Dracula Parrots are the Dark Kings of the animal kingdom.
Its official name is Pesquet's parrot, but is also known as the Dracula Parrot, or the Vulturine parrot because of its distinctive vulture-like head.
Pesquet’s Parrot, is a bird endemic to hill and montane rainforest in New Guinea. With it’s black and red plumage and vulture-like appearance, this bird is truly remarkable.
It is a large parrot with a total length of approximately 46 cm and a weight of 680–800g.
Despite it’s name and vulture-like visage, the Dracula Parrot is a highly specialized frugivore, feeding almost exclusively on a few species of figs (not blood). Flowers and nectar have also been reported. At least in parts of its range, it is seasonally nomadic in response to the availability of fruits. The bare part of the head is presumably an adaption to avoid feather-matting from sticky fruits.
These parrots produce quite peculiar noises that are often described as rasping and growling.
Sadly, because of their stunning appearance they have become a target for poachers, who hunt them for their high-quality feathers. The Dracula Parrots are classified as vulnerable, on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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