Red-backed Parakeet

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Red-backed Parakeet
Azuero parakeet (Pyrrhura picta eisenmanni)

Azuero parakeet ( Pyrrhura picta eisenmanni )

Systematics
Order : Parrots (Psittaciformes)
Family : True parrots (Psittacidae)
Tribe : New World Parrots (Arini)
Genre : Red-tailed Parakeets ( Pyrrhura )
Type : Red-backed Parakeet
Scientific name
Pyrrhura picta
( Statius Müller , 1776)

The red -tailed parakeet ( Pyrrhura picta ), also known as the blue-fronted red-tailed parakeet , is a Neotropical parrot species from the genus of the red-tailed parakeet ( Pyrrhura ). In addition to the nominate form Pyrrhura p. picta , eight subspecies are distinguished.

features

The red-drawn parakeet reaches a size of 20 to 22 cm, depending on the breed. The wing length is 104 to 130 mm. The plumage is generally green. Above the beak there is a narrow brownish-red band. The reins and cheeks are reddish-brown. The lower cheek area has a bluish tint. The forehead and the front of the parting are blue. The back of the parting, the head and the neck are dark brown. The ear covers are brownish-white. The sides of the neck, throat and upper chest are gray-brown. On the breast the color turns brownish, with each feather having a whitish to dull yellowish border and giving the breast a jagged pattern. A variable blue band can be seen on the neck. The lower abdomen, back and the upper tail-coverts are reddish brown. The bow of the wing is red. The hand covers and the outer flag of the hand wings are blue. The top of the tail is brownish-red with a green base. The underside of the tail is dull brownish-red. A gray eye ring runs around the brown iris. The feet are gray, the beak is dark gray. In immature birds, the plumage is more blunt and the wing bend is green with few red feathers.

Subspecies and their distribution

  • The nominate form occurs in Venezuela from the Amacuro Delta south to the province of Bolivar, in Brazil in the states of Amazonas, Amapa and Pará as well as in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
  • The occurrence of the Santarem Parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Amazonum ) is in the Brazilian state Pará north of the Amazon between Monte Alegre and Obidos. Considered a distinct species by some authors.
  • The blue- fronted red-tailed parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Microtera ) occurs south of the Amazon from the Río Madeira east to the Río Tocantins in Pará further south to northern Mato Grosso and northern Goiás in Brazil. Considered by some authors as a subspecies of the Santarem Parakeet.
  • The distribution area of ​​Prince Lucien's Red-tailed Parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Lucianii ) extends from northwestern Brazil and the neighboring areas in southeastern Ecuador to northeastern Peru along the upper Amazon, the Río Purus and the upper Río Madeira. Further occurrences are in southeastern Peru and in Bolivia. Considered a distinct species by some authors.
  • The red-headed parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Roseifrons ) occurs in the Val do Juruá in northwestern Brazil and in eastern Peru. Considered a distinct species by some authors.
  • The occurrence of Pantchenko's blue-fronted red-tailed parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Pantchenkoi ) is limited to the upper reaches of the Perija Mountains along the border between Colombia and Venezuela.
  • The Magdalenian Parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Caeruleiceps ) occurs in the Perijá Mountains, in Cesar and in Norte de Santander in northeastern Colombia. Considered a distinct species by some authors.
  • The Azuero Parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Eisenmanni ) is endemic to the Azuero Peninsula in Panama. Considered a distinct species by some authors.
  • The Jaraquiel Parakeet ( Pyrrhura p. Subandina ) was restricted to the lower Sinú Valley in Colombia. Considered a distinct species by some authors.

habitat

The red-bellied parakeet inhabits terra firme rainforests (forests that are not regularly flooded), varzeá forests (alluvial forests) and the adjacent open land. It is usually found at a height of 600 m. In Peru and Colombia it is found at altitudes between 1,200 and 2,000 m.

Way of life

The Red Parakeet lives in pairs or outside the breeding season in groups of 5 to 12 individuals. Occasionally it can be seen in association with the red-bellied parakeet ( Pyrrhura perlata ) and the golden-winged parakeet ( Brotogeris chrysopteru s) on the fodder trees or on the clay banks. He prefers dense, tall trees. The red-tailed parakeet is not true to location and never stays in the same place for long. Despite its conspicuous voice, it is difficult to make out due to its dark appearance in the foliage. He regularly goes to watering places to bathe or drink, or he searches for food on the mineral-rich soil of the clay banks or river banks in the rainforest. He is not particularly shy and if he is startled he flies away with loud complaints. The flight is quick and direct. The contact call is a loud peeah and a rough kleek-kleek can be heard while looking for food .

The diet consists of fruits, berries, flowers, seeds as well as insects and their larvae. Occasionally algae enrich the food supply. In Panama and Colombia the breeding season is from March to June, in Suriname from February to April and in Brazil and Bolivia from July to December. The nest is built in hollow branches or tree hollows. The clutch consists of three to four eggs measuring 25.5 × 19.1 mm. The young birds still spend some time with their parents after they have left the nest.

status

Apart from the Colombian breeds and the Azuero parakeet, the red-faced parakeet is numerous and widespread. Pantchenkos blue-fronted red-tailed parakeet and the Magdalena parakeet are very rare and endangered due to the deforestation of their habitats. There are probably fewer than 2000 specimens of the Panamanian azuero parakeet. The Jaraquiel parakeet has not been recorded since 1949 and is believed to be extinct.

literature

Web links

Commons : Red Parakeet ( Pyrrhura picta )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files