Congolese parrots (they are also Zhardin's parrots) are quite popular pets. They are distinguished by their beauty, learning abilities, as well as calm disposition. Description of the bird, recommendations for caring for it are presented in this article.
Description
Congolese parrot is not a very large bird. The length of his body is a little less than 30 centimeters, namely from 28 to 29 cm. Representatives of this species have a very beautiful color, in which green colors predominate. Because of this, they can be mistaken for Amazons. In reality, they have nothing to do with the Amazons. However, the back and wings of the bird are covered with dark brown or even black feathers. The forehead is most often orange-red, which is why the name of the red-headed Congolese parrot is also widespread.
The area above the beak is pale red, at the end so dark that it seems black. The beak is also painted black. Around the eyes are gray rings. The iris is often bright orange, it is characterized by the presence of a slightly reddish tint. Adult representatives of this species have orange-brown eyes. They are colored pure brown only in young individuals.
Behavior and character
The Congolese parrot is a bird with a calm and serene disposition. She does not require too much attention, she is not too annoying. In order for the parrot to feel comfortable, he needs to see his master. If the cage is equipped with various swings and other toys, then there will be almost no problems with birds of this species. At the same time, parrots of this species like to manipulate the owner, biting his hands. Therefore, you need to deal with the bird from the first days so that it does not feel like a master in the house.
However, a calm disposition is replaced by aggression when it comes to offspring. Since parrots protect the chicks, you must not disturb them during nesting. It is best to keep small children out of them, as they can anger birds with their curiosity.
If the parrots are delicately treated during their nesting period, they will not become hostile. In addition, it must be remembered that there are exceptions to all the rules, and individual individuals may be persistent and hectic.
Nutrition and Care
In the natural environment, the Congolese parrot mainly eats pine nuts, as well as oil palm fruits. However, when keeping birds at home, care must be taken to keep fresh twigs in the cage of the parrot. This is because birds really like to nibble something. They need to work with a beak, and in any case they will find where to do it. True, the owners may not like this.
The composition of their diet must include vegetable fat. Given that the birds are accustomed to oilseeds, there should not be a problem with the introduction of vegetable fat into the feed. Fruits and vegetables should be included in the daily diet of parrots. During the nesting period it is necessary to feed the birds with food containing animal proteins.
The basic rule of care for the Congolese parrot is to wash the bird regularly. The fact is that representatives of this species are considered real cleanlings, they get real pleasure while swimming. Of course, you can not put birds in the shower. For these purposes, a fine spray atomizer is best suited. So that parrots can swim at any time, it is better to install a small bath in the cage. By the way, they swim very funny.
Breeding
The Congolese parrot, whose reviews are most often positive, has only one drawback. The fact is that in captivity, these birds breed very, very rarely. If the female nevertheless brought posterity, then you are very lucky. On average, a bird lays 3-4 eggs, incubates them for 30 days. During this month, the male feeds the female, and after the small chicks appear, she takes care of them. Chicks live in the nest for 80 days, after which they go on an independent flight.
