what Subspecies of Meyers do you have?

[April]

I just thought it would be fun to see who has what Subspecies of Meyers and to maybe compare pics and see the differences in them. If anyone happens to know,is any sub known to have a sweeter temperment then the other?

 

[DQTimnehs]

According to Avian Web - Meyer's Parrots or Brown Parrots I think Itsy must be:
Uganda Yellow-shouldered Parrots aka Kenya Meyer, Meyer's Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri saturatus (Sharpe, 1901)

• Range: Uganda and West Kenya to West Tanzania
• Id: Yellow on the head with a green belly

 

[DQTimnehs]

Here are the distinguishing features from Avian Web:

The subspecies are:
Yellow Markings:

Meyer's Parrots or Brown Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri meyeri (Cretzschmar, 1827) - Nominate species

• Range: South Chad to West Ethiopia
• Id: Yellow on the head with a turquoise-bluish belly

Uganda Yellow-shouldered Parrots aka Kenya Meyer, Meyer's Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri saturatus (Sharpe, 1901)

• Range: Uganda and West Kenya to West Tanzania
• Id: Yellow on the head with a green belly

South African Brown Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri trasvaalensis (Neumann, 1899)

• Range: Botswana, Zimbabwe and northern South Africa
• Id: Yellow on the head with a greenish belly

East African Brown Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri matschiei (Neumann, 1898)

• Range: Central Tanzania, South-east Congo, Zambia and North Malaw
• Id: Yellow on the head and a bright blue belly

No Yellow Markings on Head:
The western races P. m. damarensis and P. m. reichenowi lack yellow markings on the head.

Damaraland Brown Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri damarensis (Neumann, 1898)

• Range: North Namibia, South Angola and northwestern Botswana
• Id: No yellow on the head and a turquoise belly

Angola Brown Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri reichenowi (Neumann, 1898)

• Range: Central Angola to South Congo
• Id: No yellow on the head and a turquoise belly

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Trixie must be South African. This was my Hobbs.

 

[DQTimnehs]

Trixie must be South African. This was my Hobbs.

Can you post a pic of Trixie so we can compare?

 

[April]

I second that,I would love to see Trixie

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

I am pretty computer dumb. I will try and get a picture of Trix.

 

[Shade]

I think it's also likely that there are mixes amongst the subpecies on the board. I don't think anyone can really claim having one over the other.

 

[Merlie]

I think it's also likely that there are mixes amongst the subpecies on the board. I don't think anyone can really claim having one over the other.

I'm wondering really what difference it makes?? I seriously doubt many breeders even breed for sub species in Meyers, nor could it make that much of a difference in personality.

Besides .. April .. by the time you do get another bird, which could be years and years, who knows what will/won't be available, bird wise or cage wise.

 

[April]

I'm wondering really what difference it makes?? I seriously doubt many breeders even breed for sub species in Meyers, nor could it make that much of a difference in personality.

Besides .. April .. by the time you do get another bird, which could be years and years, who knows what will/won't be available, bird wise or cage wise.

I was just wondering is all,I thought it would be fun to see how different or similar everyone's Meyers looked. That's all.

As for the cage,I will be using Nala's cage once she passes if it's still in good enough conditon. So I wanted know if it would be suitable,just because my Sun was fine in his,doesnt mean that a possibly more active bird would be.

And if when the time comes they for some reason dont make HQ Flight cages anymore,then I need to know if I can stay within similar size or if I need to go bigger. I just want to be fully prepared for all the needs of my future bird.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

I'm not sure about Weeble. I agree with Natacha. I've read that when they first imported and started breeding them, people didn't realize there were different subspecies, so it's likely that many are a mix. I've seen a couple of places advertise breeding meyeri matshiei specifically, but not other subspecies. I've always wondered which one Weeble was, assuming her heritage isn't mixed, but the descriptions are so vague I can't tell. I was thinking about emailing Steve Boyes and asking if he had, or could put together, a photo chart of the different subspecies, since he studied them, but don't think I ever got around to it. The other meyer's I've seen in person other than Weeble had a more turquoise blue belly than her, and I think Petey and Zuri have different belly colors though, so who knows. not me, anyway

 

[April]

It's not like I'm looking for one over the other when I finally get a Meyers. It doesnt matter to me what my future Meyers looks like,I just know that I can't wait till I'm owned by one. I thought this would be a interesting thread to compare and guess at what, if any certain Sub-species anyone had.

