Plain Parakeet

Overview

The plain parakeet (Brotogeris tirica) is a species of parrot endemic to Brazil that belongs to the family Psittacidae. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its stable population and broad distribution.

Identification

• Measures 23 to 25 cm in length and weighs approximately 63 g, featuring an essentially all-green body with a bluish nape and yellowish undersides.
• Possesses a pinkish bill with a paler base, bronzy or brownish-green shoulders, and bluish-green flight feathers and tail undersides.
• Produces vocalisations including a high-pitched shrill "cree" or bisyllabic "cra-creep", alongside a lower-pitched, harsh-sounding "cra-cra-cra".
• Immature birds resemble adults but exhibit less blue in the wings and have shorter tails.

Habitat

Found in eastern Brazil from Alagoas south to Santa Catarina, with an isolated population in Rio Grande do Sul, the species inhabits the Atlantic Forest biome. It thrives in secondary forests, cultivated land with tree groves, plantations, and urban parks, including major cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. At higher inland elevations, it occupies the edges and canopy of montane rainforests up to 1,200 m.

Diet

The plain parakeet feeds mainly on seeds, fruit, flowers, and nectar from a wide variety of plants and trees. It also consumes some adult and larval insects.

Did you know?

The genus name Brotogeris is derived from the Ancient Greek for "with human voice", while the specific epithet tirica comes from the Tupi word tiriba, meaning "tinkling".