Poicephalus cryptoxanthus
The Brown Headed is another green bird with a brownish grey head (sounds sensible then to call it brown headed) similar to a Senegal but does not have the colored belly. It has yellow under the wings at the front which unfortunately can only be seen properly when in flight. The iris is a greyish yellow, not a bright yellow as the Senegal. This species is also split into 3 sub species known as:- Poicephalus cryptoxanthus cryptoxanthus: This is the nominate race
ranging from eastern Zululand to southern Mozambique.
- Poicephalus cryptoxanthus tanganyikae: Comes from the east coast
stretching from Kenya down through southern Mozambique
- Poicephalus cryptoxanthus zanzibaricus: This species is only found
on the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba
Habitat: To be found in moist woodland. Feeding on a variety of seeds,
nuts, berries and has been seen taking nectar.
Suitability as pets: Hand reared birds make ideal pets and seem to be
less liable to nip than the Senegal but obviously they are not as colorful. I
have personally found these birds to be a lot quieter than the other birds in
the Poicephalus group. So if the slightest noise is a problem maybe this is the
bird for you. I have not known of any Brown Headed that speak or imitate noises,
but I can see no reason why they should not.
Feeding: Again little information is available as to the type of foods
eaten in the wild. In captivity the diet is similar to that of the Senegal. but
with less millet and canary seed. I have also found that cooked chicken is not
favored by my Brown Headed. Opened Walnuts are liked very much, not only to eat
put also to play with and orange is their favorite fruit. and Pine nuts their
preferred seed. [In countries of the world where good pellet diets are
available, it is encouraged that a pellet mix constitute at least half, if not
more of the total diet.]
Breeding in captivity: It is commonly accepted like the Senegal that
these birds to not breed until they are about 3 to 4 years of age. But I have
personally bred From a hen that was exactly 18 months old to the week when she
laid her first egg of a clutch off two which were fertile and did hatch. The
Brown Headed like most of the Poicephalus species breeds in our winter months.
They lay normally 2 to 3 eggs. They lay with a two day interval between eggs
incubation is carried out by the hen and lasts for about 25 to 27 days dependent
on the ambient temperature. Commencement of the incubation is usually after the
2nd egg has been laid. The young leave the nest at approximately 8 weeks are
independent at about 11 to 12 weeks. The nest box size I can recommend is a bit
smaller than the Senegal at 12" high by 7" square again filled with a
wood shaving and peat mixture of four parts shavings to one part peat by volume.
Accommodation: Similar to the Senegal.
Sexing: Again the only reliable method is by surgical sexing or the DNA
testing. Visual sexing can be attempted, the cock bird usually has a larger
flatter head than the hen, there has also been a suggestion that the hens iris
is a more greeny yellow than the cock when viewed in daylight but I cannot vouch
for this. It is always best to get them surgically or DNA sexed.
