Lemon parakeet

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Lemon parakeet
Lemon parakeet

Lemon parakeet

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Parrots (Psittaciformes)
Family : True parrots (Psittacidae)
Tribe : New World Parrots (Arini)
Genre : Psilopsiagon
Type : Lemon parakeet
Scientific name
Psilopsiagon aurifrons
( Lesson , 1856)

The lemon parakeet ( Psilopsiagon aurifrons ) is a species of the New World parrots. Until a few years ago, lemon parakeets were assigned as Bolborhynchus aurifrons to the genus of the thick- nosed parakeets . In the meantime there is scientific consensus to place it together with the Aymara Parakeet in a separate genus called Psilopsiagon .

The lemon parakeet occurs in several subspecies in a small distribution area in South America.

Subspecies

The lemon parakeet has developed a total of four subspecies:

  • Lemon Parakeet ( Psilopsiagon aurifrons aurifrons )
  • Roberts lemon parakeet ( Psilopsiagon aurifrons robertsi )
  • Marguerite Parakeet ( Psilopsiagon aurifrons margaritae )
  • Red-billed Parakeet ( Psilopsiagon aurifrons rubrirostris )

Appearance

The lemon parakeet reaches a body length of 18 centimeters. The tail accounts for eight centimeters of this. There is a gender dimorphism.

The lemon parakeet has predominantly greenish plumage. The male's forehead and reins, chin and neck are yellowish to orange. The yellow tone is lighter on the chest and stomach and turns into a green. In females, the yellow on the underside of the body is less pronounced. In both sexes, the beak is horn-colored. The eye ring is bare and grayish. The iris is dark.

The four subspecies of the lemon parakeet can be divided into two groups in terms of their appearance: These are birds with yellow plumage characteristics ( aurifrons and robertsi ) and those that are predominantly green in color ( margaritae and rubrirostris ). The nominate form as well as the Roberts lemon parakeet differ in the extent of the yellow plumage in the male birds. In the Roberts lemon parakeet, the yellow plumage areas, in contrast to the nominate form, are only limited to the face mask and the sides of the body. In contrast to the nominate form, robertsi also has dark green plumage, whereby a distinction without comparison is difficult for inexperienced eyes. The two "green subspecies" ( margaritae and rubrirostris ) differ in terms of plumage color in particular, as rubrirostris has a blue-grayish tinge in the green of the plumage (especially breast and belly).

Distribution area and behavior

The lemon parakeet is found in Peru only on the western slopes of the Andes. In western Argentina he also populates the eastern slopes of the Andes. In Chile, both sides of this mountain range are populated by lemon parakeets. Their habitat is mountainous thorn bush landscapes, as is characteristic of the Puna . They also occur along rivers through subtropical drought areas.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Arndt, p. 91

literature

  • Thomas Arndt: South American Parakeets - Encyclopedia of Parrots and Parakeets . Volume 5, Horst Müller-Verlag, Walsrode 1986, ISBN 3-923269-09-9 .

Web links