LC
Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2019 Least Concern
2018 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency medium
Land-mass type Average mass 140 g
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 1,710,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size unknown - - -
Population trend decreasing - inferred -
Generation length 10 years - - -

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is considered locally common in the East Transvaal, common in Malawi but only common in parts of Kenya (Collar and Boesman 2019).

Trend justification:

The species is tentatively assessed as being in decline due to habitat loss per Tracewski et al. (2016). Particularly in Mozambique, the species has been targeted for the cagebird trade and has been massively declining there since the 1990s (S. Taylor in litt. 2016).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Eswatini extant native yes
Kenya extant native yes
Malawi extant native yes
Mozambique extant native yes
South Africa extant native yes
Tanzania extant native yes
Zimbabwe extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Eswatini Hlane and Mlawula Game Reserves
Kenya Arabuko-Sokoke Forest
Kenya Dakatcha Woodland
Kenya Marenji Forest
Kenya Shimba Hills
Malawi Lengwe National Park
Malawi Liwonde National Park
Mozambique Maputo Special Reserve
South Africa Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park
South Africa iSimangaliso Wetland Park
South Africa Ithala Game Reserve
South Africa Kruger National Park and adjacent areas
South Africa Ndumo Game Reserve
Tanzania Bagamoyo District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Handeni District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Jozani Forest
Tanzania Kilwa District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Kisarawe District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Lindi District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Muheza District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Pande Game Reserve and Dondwe Coastal Forests
Tanzania Pangani District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Rufiji District Coastal Forests
Tanzania Selous Game Reserve
Tanzania Udzungwa Mountains
Zimbabwe Limpopo - Mwenezi flood-plain and pans
Zimbabwe Save - Runde junction

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Forest Subtropical/Tropical Dry major resident
Savanna Dry major resident
Altitude 0 - 1200 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Intentional use: (large scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Logging & wood harvesting - Intentional use: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Brown-headed Parrot Poicephalus cryptoxanthus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/brown-headed-parrot-poicephalus-cryptoxanthus on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.