Sulphur-winged Parakeet

Overview

The sulphur-winged parakeet (Pyrrhura hoffmanni), also known as Hoffmann's conure, is a species of bird in the family Psittacidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama and is currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Adults are mostly green with yellow inclusions on the head, nape, and throat, and bright terracotta ear coverts surrounded by bare white skin.
• The breast has a dull orange wash, while the wings feature yellow primary coverts, inner primaries, and outer secondaries, with blue outer primaries.
• The species measures approximately 23 to 24 cm in length and weighs an average of 82 g, with sexes appearing similar.
• Its most common call is a series of high-pitched shrill notes described as 'krree krree krree', which is shrill but not screechy.

Habitat

This species inhabits primary and logged montane forest, adjacent shrubby areas, and secondary forest. Its range includes the Cordillera de Talamanca and the Dota region of southern Costa Rica for the nominate subspecies, and western Panama up to Veraguas Province for the gaudens subspecies. It typically occurs at elevations between 700 and 3,000 m, though usually above 1,600 m.

Diet

The sulphur-winged parakeet typically forages in small flocks within the forest canopy. Its diet consists primarily of the fruits and seeds of a variety of plants and trees.

Did you know?

The species is named after the German naturalist Karl Hoffmann. Despite having a fairly small range, it is estimated to have a stable population of 20,000 to 50,000 mature individuals and shows tolerance to substantial habitat modification.