Grey-cheeked Parakeet

Overview

The grey-cheeked parakeet (Brotogeris pyrrhoptera), also known as the fire-winged parakeet, is a vulnerable species in the family Psittacidae. It is a small New World parrot found in Ecuador and Peru that is currently classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Identification

• Adults are mostly green with paler, yellower underparts, a pale blue crown, and pale ashy grey cheeks.
• They measure 19 to 20.5 cm in length and weigh between 60 and 68 g.
• Primary coverts are deep blue and underwing coverts are orange to orange-red, while the bill is whitish.
• The species is noisy, producing shrill, chattering calls such as "chree" or "cra-cra-cra", often with multiple birds calling simultaneously.

Habitat

Found in western Ecuador's Manabí Province and northwestern Peru's Piura Department, the species inhabits deciduous and evergreen forests, open woodlands, scrublands, and cultivated areas. Elevational range is up to 300 m in the north and 1,550 m in the south.

Diet

The diet consists of flowers, seeds, and fruits from a variety of plants, with a suspected inclusion of cultivated bananas.

Did you know?

While widely kept as a pet even in its native range, these birds can be taught with patience to mimic human sounds, though they lack the clarity of larger parrots.