With the body of a parrot and head of a vulture, the Dracula parrot is unnerving and beautiful all at once. Its long hooked beak and bare face, coupled with its large head, makes it look a bit like a vulture. For that reason, it’s sometimes also called a vulturine parrot.
But don’t let the name fool you. This Dracula parrot is no flesh-eater. Found only in the forests of the foothills of New Guinea, this bird is extremely rare.
The Dracula parrot is a large, heavy bird, stretching to almost half a meter from beak to tail and weighing in at almost a kilogram.
It maintains all that bulk by feeding almost exclusively on figs. These parrots only feed on a few species of fig. This helps explain why they aren’t migratory and typically stick to one area.
Why is it called Dracula Parrot?
The answer might surprise you. The bird’s rich black feathers and a scarlet red underbelly bear an uncanny resemblance to Count Dracula’s cape.
Sadly, these striking feathers have made it a target of local poaches, which has led to habitat loss and has driven the species to dangerously low numbers.
The Dracula parrot sounds creepy too. Its call has been described as a “harsh and rasping growl,” and a “drawn-out scream” when the bird is in flight.
Unfortunately, the Dracula parrot has been classified as vulnerable on the IUCN’s Red List.
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