 

[Lovebird Lady]

... I just want to be fully prepared for all the needs of my future bird.

Nothing wrong with that. I plan for the future as well, even if I change my mind about things over and over. It's all part of contemplation, which subsequently leads to informed decisions being made

 

[DQTimnehs]

We're all just guessing anyway. I don't see the harm in posting our pix and seeing which description fits best. There is a little more info on each if you go to Avian Web and click on the sub species links.

 

[Mizzely]

I think its fun to look at subspecies, and makes for great conversation! I think though that a lot of them are "mutts" because they really didn't look to keep the subspecies pure. I know that is the case with Greenies in the US too. It's sad really; you never know what all differences some would make; some very may well have been a slightly different temperament, etc. There is so much that gets lost when humans assume control.

 

[April]

View attachment 101892
According to Avian Web - Meyer's Parrots or Brown Parrots I think Itsy must be:
Uganda Yellow-shouldered Parrots aka Kenya Meyer, Meyer's Parrots - Poicephalus meyeri saturatus (Sharpe, 1901)

• Range: Uganda and West Kenya to West Tanzania
• Id: Yellow on the head with a green belly

Itsy is adorable,thanks so much for posting her pic

 

[April]

We're all just guessing anyway. I don't see the harm in posting our pix and seeing which description fits best. There is a little more info on each if you go to Avian Web and click on the sub species links.

I think its fun to look at subspecies, and makes for great conversation! I think though that a lot of them are "mutts" because they really didn't look to keep the subspecies pure. I know that is the case with Greenies in the US too. It's sad really; you never know what all differences some would make; some very may well have been a slightly different temperament, etc. There is so much that gets lost when humans assume control.

Thank you both,I was so excited once I posted this because I was really wanting a thread to be able to show all the variety of beautiful Meyers that we have on AA. I know we have a decent amount on here,so I figured we would really be able to see some key differences.

 

[wonderb]

I don't know if Shade's 2 Meyers are different subspecies or not, but I think they do look pretty different. Since the photos are taken with the same camera in the same environment, it is easier to compare. Petey's belly is greenish mixed with gray, while Zuri's is more solid turquoise. I think considering different subspecies is very interesting!

 

[Shade]

Still, essentially you want to compare subspecies. I still think that it is unlikely that anyone can identify having any specific species with 100% accuracy.

When it comes to difference in temperament - I do believe this lies more on an individual basis than it would with any subspecies. I know a few people who have siblings of Zuri. Actually, if I remember right, Itsy might very well be Zuri's sister. And both birds have differences in temperament (I have had both at once with me on a few occasions for a few weeks at a time and have known Itsy for a few years now).

It's one thing to have a fun thread and guess and talk generally about a bird, without linking the information to the "subspecies". But I don't believe you'll be able to get the information you really want out of it and definitively won't be able to link key differences to subspecies. You will see differences between birds, but these differences, I am confident, will lie in their individuality. The "basic" Meyer's traits, they'll most likely all have.

 

[April]

I don't know if Shade's 2 Meyers are different subspecies or not, but I think they do look pretty different. Since the photos are taken with the same camera in the same environment, it is easier to compare. Petey's belly is greenish mixed with gray, while Zuri's is more solid turquoise. I think considering different subspecies is very interesting!

Petey and Zuri were the inspiration I had for this thread,they look the most different{to me} of any of the Meyers on AA,especially handsome Petey with his unique belly colors. So that got me to wondering about the subs since it seems that all the Meyers on here,have varying amount of Yellow on their foreheads and other areas.

Even if the exact Sub species isnt able to to known,I'm just interested in how different they all look.