Cobalt-winged Parakeet

Overview

The cobalt-winged parakeet (Brotogeris cyanoptera) is a species of bird in the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List and is considered common throughout its range with a stable population.

Identification

• Length ranges from 18 to 20 cm, with an average weight of 67 g.
• Plumage is almost entirely green, darker on the upperparts, with adults of the nominate subspecies featuring a yellowish forehead, an orange chin, and a blue tinge on the crown and nape.
• Flight feathers and central tail feathers are blue, while the remaining tail feathers are green.
• Vocalisations include a high-pitched "klee", a shrill "chree" or "chree-chree", and a fast chattering series "chichichichichi".

Habitat

Found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela, inhabiting a variety of landscapes including the edges and interior of rainforest, secondary forest, várzea, savanna, and Llanos. The species commonly reaches elevations of 1,000 m and occasionally up to 1,350 m.

Diet

Little is known about its foraging technique and diet, though it has been recorded feeding on flowers, fruits, and Cecropia catkins. It also consumes mineral-impregnated soil.

Did you know?

In captivity, pairs lay clutches of approximately five eggs that hatch after 24 days. Despite being common in the wild, it is rare in captivity due to a lack of recent evidence of trade.