There is a whole world of fiction and culture around vampires. Some people believe in the existence of vampires, and many people are even afraid of them. And some people dream of becoming vampires or even lead such a lifestyle. This culture will surely become a part of our history.
And rumor has it that a terrible Dracula Parrot drinks blood and looks like a nightmare. Is it true?
Yes! Dracula Parrot really exists! It is a whole species of bird with a bright parrot body and a terrifying vulture head. If you ever see this bird, you will be impressed by its beauty and horror at the same time. What else can you expect from a parrot with that name?
But does this parrot live up to such a big name? Why is it called that way? Is it possible that this is a cute bird that is simply unlucky in appearance?
I’m sure this parrot makes you curious, so let’s discuss everything about this bird. I will tell you why it is called that way, where it lives, and how you can get yourself such an exotic pet. Keep reading to find out everything about Dracula Parrot!
What is Dracula Parrot?
So, Dracula Parrot is just a species of bird that lives in the tropical climate of New Guinea. They are called Pesquet’s parrot or officially Psittrichas Fulgidus. Dracula Parrot is the name people have given them because of their frightening appearance.
This bird has the bright red body of a typical parrot and the head of a vulture. A strange combination, isn’t it? In fact, this parrot looks more like a vulture, and it has a long sharp beak and a black bald head.
And, although many are frightened by the sight of Dracula Parrot, these birds have nothing to do with vampires, and they do not drink blood. Their diet is no different from other New Guinea parrots. Usually, it consists of large amounts of sweet fruits, particularly figs.
Dracula Parrot maintains its reputation not only for its frightening appearance but also for the terrifying sounds that it makes. Often this parrot screams during night flights, which frightens people very much. You would hardly want to wake up from such screams, would you?
Interesting Facts about Dracula Parrot
This species of parrots live only in New Guinea. They are very large and reach 18 inches in length at maturity, weighing 600-800 grams, and it is much larger than other types of parrots.
For the most part, this parrot is black-brown, but its wing coverts, upper tail, and middle flight feathers are colored bright red. On the sides, its head has no feathers. Presumably, this feature was evolutionarily formed so that the bird does not stick to the gluey fruits that make up its main diet. Of the four hundred species of parrots, only three of them do not have feathers on their heads.
Unlike other parrots, Dracula Parrots do not cross but jump from branch to branch. They fly slowly, and during the flight, they look like a soaring hawk.
Dracula Parrots are a very social species, and they almost always live in flocks of 20 or more birds. Basically, these parrots form strong couples and move together. The difference between the female and the male is only in the red feathers on the male’s head.
Why Do You Know Nothing About Dracula Parrot?
The fact that Dracula Parrots are not very famous has many reasons. And the main one is that there are very few of these birds left in the world. Moreover, these parrots are on the list of endangered animals due to human fault. Yes, despite the loud name, this species does not belong to hunters but victims.
New Guineans still capture these birds for food or use the bright red feathers for ritual clothing. They are also traded on the black market, with females valued more than males. For this reason, poachers often pluck the red feathers from males’ heads.
However, keeping them in captivity is extremely difficult. Dracula Parrots get the enzymes they need for life only from certain figs growing in New Guinea. They quickly start to get sick after a diet of grapes or pears, so they are rarely kept in zoos.
Unfortunately, these birds are also hunted for their meat, and the Dracula Parrot population is decreasing every year. At the moment, there are from 20 to 50 thousand Dracula Parrots in the world, and the exact number is unknown. Researchers continue to track the number and extinction of these amazing birds.
Dracula Parrot has a good chance of existence because New Guinea has a small population, dense forests, and hunting is rather a rarity than a regular activity. The struggle against poachers is improving every year, and I hope that this species will regain a large number.
Can Dracula Parrots Be Your Pet?
We are unlikely to ever know the answer to this question. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has identified these species of parrots as vulnerable and included them in the list of endangered species. Therefore, keeping Dracula Parrots as pets is completely prohibited.
Moreover, even if you suddenly wanted to purchase such a parrot, you would not be able to find it. And I think you would hardly want to, to be honest. Firstly, as I’ve said, these birds only feel good when they eat a special kind of fig, which only grows in New Guinea.
Secondly, these birds are not adapted to life with people, and they need a lot of space to fly because of their size and a special climate for good health. Thirdly, these birds are extremely noisy. And this is not about the touching cooing of parrots but terrifying screams at night.
Are There Any Vampire Birds?
You will be surprised, but the answer is yes. Although Dracula Parrots are quite harmless birds and have this name only because of their frightening appearance, there are other birds that can be called vampires. And unlike Dracula Parrots, which eat only fruits, some birds actually drink blood. Terrible, isn’t it?
One such species is the Vampire Finch. Yes, exactly the finch, about which you could hardly think so. However, there is one kind of Vampire Finches that hunts other birds and drinks their blood. They live on the Galapagos Islands and differ from other species only in this feature. The researchers argue that the lack of freshwater provokes this behavior of birds. As a result, the Vampire Finch is forced to attack other birds to survive.
Another type of vampire bird is the Kea bird, which lives in New Zealand. However, besides the fact that this bird can drink blood, it also eats the meat of other animals, in fact, being omnivorous. These birds hunt sheep, peeling off their skin and eating the fat underneath. They can also hunt small cattle, poultry, and rabbits.
17 Kinds Of Red Parrots (With Photos)
Conclusion
Although we have found out that Dracula Parrot exists and looks terrifying, in fact, this bird does not pose any threat. They are completely peaceful parrots and eat only sweet fruits. Due to their exotic appearance, these parrots are threatened by poachers, and it is forbidden to keep them as pets.
