 |
| Pacific parrotlet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| in Ecuador | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Genus: | Forpus |
| Species: | F. coelestis |
| Binomial name | |
| Forpus coelestis (Lesson, 1847) | |
 | |
The Pacific parrotlet (Forpus coelestis), also known as Lesson's parrotlet, or the celestial parrotlet, is a species of small parrot in the family Psittacidae.
The Pacific parrotlet (Forpus coelestis) is a small green parrot originating from South America. A typical specimen is 11–14 centimetres (4.3–5.5 in) long and typically weighs 30 grams or more. Wild Pacific parrotlets are green with a dusty grey cast over the body, a bright green mask and a pinkish beak. Legs and feet are pinkish-grey. Pacific parrotlets are sexually dimorphic: males possess shades of blue on their wings. Blue can vary in intensity from a bright cobalt blue to a pale, almost lavender shade of blue on American birds; the blue is almost non-existent on marbled birds, only being visible on the underside of the wing right on the joint. Male parrotlets also have blue streaks behind the eyes which is often referred to as "eyeshadow;" as well as blue rumps. Female parrotlets have no blue on the wings whatsoever but can have blue eye streaks as well as a blue rump.
Parrotlets are often referred to as pocket parrots because of their size; but they are known for their larger-than-life personalities and feisty attitudes. They are solitary birds in captivity due to their aggressive behavior towards other birds when confined, so it is not suggested to house one with conspecifics unless ample space is available. Pet parrotlets should never be kept with other bird species due to the likelihood of aggression.
Although the base, or wild-type color of parrotlets is green, they also come in a rainbow of mutations: American Yellow, Green Marbled, American Yellow Marbled, Green Fallow, Green Fallow Marbled, American Yellow Fallow, American Yellow Marbled Fallow, Blue, American White, Blue Marbled, American White Marbled, Blue Fallow, American White Fallow, Blue Marbled Fallow, American White Marbled Fallow, Turquoise, American Turquoise, Turquoise Marbled, American Turquoise Marbled, Turquoise Fallow, American Turquoise Fallow, Turquoise Fallow Marbled, American Turquoise Fallow Marbled, Grey, American Grey, Grey Marbled, American Grey Marbled, Grey Fallow, American Grey Fallow, Grey Fallow Marbled, American Grey Fallow Marbled, Albino, Lutino Creamino, Cinnamon, Misty, Dark Factor, and Pied. "Dilute" is a term not used in parrotlets. "Pastel" was previously a term used for edging on the feathers and wings; however, the preferred term is Marbled.
Wild Pacific parrotlets are native to western Ecuador and northwestern Peru. [2] [3] Most common in dry habitats such as the desert and deciduous forest, but have spread into humid areas in response to deforestation. [4] Pacific parrotlets have also been reported in the middle Marañón valley. [3] In 2014 a small flock of Pacific parrotlets was reported near the Rio Mataje in Nariño, southwestern Colombia. [3]
They are abundant across their range; populations are relatively undisturbed by human activity. [5] Pacific parrotlets are found living in flocks from 40 to 50, on the borders of W lowlands and foothills, woodlands, shrubby clearings, gardens, parks, and crops (Restall & Freile, 2019, p. 208). [6] Pacific parrotlets typically live in subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest. Pacific parrotlets are non-migratory, meaning they stay in the same area year-round. [2]
The Pacific parrotlet is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. [1] The number of mature individuals in the wild is not known, but population size seems to be stable.
Pacific parrotlets are found living in flocks from 40 to 50 (Restall & Freile, 2019, p. 208). [6] Calls are high-pitched and rapid "tchit"; in flock situations this produces a constant chattering. [8] [9] In captivity they are best kept as a pair in a large cage and separate from other birds, as they are very social birds that need constant same species companionship, but at the same time they are very aggressive toward other birds and often fight and even kill one another or other species of birds. The cage must be big enough that the weaker bird in the pair can fly away from confrontation when conflict arises.
When initially introducing two individual birds to become a pair, this must be done gradually over a longer period of time. At first the birds should live in separate cages in the same room, after a while; careful and supervised time together out of the cage, and lastly when a friendship has formed; moving into the large cage for the pair. Preferably none of the birds should have lived in the large cage prior, since this can spark territorial aggression.
Pacific parrotlets are very protective of their eggs and chicks. Each clutch has 4–6 white eggs, which are incubated for an average of 18 days. In the wild they nest in tree cavities or on fence posts. [2] They have also been observed to nest in abandoned nests of necklaced spinetails and pale-legged horneros. [5]
Pacific parrotlets tend to feed on berries and cactus fruits, but are not picky in their feeding. [5] In captivity, parrotlets eat many fruits, seeds, vegetables, and herbs. [2]
While in captivity, Pacific parrotlets thrive on a variety diet, some staples may include but are not limited to offerings of quinoa, millet, broccoli, beetroot, oats, bellpepper, brown rice, apples, and pomegranate seeds. This can also be combined into the form of "chop" and blended and frozen for future use. [10]
Infant parrotlets will feed on a prepared mixture of hatchling hand feeding formula, and must be supervised and assisted when under a month old. Older birds will gradually develop an appetite for a more seed or pellet based diet, which should always be supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables.
