Maroon-fronted Parrot

Overview

The maroon-fronted parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi) is a large, macaw-like parrot that is Endangered and endemic to northeastern Mexico. It is part of the Rhynchopsitta genus, which includes thick-billed parrots.

Identification

• Large, mostly dark green parrot measuring 40–45 cm in length and weighing 390–470 g.
• Adults possess a dark maroon brow extending over the rim of bare yellow skin surrounding the eyes, with a brighter red at the bend of the wing.
• Juveniles have a pale beak and whitish eye-rings, and lack the dark maroon stripe over each eye.
• Emits a high, rolling cr-a ak sound; groups sound similar to the acorn woodpecker from a distance.

Habitat

This species inhabits mature pine, mixed conifer, and pine-oak forests at elevations between 2000 and 3500 meters. It is restricted to the Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Diet

The primary food source is pines, with breeding coinciding with the fruition of the trees. The reference material does not specify foraging methods.

Did you know?

The bird is Rhynchopsitta terrisi, and its specific epithet is terrisi. It nests in large colonies on limestone cliffs near moving water, laying one to three eggs in July.