05-12-2016: Cape Parrot Exotic Birds A commemorative postage stamp

The Cape Parrot occurs only in South Africa and is closely associated with yellowwood forests. The Yellowwood trees are important to them for breeding, feeding and social inter-action. The species is a secondary cavity nests preferring one, nesting mostly in tall dead Yellowwood trees. The Cape Parrot (also known as Levaillant’s Parrot) is a large, temperate forest dwelling Parrot endemic to South Africa. It is a short-tailed moderately large bird with a very large beak, which is used to crack open all sorts of hard nuts and fruit kernels. The overall dominant view of the Ornithological community considers them as two separate species, with the temperate forest dwelling Cape Parrot being distinct from the Savannah species in which is also included the brown necked Parrot of West Africa and the grey headed Parrot of Eastern and Southern Africa.