This species is not very common in pet stores and is valued by breeders. Its normal price range is $250 all the way up to US$1200. Since 1930 the U.S. has had an established breeding population in captivity, before CITES laws preventing importing wildlife from foreign countries. In the wild, the average lifespan for Pacific parrotlets is 10.4 years. [11] Captive Pacific parrotlets can be expected to live up to 25 years [2] with good care, proper breeding, and regular veterinary examinations, although individuals may have shorter or longer life spans due to poor breeding practices.
Pacific parrotlets, like many larger parrot species, can learn to "speak", or mimic, though their "voices" are not as clear as larger birds. Their vocabulary is relatively limited compared to larger parrots, although they have been known to learn a few words and phrases.
The species is well known among parrotlet breeders and owners as being feisty and curious despite their small size. [12]
The budgerigar, also known as the common parakeet, shell parakeet or budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot. Budgies are the only species in the genus Melopsittacus. Naturally, the species is green and yellow with black, scalloped markings on the nape, back, and wings. Budgies are bred in captivity with colouring of blues, whites, yellows, greys, and even with small crests. Juveniles and chicks are monomorphic, while adults are told apart by their cere colouring, and their behaviour.
The cockatiel, also known as the weero/weiro or quarrion, is a medium-sized parrot that is a member of its own branch of the cockatoo family endemic to Australia. They are prized as household pets and companion parrots throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed compared to other parrots. As a caged bird, cockatiels are second in popularity only to the budgerigar.
The Senegal parrot is a parrot which is a resident breeder across a wide range of west Africa. It makes migrations within west Africa, according to the availability of the fruit, seeds and blossoms which make up its diet. It is considered a farm pest in Africa, often feeding on maize or millet. It is popular in aviculture.
The blue-fronted amazon, also called the blue-fronted parrot, the turquoise-fronted amazon and the turquoise-fronted parrot, is a South American species of amazon parrot and one of the most common amazon parrots kept in captivity as a pet or companion parrot. Its common name is derived from the distinctive blue/turqoise marking on its head just above its beak.
Parrotlets are a group of the smallest New World parrot species, comprising several genera, namely Forpus, Nannopsittaca, and Touit. They have stocky builds and short tails and are endemic to Middle and South America. They resemble the lovebirds of Africa in size, body shape and behaviour and have sometimes been referred to as "South American lovebirds", but are not closely related.
The white-fronted amazon also known as the white-fronted parrot, or spectacled amazon parrot, is a Central American species of parrot. They can imitate a range from 30 to 40 different sounds. Like other large parrots, the white-fronted parrot has a long potential life span, usually around 40 years.
The green-rumped parrotlet, also known as the green-rumped parakeet, is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae that is found in northeastern South America and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. The green-rumped parrotlet occurs from northern Venezuela eastwards to the lower Amazon in Brazil, Also Suriname and has been introduced to Curaçao, Jamaica and Barbados. It prefers semi-open lowland areas and is also sometimes present in city parks. There are five subspecies.
The turquoise parrot is a species of parrot in the genus Neophema native to Eastern Australia, from southeastern Queensland, through New South Wales and into North-Eastern Victoria. It was described by George Shaw in 1792. A small lightly built parrot at around 20 cm (7.9 in) long and 40 g in weight, it exhibits sexual dimorphism. The male is predominantly green with more yellowish underparts and a bright turquoise blue face. Its wings are predominantly blue with red shoulders. The female is generally duller and paler, with a pale green breast and yellow belly, and lacks the red wing patch.
The blue-headed racket-tail, also known as the Palawan racket-tail and locally as kinawihan, is a parrot found in the western Philippines around Palawan. The species was formerly considered conspecific with the blue-crowned racket-tail. It is locally known as 'kilit'. It inhabits humid lowland forest in small flocks. It is threatened by habitat destruction and limited trapping for the cage-bird trade.
The blue-fronted parrotlet is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.
The blue-winged parrot, also known as the blue-banded parakeet or blue-banded grass-parakeet, is a small parrot found in Tasmania and southeast mainland Australia. It is partly migratory, with populations of blue-winged parrots travelling to Tasmania for the summer. The parrot is sexually dimorphic – the males have more blue on the wings and a two-toned blue frontal band on the head, while females are duller and have more green on the wings and a wingbar. Both sexes have predominantly olive-green plumage. Predominantly a feeder on the ground, the blue-winged parrot mainly eats seeds of grasses. It adapts readily to captivity.
The cobalt-rumped parrotlet or blue-winged parrotlet is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae.
Forpus is a genus of neotropical parrots in the family Psittacidae. It is the only genus in the Forpini tribe of the subfamily Arinae.
The spectacled parrotlet is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae.
The Mexican parrotlet, also known as the turquoise-rumped parrotlet or the Mexican blue-rumped parrotlet, is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae.
The dusky-billed parrotlet, also known as Sclater's parrotlet, is a small species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is the nominate species.
The yellow-faced parrotlet is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae.
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.
The turquoise-winged parrotlet is a species of parrot in the family Pscittacidae.
The riparian parrotlet or large-billed parrotlet is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae.
