Bronze-winged Parrot

Overview

The bronze-winged parrot (Pionus chalcopterus) is a medium-sized, stocky parrot classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is native to north-western South America, where it inhabits forest and woodland environments.

Identification

• Plumage: Mainly dark with a whitish chin patch; the upper chest is speckled with pink feathers, and the head is dark blue-green with a bronze-green body.
• Size: Approximately 28 cm (11 in) long, described as short-tailed and stocky.
• Bill and Eyes: Features a pale yellow beak; adults possess a pink ring of bare skin around the eyes, whereas juveniles have whitish eyerings and brownish underparts.

Habitat

Found in far western Venezuela, western and central Colombia, western Ecuador, and far north-western Peru, typically within the canopy of humid or semi-deciduous forest and woodland. Altitudes vary by country, ranging from below 800 m in Peru to occasionally 2800 m in Colombia. The species appears rather nomadic in parts of its range, though the movements are generally poorly understood.

Did you know?

The species has received little media attention, but a three-year-old female named Evie features in the television show Dr. K's exotic animal ER on the Nat Geo Wild Network as the personal pet of Dr. Lauren Thielen.