The Parrot and the Parrotlet
Faraaz Abdool, photographer and birder, tells us about the members of the parrot family that are native to Tobago. All photos courtesy Faraaz Abdool In this season, look up into the immortelles blooming on the hills, you are sure to see these parrots. Some Orange-winged Parrots have brown faces. Some theorize it is a variant of the plumage, others are of the view that the brown is a result of pollen staining while eating immortelle flowers. Widespread across tropical and subtropical regions around the world, members of the parrot family have charmed humans with their vivid coloration, extraordinary intelligence and charismatic personalities. Whether we’re speaking of cockatoos, lorikeets, macaws or budgerigars, members of this family are immensely popular and immediately recognizable. It is theorized that ancient parrots have been present on the earth for up to 66 million years. Indeed, this would mean that our feathered friends were present durin...