Psittaciformes - Geoffroyus - Red Cheeked Parrot

Red Cheeked Parrot - Geoffroyus Geoffroyi - Least Concern

The red-cheeked parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi) is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the tip of northern Australia. It is a stocky short-tailed parrot with predominantly green plumage. It exhibits sexual dimorphism; the adult male has red cheeks and a mauve nape and top of head, while the female is duller with a brown head.

Description: Both the male and female red-cheeked parrot have predominantly bright green plumage and a stocky body with a short tail. The adult male has pink-tinged red cheeks and face with a blue-mauve back of head and crown, chestnut wing coverts, blue under wing, and a coral-pink upper mandible. The female has a brown head and more olive-brown cheeks and throat, and all brown-grey bill. Juveniles also have the olive tinge, but their heads are more green. All red-cheeked parrots have yellow eyes. Their beaks are designed for eating seeds and fruit. Their swift and direct flight pattern is distinct and similar to that of a starling. Their call is "metallic". Typical body dimensions are: height 250 mm (9.8 in), length 203 mm (8.0 in), and wing span 135 to 155 mm (5.3–6.1 in).

Distribution and habitat: The red-cheeked parrot is found in Cape York Peninsula, Australia, Indonesia, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea and several other islands in the region. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. They live along streams and in forests.

Subspecies: Seventeen subspecies of the red-cheeked parrot are now recognized.

G. g. cyanicollis - North Moluccas
G. g. obiensis - Obi Islands, North-central Moluccas
G. g. rhodops - South Moluccas
G. g. explorator - Seram Laut Island (SE of Seram Island)
G. g. keyensis - Kai Islands
G. g. floresianus - West Lesser Sunda Islands
G. g. geoffroyi - is the nominate subspecies and is found on the East Lesser Sunda Islands
G. g. timorlaoensis - Tanimbar Islands
G. g. pucherani Souancé - West Papuan Islands and Northwest New Guinea
G. g. minor - North New Guinea
G. g. jobiensis - Yapen Island and Mios Num Island, Geelvink Bay
G. g. mysoriensis - Biak and Numfor, Geelvink Bay
G. g. orientalis - Huon Peninsula of northeastern New Guinea.
G. g. sudestiensis - Misima Island and Tagula in Louisiade Archipelago
G. g. cyanicarpus - Rossel Island in Louisiade Archipelago
G. g. aruensis - Aru Islands, South New Guinea, East Papuan islands
G. g. maclennani - extreme North Queensland