#xenopsitta

By Scott Reid

Etymology: Strange Parrot

First Described By: Mlikovsky, 1998

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoromorpha, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Averaptora, Avialae, Euavialae, Avebrevicauda, Pygostaylia, Ornithothoraces, Euornithes, Ornithuromorpha, Ornithurae, Neornithes, Neognathae, Neoaves, Inopinaves, Telluraves, Australaves, Eufalconimorphae, Psittacopasserae, Psittaciformes, Psittacoidea, Psittacidae, Psittacinae, Psittacinae

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: 22 million years ago, in the Aquitanian of the Miocene 

Xenopsitta is known from the Merkur site of Cheb County in Czechia 

Physical Description: Xenopsitta was a small parrot, with very robust feet similar to living African parrots. Despite this, it was probably much smaller than most of them, probably only about half the size as living African Greys or Senegal Parrots. This would mean it is probably somewhere around 16 centimeters in total body length, though that is a rough estimate. Still, in a lot of ways it was a miniature version of a living African Grey Parrot, with similarly short ligaments and strong feet. Xenopsitta also had fairly stout and short wings compared to other parrots, though not to the point of being flightless. We can’t say much more about this parrot, as it has shapes in its feet and wings similar to quite a few different kinds of parrots, though African varieties seem most likely; it would have resembled living parrots in most ways too, with a similarly large head, big and distinctive beak, and possibly colorful feathers.

Diet: As a parrot, Xenopsitta would have been mainly herbivorous, feeding on a wide variety of nuts, leaves, and fruit; though they would have probably supplemented their diet with animal matter such as insects when needed.

Behavior: It is reasonable to suppose, as a bird closely related to a very specific group of living parrots, Xenopsitta would have been an intelligent forager much like they are today, using its large and curved beak to dig around and find food, as well as to make nests in cavities it would create in trees. It would have used its flexible feet to interact extensively with its environment, reaching out to grab things and to manipulate objects. In addition, Xenopsitta would have been very social, living in decently sized flocks and family groups, and talking to each other with squawks and calls aplenty. They would have taken care of their young, probably for a decent amount of time before the young left the nest. 

By Ripley Cook

Ecosystem: Xenopsitta lived in a heavily forested environment, probably sub-tropical in terms of temperature with a bit of seasonal variation. There were many types of plants present in the area, including beeches and oaks, walnuts and birches, maples and chestnuts and mangos and mahoganies, citrus, magnolias, roses, and some coniferous trees. Little is known in the way of mammals here, but there were plenty of birds - including the Swift Procypseloides, the owl Mioglaux, the cormorant Phalacrocorax, the loon Petralca, ducks like Nettion and Mionetta, and the giant swimming-flamingo Palaelodus. The present of so many water birds indicates that there was a decent system of rivers and lakes present in the area as well. As for predators, Xenopsitta probably mostly had to watch out for Mioglaux!

Other: Xenopsitta is one of many fossil parrots known from the Miocene of Europe, a location that doesn’t have natural parrots today. This showcases that parrots occurred in a wide diversity in the forests of Europe prior to the Ice Age glaciations, with many different kinds of living groups represented within the sub-continent. Furthermore, it is one of the earlier ones known, which helps to clear up some of the murkiness of parrot evolution - stem-parrots disappear from the fossil record in the Oligocene, with modern-form parrots showing up seemingly out of nowhere in the Miocene. This is then followed by a dramatic extinction of parrots and other later tropical birds from Europe, sometime in the late Miocene, from which Xenopsitta and its descendants would have been affected.

~ By Meig Dickson

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