Sulphur-breasted parakeet | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittacidae |
Genus: | Aratinga |
Species: | A. maculata |
Binomial name | |
Aratinga maculata (Statius Müller, 1776) | |
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Synonyms | |
Aratinga pintoiSilveira, de Lima & Höfling, 2005 Contents |
The sulphur-breasted parakeet (Aratinga maculata), or sulphur-breasted conure [3] is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. [4] It is found in Brazil and Suriname. [5] It resembles the closely related sun parakeet (A. solstitialis). [6]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet was originally described as Psittacus maculatus. [7] For many years the early specimens were thought to be immature sun parakeets or hybrids, and the current specific epithet maculata was thought to be invalid. A 2005 paper described what was thought to be a new species A. pintoi but in 2009 the "new" species was determined to be the previously described A. maculata. [6] [8] The reclassification was widely accepted but not without some dissent. [9]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet is about 30 cm (12 in) long and weighs about 110 g (3.9 oz). The sexes are alike. The adults' crown and mantle are pale greenish yellow. Their wing coverts range from yellow through green to deep blue; the flight feathers are also deep blue on their upper side. Their tail's upper side is mostly green, with blue tips on the inner feathers and progressively more blue outwards to the entirely blue outermost pair. Their head below the crown and their underparts are mostly yellow, with orange through the eye and on small areas of the belly and flanks. The undersides of their flight feathers and tail are blackish gray. Their iris is dark gray surrounded by bare bluish gray skin, their bill black, and their legs and feet dark brownish. Juveniles have a green head, mantle, and wing coverts. The species closely resembles the sun parakeet but has less orange and more green. [10] [11]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet has two disjunct ranges. It is found in Brazil's Pará state north of the lower Amazon River between the Maicuru and Paru rivers, and also in Suriname's Sipaliwini Savanna. [10] [12] It probably also occurs in the Brazilian state of Amapá but has not been confirmed there. [13]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet inhabits open to semi-open landscapes, typically those with sandy soils and scattered trees and bushes. It also occurs in gallery forest, and occasionally in orchards. [10] [11] In elevation it ranges as high as 1,400 m (4,600 ft). [1]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet is generally a year-round resident but does make some local movements. [10]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet typically forages singly and also in groups of up to about 10 individuals. It feeds on fruit, seeds, and flowers. [10]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet nests in tree cavities. Active nests have been found in April and September; both were in dead Hymenaea trees and one of them contained a single egg. Nothing else is known about the species' breeding biology in the wild. [10]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet's call has been described as a "high-pitched shrill screech of 2–3 notes, 'screek screek screek' " [10] , and also as a "sharp, very high shrieking, like 'eeuwt-uht-uht' " [11] .
The IUCN has assessed the sulphur-breasted parakeet as being of Least Concern. Though it has a somewhat limited range and its population size is not known, the latter is believed to be increasing. Deforestation is a potential threat but might instead be beneficial to the species if it is not excessive or too rapid, as it may expand its range into opened areas. It does not appear to be greatly affected by capture for the pet trade. [1] It is thought to be fairly common in both of its ranges. [10]
The sulphur-breasted parakeet is almost never seen in captivity outside of Brazil, where it is sometimes kept as a pet or exhibited in zoos. [3] Captive sulphur-breasted parakeets lay a clutch of 3-4 eggs, which are incubated for 24-25 days, with the young fledging after 7-8 weeks. [3]
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, and one of only three parrot species native to the United States. The others are the thick-billed parrot, now extirpated, and the green parakeet, still present in Texas; a fourth parrot species, the red-crowned amazon, is debated. 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.
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.
The green-cheeked parakeet, also sometimes known as the green-cheeked 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 Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
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.
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 to Curacao in the southern caribbean, and to the northern region of Argentina. They inhabit savanna-like habitats, woodland and forest margins, but avoid dense humid forest such as the Amazon.
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 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.
The sulphur-winged parakeet, also known as Hoffmann's 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 Costa Rica and Panama.
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.
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.
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.
The vulturine parrot is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is endemic to Brazil.
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.
The peach-fronted parakeet, known as the peach-fronted 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 Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Suriname.
The golden-capped parakeet 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.
The mitred parakeet, also known as the mitred conure in aviculture, is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is native to Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. It has been introduced to Uruguay and is established there. There are also substantial populations in the US states of California and Florida and smaller numbers in Hawaii.
The brown-throated parakeet, also known as the St. Thomas conure or brown-throated conure in aviculture, is a species of bird in the subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, the northern mainland of South America, and islands off the South American coast.
The red-throated parakeet, called red-throated 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 El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
The caica parrot is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
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.