Description:

The African raptor parrot (Carnopsitta carnopsitta) is an omnivorous Afrotropical parrot species that inhabits the Congo Savannah. They are mainly green, with gray heads and a tuff of orange on the top. They are 30 to 50 centimeters from head to tail, have a wingspan of 70 to 125 centimeters, and weigh about 350 to 1000 grams. They have a large hooked beak designated for tearing into flesh, breaking bones, and other tasks. This hooked beak resembles many raptor species and the modern-day kea (Nestor notabilis). They also have very flexible feet, which they use to grab things, climb trees, and manipulate objects. They also use their feet to pin small prey when they are hunting. They are long-living birds, getting up to 80 in captivity, but the wild parrots only live about 50 years.

Distribution:

This parrot lives in the open woodland regions of the Congo Savannah and occasionally in the Congo Rainforest.

Diet:

Despite its name as a raptor, they are omnivorous. They mainly eat seeds, fruit, and other plants. They supplement their diet with various animals. They will eat insects, small reptiles, rodents, birds, and other animals that they can randomly pick off. There are also cases of them eating carcasses of large herbivorous mammals.

Social Behavior:

These parrots are highly social birds. They live in groups of up to 15 other birds. In captivity, they tend to do poorly without another parrot or massive amounts of stimulation. These groups aren't strict, and the parrots are free to come and go in and out of different groups. These parrots are monogynous, which leads to a parrot's partner often moving with them to another social group. This monogynous coupling tends to last for long periods, with 83% of parrot relationships lasting until the death of one or both of the parrots. It has been recorded that some parrots will starve themselves when their partner dies. Although these stories have not been confirmed, it could've been for several reasons, such as illness or injuries. They also can form strong relationships with human caretakers and other species. One population of parrots has a symbiotic relationship with the castle-building weavers. The parrots will defend the nest from larger predators, and the weavers will build them cover and shelter from the elements. Occasionally, the parrots will eat a weaver, but this predatory behavior rarely happens.

Intelligence:

These parrots are some of the most intelligent animals in the region. Like most parrots, they have high social intelligence. As previously mentioned, they live together in groups and have long-lasting relationships. The parrots have also been shown to have problem-solving abilities. Various tests have concluded that these parrots can use tools, recognize patterns, predict results, and pass knowledge on to generations. One test included a test of a series of locks on a door that had to be done in a specific order to reach a treat. The first time the parrots did this test, it took the parrots an average time of about an hour to solve the problem. When tested again, they remembered the exact combination of locks and did the locks in about 20 minutes. After several times, they were able to get through the locks in about 2 minutes. They have also been shown to recognize symbols and have been taught basic math. These birds can also mimic human language and have complex communication that consists of body language and calls.