Red-bellied Parrot: Breeding Feeding Advice

Red-bellied Parrot: Poicephalus rufiventris

Red-Bellies occur in a large area in the Horn of Africa. They are found in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia, and northern Kenya. They prefer low-lying thorny scrublands, particularly where Baobab trees are present; reminiscent of our own bushveld in the northern Limpopo province.

They usually make their nests high in the baobabs, as the wood of these trees is relatively soft and easy to hollow out. In the wild their diet consists of Acacia and other seeds, as well as wild fruits, especially wild figs. Red-Bellies can also cause problems for grain farmers when they descend on the corn, wheat, and sorghum fields.

Red-bellied Parrot Sub-species

Other than the nominated species, Poicephalus r. rufiventris, there is also subspecies, P. r. pallidus, which is just a bit duller than the nominate species. Many ornithologists question the validity of this subspecies. In light of this uncertainty, I think we should only recognise the main species.

Red-bellied Parrot

Description

The adult male and female differ dramatically from each other. The male has a bright orange-red breast and belly, while the female is a more sedate grey-brown. The differences are less marked in the chicks. Both sexes have orange breast and belly sections, although the colouring is less intense than in the adult male. The juvenile male is slightly more brightly coloured than the juvenile female and also has an orange band above the eyes. Young birds also have black eyes, while the adults have bright red eyes.

In our aviaries

These parrots were practically unknown in captivity before the 1980’s when they were imported in large quantities. The first specimens were sold by dealers at very high prices, but because they have become more widely available the prices have dropped. I recall that many of the males did not survive in captivity, which led to a shortage of male birds.

The importation of Red-Bellied parrots stopped almost as quickly as it started. At the moment there are reasonably large quantities of these parrots in South African collections. More attention should be given to breeding these parrots as they are highly sought after in Europe and we believe that exportation will soon pick up.

Ringsize for Red-Bellies is Code F (17mm).

The birds from initial imports that survived began breeding after a couple of years. Although willing enough to breed, they did not breed like cockatiels. There are normally only one or two chicks from every clutch of three to four eggs, but the parents are more than willing to try and breed a second or third time. Breeding season in South Africa is normally from July to October, but I have had chicks right through the year.

Red-bellied Parrot chick
Red-bellied Parrot chick – Courtesy: Loro Parque Fundación

The nest boxes used for Ringnecks are perfect for Red-Bellies, 200mm X 200mm and 500mm deep with an entrance hole of 75mm and a layer of nesting material about 75mm thick in the bottom. I have found that captive-bred birds only began breeding after four or sometimes five years, but there are good breeding pairs that will produce for years.

Red-Bellies do not require very large cages and are not very noisy. Hanging cages 900mm X 900mm and 2.5 to 3m deep work very well. We must also remember that a cage can never be too big.

Feeding Red-bellied Parrot

Feeding Red-Bellies is also not a problem. Regular seed mixes containing millet, canary, canola, niger, and linseed, supplemented with a soft food mix with added chopped vegetables and fruit, works very well. My Red-Bellies also greatly enjoy a sprouted seed mixture of sunflower, oats, and barley.

By: Louis Bothma

We have a wide range of bird products available on Boegie Store.

AviculturistLouis Bothma
Honorary Member of PVSA. https://pvsa.co.za/about/

Expertises: Aviculture

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Author

Louis Bothma

Honorary Member of PVSA. https://pvsa.co.za/about/

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