Jardine's Parrot

The first red-fronted parrot to be scientifically identified was named Congo Jack. The parrot was brought back live from the Congo to the United Kingdom by Sir William Jardine's son on his return from a three-year cruise on . Congo Jack became tame and whistled and screamed, rather than talk. Sir William Jardine gave the species the binomial name Pionus Gulielmi after his son, William R.N. (Latin: Gulielmi means "William's"), and published the description in 1849. Three subspecies are now recognized: *Poicephalus gulielmi, (Jardine 1849) ** P. g. gulielmi, (Jardine 1849) – orange-red on forehead to forecrown, wings, and thighs. Endemic to the Congo River basin. This subspecies has also been introduced to the island of Puerto Rico. ** P. g. fantiensis, Neumann 1908 – the forecrown is orange and there is an orange-red or orange on the wings, slightly smaller. Distributed from Liberia to southern Ghana. ** P. g. massaicus, Fischer & Reichenow 1884 – similar to P. gulielmi except on the head the orange-red is less extensive occurring on the forehead above the beak. Endemic to the highlands (1800 to 3500m) of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania.

The red-fronted parrot nests in tree cavities. The eggs are white and there are usually three or four in a clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 27 days and the chicks leave the nest about 80 days after hatching.

They fly swiftly making noisy calls above the forest in pairs or small groups between their night-time roosts and feeding grounds. They feed quietly in the upper canopy of trees, where they are well camouflaged.

Usually called Jardine's parrots, the red-fronted parrot is becoming an increasingly popular pet, owing to increased availability and a growing following. They are particularly playful, intelligent, and affectionate. Some speak very clearly, and imitate other birds expertly. Their size, temperament, and voice makes them good candidates for apartment dwellers, though they can give a shrill call. Captive bred birds have an endearing nature, bonding well, usually imperceptibly or only slightly favouring one member of the family more than others. They are not as "needy" as some companion species and so long as they are occupied, can be left alone for longer periods without emotional stress (allowing the owners to work for example).

The wild red-fronted parrot population in Africa is difficult to estimate, because of its vast range. They are listed on appendix II of The Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), along with almost all other parrot species. This has made the trade, import and export of all wild caught parrots illegal.

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