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Blue Headed Pionus Parrot
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DESCRIPTION: The Blue-Headed Pionus is the most popular species of the Pionus breed and is the poster-genus for the species. The body color is green with a bright blue head and neck. Like all the pionus breeds, the blue-headed pionus sports red feathers underneath the tail. Baby blue-headed pionus have very little blue on the head and neck area. As they mature, the head and neck area changes to a bright, vibrant blue. Usually, by 1-year old, the head and neck area will have turned iridescent blue coloring. However, some birds do not show their mature colors until the age of two during the second-year molt. The beak of a chick is all white, and turns black with bright red spots on either side of the top mandible as the bird matures. The ear-coverts on the blue-headed pionus are black.
SIZE & LIFESPAN: They are 11-inches in length with a short tail and stocky body, weighting approximately 235grams. The average life span is 25 years, however, some can live more than 40 years.
ORIGIN: Central and South America starting from Costa Rica to Central Brazil.
LOUDNESS & TRAINABILITY: The Pionus is one of the "quiet" parrots around. They are not "silent" but when they do make noise, it is low and not ear-piercing. The pionus parrot is highly recommended for people living in apartments or condos where loud noises may be a concern for the neighbors. Most Pionus parrots learn only a few words, however, there are some who are very talkative. "Talking" amongst all types of parrots depends mostly on the individual bird, even some African Greys never learn how. The Blue-Head pionus are very obedient and will learn some tricks.
UNIQUENESS: The pionus parrot is unique in several ways. First, there is what is commonly referred to as the "Pionus wheeze". When the pionus is frightened or excited, they exhibit a wheezing sound. It may sound like a respiratory problem, however, if the threat is removed the wheezing should stop. Pionuses also have a very distinct sweet, fruity, forest smell about them. No matter how much you bathe the pionus, they retain this smell. Most pionus owners state that they "love" the pionus smell. Most pionuses love to have a bath or shower. However, some owners have reported that their birds only like to shower/bath when they hear a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer in the background.
DISPOSITION: These medium-sized parrots have a very quiet, sweet and gentle personalities. Most pionuses do not bite or lunge when they do not want to go to a particular person. Their usual attitude will be to turn their back on you! However, this does not mean that a pionus is not capable of biting ... all parrots can bite. The blue-headed pionus loves head scratches and some socialization time. However, they are also perfectly able to play and entertain themselves. They are not known to be very dependent on their owners and do not usually develop behavioral problems such as feather-plucking, chewing, self-mutilation, or screaming. A blue-head pionus is a great pet for families due to calm and non-aggressive nature.
ACTIVITY LEVEL: Although the pionus loves to play with toys (especially foot toys), they are not very active birds. Most pionus owners remarked that their pionus need 10-12 hours of sleep at night. Most owners also reported that their pionuses like to go to bed by 8:00 pm, and they are usually the last to wake up in the morning.
MATURITY: These birds usually reach sexual maturity between the ages of 2 and 3 years. Althought the pionus is generally a sweet-natured bird, some individuals can become aggressive especially during the spring. A sign of aggression will be displayed by the "pionus strut". The pionus will raise its head feathers and fan its tail and usually sway side to side.
CAGE: Recommended minimum cage size for a blue-headed pionus is 24-inches deep, 36-inches wide and 36-inches high. The bar spacing should not be bigger than 1-inch. The bigger the cage the better, also a play stand/gym is recommended.
DIET: A daily variety of foods such as fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, sprouts, seeds, pellets, and nuts should always be provided, as well as fresh water. Care should be taken when feeding a diet with high calorie content. Since pionuses are not overly active birds, they tend to gain weight easily.
TOYS: Foot toys seems to be a favorite as well as soft woods (for chewing) such as pine. Swings and a variety of chewable, destructible perches are always welcomed by the blue-headed pionus. Toys made for small-medium sized parrots will be a good size for the pionus. Knotted leather laces and rope are also a big favorite.
OTHER PIONUS: Other types of Pionus are: Maximillian (Maxi), White Capped, Bronze Wing, Dusky, Coral Billed, and Plum Crown and White Headed. The Coral Billed, Plum Crown and White Headed are not readily available as pets and are generally reserved for breeding programs because they are not very prolific breeders in captivity.
The Blue-Headed Pionus are the "charmers" of the species. They are outgoing and gregarious, yet quiet and even-tempered. Their striking coloration and charming personalities make them the most sought after Pionus. However, they are also usually more expensive than the other Pionuses available as pets. The Blue-Headed pionus' easy-going and quiet personality makes them the perfect parrot for me!
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