Blue-bellied parrot

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Blue-bellied parrot
A pair of blue-bellied parrots, the female on the left, the male on the right.

A pair of blue-bellied parrots,
the female on the left, the male on the right.

Systematics
Order : Parrots (Psittaciformes)
Family : True parrots (Psittacidae)
Tribe : New World Parrots (Arini)
Genre : Triclaria
Type : Blue-bellied parrot
Scientific name of the  genus
Triclaria
Wagler , 1832
Scientific name of the  species
Triclaria malachitacea
( Spix , 1824)

The blue-bellied parrot ( Triclaria malachitacea ), sometimes called blue-bellied for short , is a New World parrot widespread in southeastern Brazil . Its exact distribution area is in the coastal region from Bahia in the north to Rio Grande do Sul in the south.

features

Blue-bellied parrots resemble Amazons and, like them, are of a green base color. There is a sexual dimorphism , only the males show the eponymous blue belly spot. In addition, females stay a little smaller. The beak is whitish or light horn-colored, the wax skin brown, a narrow ring around the eyes is whitish and the iris is orange-red. The feet are gray. The blue belly spot of the males appears at the age of ten months. Otherwise immature blue-bellied parrots hardly differ from adult ones . Blue-bellied parrots reach a length of 28 centimeters.

habitat

They live in the Serra do Mar coastal mountains in humid mountain forests and in shady valleys at heights of 300 to 1000 meters. occasionally they move to deeper regions and have also been seen in the cultivated land near the coast and in suburbs.

Lifestyle and diet

Since the blue-bellied parrots can largely avoid outdoor observations because of their hidden way of life in the canopy of trees, they have only been insufficiently researched. They roam in groups outside of the breeding season. They eat their food consisting of nuts, seeds, fruits, buds and nectar exclusively in the treetops, where they are well camouflaged due to their green color. They also eat larvae and insects, which they catch in flight. Their swallow-like flight seems to be an adaptation to this type of food gathering. Blue bellies especially like to eat citrus fruits. The voice of the blue-bellied parrots is said to be untypical for parrots and is described as a thrush-like flute.

Reproduction

The reproductive behavior of the blue bellies is only known from captive breeding. Like many other parrots, blue-bellied parrots breed in tree hollows. They lay two to four eggs that are incubated for around 28 days. The young birds open their eyes three weeks after hatching. Three weeks after leaving, the young birds are independent.

literature

Web links

Commons : Triclaria malachitacea  - collection of images, videos and audio files