Coxen's fig parrot (''Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni''), also known as the blue-browed, red-faced or southern fig parrot or lorilet, is one of the smallest and least known

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

parrot Parrots (Psittaciformes), also known as psittacines (), are birds with a strong curved beak, upright stance, and clawed feet. They are classified in four families that contain roughly 410 species in 101 genus (biology), genera, found mostly in ...

s. It is a highly endangered

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

of the

double-eyed fig parrot The double-eyed fig parrot (''Cyclopsitta diophthalma''), also known as the blue-faced fig parrot, red-faced fig parrot, dwarf fig parrot, and the two-eyed fig parrot, primarily inhabits forests on New Guinea and nearby islands, but is also found ...

. It was named by

John Gould John Gould (; 14 September 1804 – 3 February 1881) was an English ornithologist who published monographs on birds, illustrated by plates produced by his wife, Elizabeth Gould (illustrator), Elizabeth Gould, and several other artists, includ ...

after his brother-in-law Charles Coxen.

Description

Coxen's fig parrot is about 15–16 cm long, larger than the other subspecies of double-eyed fig parrot. Its very short tail gives it a top-heavy, big-headed appearance. It is predominantly bright yellowish-green in colour with a blue forehead surrounded by a few scattered red feathers, and with orange-red cheeks bordered below by a variable mauve-blue band. The female is similar in appearance to the male, though slightly duller in colouration. Its flight is rapid and direct, generally above the forest canopy. It can be distinguished from

little Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt * ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film *The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...

and

musk lorikeet The musk lorikeet (''Glossopsitta concinna'') is a lorikeet, now the only species in the genus ''Glossopsitta''. It inhabits south-central/eastern Australia. The little lorikeet and the purple-crowned lorikeet were previously included in the ge ...

s by its dumpier build, more rounded wings and seemingly tail-less silhouette. In flight its call is harsher and more staccato than that of the little lorikeet. However, because it is small, rare, green, silent when feeding and tends to stay high in the foliage of the forest canopy, it is very seldom seen.

Distribution and habitat

The subspecies is restricted to south-eastern

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

and north-eastern

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, and used to range from

Gympie Gympie ( ) is a city and a Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. Located in the Greater Sunshine Coast, Gympie is about north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River ( ...

and the

Blackall Range The Blackall Range is a mountain range in South East Queensland, Australia. The first European explorer in the area was Ludwig Leichhardt. It was named after Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland. The Blackall Range dominates the ...

, and possibly the Maryborough district, in the north, to the

Macleay River The Macleay River is a river that spans the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia. Course and features Formed by the confluence of the Gara River, Salisbury Waters and Bakers Creek, the Macleay River ...

in the south, and to the

Bunya Mountains The Bunya Mountains are a distinctive set of peaks forming an isolated section of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland. The mountain range forms the northern edge of the Darling Downs in the locality also called Bunya Mountains, Quee ...

and Koreelah Range in the west. There are also unconfirmed reports from outside its accepted former range. It inhabits lowland and foothill

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...

with

fig trees ''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending in ...

, occasionally visiting fruit trees in gardens and farmland.

Behaviour

Breeding

As with other subspecies of the double-eyed fig parrot, Coxen's fig parrot excavates its own nesting hollow in decaying wood of living or dead forest trees. Although signs of nest excavating have been found, no active nests have been recorded.

Feeding

Coxen's fig parrot feeds mainly on figs and other fleshy fruits. It has also been recorded feeding on the nectar of the

silky oak ''Grevillea robusta'', commonly known as the southern silky oak, silk oak or silky oak, silver oak or Australian silver oak, is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae. Despite its common names, it is unrelated to true oaks, whic ...

. Other subspecies are known to consume insect larvae as well.

Status and conservation

Coxen's fig parrot is listed as endangered by both the Queensland and New South Wales state governments as well as under the Commonwealth

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and cult ...

. The main cause of the decline in range and population is the clearing of lowland rainforests for agriculture and housing, as well as logging of rainforest trees. In 2000 it was estimated that there are no more than 100 mature individuals of the subspecies left, with the population severely fragmented and continuing to decline. The species survival is strongly linked to food availability and is impacted by

habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation describes the emergence of discontinuities (fragmentation) in an organism's preferred environment (habitat), causing population fragmentation and ecosystem decay. Causes of habitat fragmentation include geological proces ...

and isolation between patches, which makes the protection and rehabilitation of this habitat outside of current protected areas critical to its survival.Environment, D. of the, 2013c. Coxen’s Fig-parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni Recovery Plan 2001-2005 WW Document URL http://www.environment.gov.au/resource/coxens-fig-parrot-cyclopsitta-diophthalma-coxeni-recovery-plan-2001-2005 (accessed 4.16.14).

Notes

References

* Coxen's Fig-Parrot Recovery Team. (2001). Coxen's Fig Parrot (''Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni'') recovery plan 2001–2005. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service: Brisban

* Joseph Forshaw, Forshaw, Joseph M.; & Cooper, William T. (1981). ''Australian Parrots''. (2nd revised edition). Lansdowne Editions: Melbourne. * Garnett, Stephen T.; & Crowley, Gabriel M. (2000). ''The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000''. Environment Australia: Canberra.

* Irby, Florence M. (1930). Coxen's Fig Parrot. ''Emu'' 29: 276–277.

External links

Birds Australia: Coxen's Fig Parrot
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5179937 Cyclopsitta, Coxen's fig parrot Birds of Queensland Birds of New South Wales Endemic birds of Australia Coxen's fig parrot