Poicehalus gulielmi..................................................................By Gideon Scheepers

Description

Jardine Parrots are from Africa; they are stocky, short tailed parrots, mainly green, with feathers edged with black. The head is sparsely covered with orange feathers. In my experience the hens tend to have more orange and red in the head than males. They have large beaks; white area of bare skin around the eye and the iris is brown to reddish brown. The crown inner thighs, shoulders and inner edge of the wing are rich orange. They are 28 cm.

There are three subspecies namely the Lesser Jardine (most colourful), the Black Wing Jardine (larger with almost black wings and bluish sheen on the undersides) and then the Greater Jardine (largest and least colourful).

Range and Habitat

They are found in central Africa, Cameroon, and Northern Angola Tanzania and Kenya. They are mostly forest dwellers. They are usually seen in small isolated groups and pair off in breeding season with one nest to a tree. Breeding in the wild occurs just about all year round peaking in September to January. They will nest in old tree hollows, which are quite small. They lay on average 3 eggs.

 

Breeding in Aviculture

Jardines are great breeders, they just need a clean, dry aviary, good food and peace and quiet. I breed them in nestboxes 30 cm square and 40 cm - 50 cm deep. They lay on average 3-4 eggs in Aviculture and feed the chicks very well. The incubation period is 26 days and chicks fledging at10-12 weeks. The mother hardly every leaves the nest while chicks are tiny. The first traceable recorded breeding seems to be in Britain in 1978 by John and Pat Stoodely.

Pet Quality

We have found them to make wonderful pets, and great mimics. Some have a real talent as talkers and actually put words to actions. They are medium sized parrots and are quiet birds so people in apartments should not get any complaints.

 

 

 

 

Data

· Clutch size..................3-4 eggs
· Incubation period..............26 days
· Fledging period..............10-12 weeks
· Ring size...............9 mm internal diameter ring
· Adult length..............28 cm
· Adult weight.............about 190-220g.