Golden-capped parakeet

Last updated

Golden-capped parakeet
Aratinga auricapilla (Wroclaw zoo)-1.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Aratinga
Species:
A. auricapillus
Binomial name
Aratinga auricapillus
(Kuhl, 1820)
Aratinga auricapillus map.svg
Synonyms

Aratinga auricapilla(Kuhl, 1820)

The golden-capped parakeet (Aratinga auricapillus) is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae found in Brazil and Paraguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, dry savanna, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat loss. The A. auricapillus is a good biological indicator because of its vulnerability, high detectability as well as its sensitivity to forest fragmentation. [2] [3]

Contents

Description

At Jurong Bird Park Aratinga auricapillus -Jurong Bird Park -8a.jpg
At Jurong Bird Park

It is 30 cm (12 in) long and mostly green with a black beak, white eyerings, orange-red belly, and red face fading to yellow over the crown. [4] Juvenile members of the A. auricapillus group develop their yellow head markings and red coloration on the lower body in adulthood. The approximate weight for golden-capped parakeets is 4.9-5.25 oz. [5]

Taxonomy

The Aratinga genus name was created to describe medium to small south American conures and parrots. As such, alongside its common name as the golden-capped parakeet, it is also called the golden-capped conure. [1] Within the A. solstitialis species group, the golden-capped parakeet is the only member considered to be polytypic: A. auricapillus is said to contain the subspecies A. a. aurifrons. The measured variable for this basis is slightly varied coloration between the two (less red on back and yellow on head for A. a. aurifrons than that of A. auricapillus). Other variables such as size were found to have little variability between the two, and thus the distinction is still under question. [6]

Behavior

As members of the Aratinga solstitialis subspecies, golden-capped parakeets tend to populate their areas of residence within forests in groups, which can range from 4 to 15 individual parakeets. [6] The breeding season occurs during the austral summer, which in the southern hemisphere is from December to March, with pairs being sighted around November and dependent young around March. Golden-capped parakeets have a clutch size of around 3 to 5 eggs per nesting; the incubation period for these eggs is estimated to be around 25 days, and young fledglings take around 7–8 weeks before they are able to take flight. [5]

Habitat

The Aratinga auricapillus inhabits mostly the semi-deciduous forests in northeastern Brazil, although through time it has adapted to rural agricultural areas and sometimes even urban cities, spreading throughout the states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Goiás, and Paraná. [1] [7]

Diet

A. auricapillus’s dietary behavior is classified as frugivorous. [8] However, the parakeets have been reported to have other food sources, including seeds, flower petals and buds, nectar, and lichens. During a 2010 to 2012 study on the eating habits of the golden-capped parakeets, the birds were noted to primarily ignore the exocarp and mesocarp or outer layers of the fruits in order to eat the seeds within. Among the food ingested by the parakeets, the researchers observed the parakeets to eat various plant materials from West Indian Elms (Guazuma Ulmifolia), maize (Zea mays), silk floss trees (Ceiba speciosa), common guavas (Psidium guajava), pterogynes (Pterogynes nitens), and chinaberry trees (Melia azedarach). In addition, the growing anthropogenic landscape surrounding the A. auricapillus’s habitat has led to an increase in the consumption of cultivated exotic seeds and fruits including citruses, papaya, mango, and maize. [7]

Status

Though observed to be in decline due to deforestation based on data recorded in affected areas, golden-capped parakeets are more commonly found outside primary forests and have a distribution of population throughout Guyana, Brazil, and Paraguay. [6] During a 2018 published survey of local bird species in Minas Gerais, Brazil, golden-capped parakeets received an Occurrence Frequency of “Frequent” throughout the region, and other surveys reporting sightings in the Chapada Diamantina National Park and the Serra de Ouricana have revealed that the Aratinga auricapillus’ small population relatively manages to maintain its numbers. [8] [9] [10] Conservation efforts targeted towards parrots and protection of its habitat have also helped slow the decline, but a continued concern over the possibility of poachers who capture exotic birds as pets and habitat loss to livestock, coffee, sugarcane, and soybean farms keeps the Aratinga auricapillus in the least concern category on the IUCN’s red list.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina parakeet</span> Extinct species of parakeet native to North America

