of the Amazon River and west of the Ucayali River in Brazil, northern Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It is generally fairly common and occurs in many protected areas throughout its range.
Caiques are growing in popularity in aviculture. The more commonly found species is the black-headed caique since it was introduced first in captivity, but the white-bellied caique’s popularity is growing rapidly.
Well-raised caiques bond well with humans and have a reputation as playful and energetic birds that enjoy playing with toys and lying on their backs, as shown in the photo on the right. These birds sometimes perform a behaviour unusual for avian species in which they roll over on their backs in apparent play – sometimes called “wrestling”. They are not particularly good flyers, becoming tired and winded after only a short distance. They also tend to be clumsy and slow in the air compared to other birds. They often prefer to walk, jump, climb, or hop as a mode of transportation. They are excellent climbers, with very strong feet and legs.
Caiques also exhibit a unique behaviour known as “surfing”, where the bird will vigorously rub its face, wings and chest against any nearby soft item (e.g. carpets, towels, cushions, crumpled paper, curtains or human hair) while using its beak to pull itself along. During this, the bird will display jerky movements and may roll over several times. This behaviour is thought to be a cleaning or bathing motion and occurs regardless of age or sex. In the wild, caiques use wet leaves for this behaviour.
(Source: Wikipedia – The Free Online Encyclopedia)
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