The Cebu hanging parrot (Loriculus philippensis chrysonotus) is a subspecies of the Philippine hanging parrot found only on the island of Cebu, Philippines. This subspecies was generally believed to be extinct[1][2] until an expedition led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Cebu) claimed to have seen and captured a tiny bird in thick foliage in the remote part of central Cebu.[3] The bird has a distinctive scarlet tail with faint patches of red on its head. Females lack the red throat and breast patch, as opposed to males. The nape and upper back are green-tinged and only lightly golden-yellow. They have a high-pitched, whistle-like sound. The bird measures 14 cm (5.5 in) long with a wingspan of 18 cm (7 in).

Cebu hanging parrot
Illustration by J. G. Keulemans
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Genus: Loriculus
Species:
Subspecies:
L. p. chrysonotus
Trinomial name
Loriculus philippensis chrysonotus
Sclater, 1872

References

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  1. ^ Forshaw, Joseph M.; Cooper, William T. (1981) [1973, 1978]. Parrots of the World (corrected second ed.). David & Charles, Newton Abbot, London. p. 324. ISBN 0-7153-7698-5.
  2. ^ Fuller, Errol (1988). Extinct birds. New York: Facts on File. p. 132. ISBN 0-8160-1833-2. LCCN 87009073.
  3. ^ Magsalay, P.M. (July 1993). "Rediscovery of four Cebu endemic birds (Philippines)". Asian International Journal of Life Sciences. 2 (2): 141–148. ISSN 0117-3375.