The Carolina parakeet, or Carolina conure, is an extinct species of small green neotropical parrot with a bright yellow head, reddish orange face, and pale beak that was native to the Eastern, Midwest, and Plains states of the United States. It was the only indigenous parrot within its range, as well as one of only three parrot species native to the United States. It was called puzzi la née or pot pot chee by the Seminole and kelinky in Chickasaw. Though formerly prevalent within its range, the bird had become rare by the middle of the 19th century. The last confirmed sighting in the wild was of the C. c. ludovicianus subspecies in 1910. The last known specimen, a male named Incas, perished in captivity at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918, and the species was declared extinct in 1939.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conure</span> Group of small to medium-sized parrots

Conures are a diverse, loosely defined group of small to medium-sized parrots. They belong to several genera within a long-tailed group of the New World parrot subfamily Arinae. The term "conure" is used primarily in bird keeping, though it has appeared in some scientific journals. The American Ornithologists' Union uses the generic term parakeet for all species elsewhere called conure, though Joseph Forshaw, a prominent Australian ornithologist, uses conure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-masked parakeet</span> Parrot native to Ecuador and Peru

The red-masked parakeet is a medium-sized parrot from Ecuador and Peru. It is popular as a pet and are better known in aviculture as the cherry-headed conure or the red-headed conure. They are also considered the best talkers of all the conures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-crowned parakeet</span> Species of bird

The blue-crowned parakeet, blue-crowned conure, or sharp-tailed conure is a small green Neotropical parrot with a blue head and pale beak native to large parts of South America, from eastern Colombia in the north to northern Argentina in the south. They inhabit savanna-like habitats, woodland and forest margins, but avoid dense humid forest such as the Amazon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulphur-breasted parakeet</span> Species of bird

The sulphur-breasted parakeet, or sulphur-breasted conure is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Brazil and Suriname. It resembles the closely related sun parakeet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific parakeet</span> Species of bird

The Pacific parakeet, known as Pacific conure or Nicaraguan green conure in aviculture, is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neotropical parrot</span> Subfamily of birds

The neotropical parrots or New World parrots comprise about 150 species in 32 genera found throughout South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean islands and (formerly) the southern United States. Among them are some of the most familiar and iconic parrots, including the blue and gold macaw, sun conure, and yellow-headed amazon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanday parakeet</span> Species of bird

The nanday parakeet, also known as the black-hooded parakeet or nanday conure, is a medium-small, mostly green, Neotropical parrot native to continental South America.

<i>Aratinga</i> Genus of birds

Aratinga is a genus of South American conures. Most are predominantly green, although a few are predominantly yellow or orange. They are social and commonly seen in groups in the wild. In Brazil, the popular name of several species usually is jandaia, sometimes written as jandaya in the scientific form.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dusky-headed parakeet</span> Species of bird

The dusky-headed parakeet, also known as Weddell's conure or dusky-headed conure in aviculture, is a small green Neotropical parrot with dusty grey head found in wooded habitats in the western Amazon basin of South America. Its range extends from southeastern Colombia south through eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru and southwest Amazonian Brazil, to central Bolivia. It prefers semiopen habitats such as várzea, forest edge, and forest remnants, but can also be found in coffee plantations. It is generally common and its habitat preference makes it less vulnerable than many other Amazonian species. Consequently, it is considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden parakeet</span> Species of bird

The golden parakeet or golden conure, or the Queen of Bavaria conure is a medium-sized golden-yellow Neotropical parrot native to the Amazon Basin of interior northern Brazil. It is the only species placed in the genus Guaruba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ochre-marked parakeet</span> Species of bird

The ochre-marked parakeet is a species of parrot native to Brazil. It is also known as blue-throated parakeet and red-eared conure in English and tiriba-grande, tiriba, cara-suja and fura-mato-grande in Portuguese. It is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jandaya parakeet</span> Species of bird

The jandaya parakeet or jenday conure is a small Neotropical parrot with green wings and tail, reddish-orange body, yellow head and neck, orange cheeks, and black bill, native to wooded habitats in northeastern Brazil. It is a member of the Aratinga solstitialis complex of parakeets very closely related to, and possibly subspecies of the sun parakeet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caatinga parakeet</span> Species of bird

The Caatinga parakeet, also called the cactus parakeet and in aviculture the cactus conure, is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is endemic to eastern Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarlet-fronted parakeet</span> Species of bird

The scarlet-fronted parakeet, known in aviculture as the scarlet-fronted conure,red-fronted conure, or Wagler's conure, is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pfrimer's parakeet</span> Species of bird

Pfrimer's parakeet is a non-migratory species within the parrot family Psittacidae. It also is known as Pfrimer's conure, Goias parakeet, and maroon-faced conure. The Pfrimer's parakeet has been qualified as endangered by the IUCN and BirdLife International since 2007. It is endemic to the Goiás and Tocantins regions of Brazil. It is mainly found within a belt of dry deciduous and semi-deciduous areas of the Caatinga forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santarem parakeet</span> Species of bird

The Santarém parakeet, also known as Hellmayr's parakeet or in aviculture as Hellmayr's conure or the Santarém conure, is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is found in the eastern and central sections of the Amazon basin south of the Amazon River, only just extending onto the northern bank of this river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun conure</span> Species of bird

The sun conure, also known as the sun parakeet, is a medium-sized, vibrantly colored parrot native to northeastern South America. The adult male and female are similar in appearance, with black beaks, predominantly golden-yellow plumage, orange-flushed underparts and face, and green and blue-tipped wings and tails. Sun conures are very social birds, typically living in flocks. They form monogamous pairs for reproduction, and nest in palm cavities in the tropics. Sun conures mainly feed on fruits, flowers, berries, blossoms, seeds, nuts, and insects. Conures are commonly bred and kept in aviculture and may live up to 30 years. This species is currently threatened by loss of habitat and trapping for plumage or the pet trade. Sun conures are now listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birds of Eden</span> Zoo in Western Cape, South Africa

Birds of Eden is the world's largest free flight aviary and bird sanctuary, located in Kurland village near Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape, South Africa. The mesh dome of the sanctuary was built over 2.3 hectares of indigenous forest, and is up to 55 metres (180 ft) above ground level. 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) of walkways, about 75% of which are elevated, let visitors see the birds at all levels of the aviary.

References

  1. 1 2 3 BirdLife International (2022). "Aratinga auricapillus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T22685710A209378080. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  2. Bochio, Gabriela Menezes; Anjos, Luiz dos (2012). "The Importance of Considering Bird Detectability for Assessing Biological Integrity". Natureza & Conservação. 10 (1): 72–76. doi: 10.4322/natcon.2012.012 . ISSN   1679-0073.
  3. Anjos, Luiz dos (June 2007). "Efficiency of the point count method in bird richness evaluation". Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia. 15: 239–243 via ORCID.
  4. "Golden-capped Parakeet - BirdLife Species Factsheet". BirdLife International (2008). Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  5. 1 2 “Golden-capped Conure”. World Parrot Trust (2021). Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Luís Fábio Silveira, Flávio César Thadeo de Lima, Elizabeth Höfling, A New Species of Aratinga Parakeet (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) from Brazil, With Taxonomic Remarks on the Aratinga Solstitialis Complex, The Auk, Volume 122, Issue 1, 1 January 2005, Pages 292–305, https://doi.org/10.1093/auk/122.1.292
  7. 1 2 Silva, Antonio P. and Melo, Celine “Foraging of the Golden-Capped Parakeet (Aratinga Auricapillus) in the Anthropogenic Landscape in Brazil.” The Neotropical Ornithological Society. 2013.  https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/ON%2024(1)%2055-66.pdf
  8. 1 2 Vitorino, Breno Dias; Rodrigues, Marisa Brandão; Frota, Angélica Vilas Boas da; Avelar, Daniel Moreira de; Rodrigues, Wellington Luiz; Castrillon, Solange Kimie Ikeda; Nunes, Josué Ribeiro da Silva (2018-04-12). "Aves de paisagem rural na região Centro-oeste do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil". Neotropical Biology and Conservation. 13 (1): 62–73. doi: 10.4013/nbc.2018.131.08 . ISSN   2236-3777.
  9. Parrini, Ricardo (1999). "Birds of the Chapada Dimantina, Bahia, Brazil". Continga. 11: 86–95.
  10. Gonzaga, L. P.; Pacheco, J. F.; Bauer, C.; Castiglioni, G. D. A. (September 1995). "An avifaunal survey of the vanishing montane Atlantic forest of southern Bahia, Brazil". Bird Conservation International. 5 (2–3): 279–290. doi: 10.1017/s0959270900001040 . ISSN   0959-2709.