Austral Parakeet

The Austral Parakeet, Austral Conure or Emerald Parakeet, Enicognathus ferrugineus, is a parrot found on the southern tip of South America - further south than any other parrot - ranging as far north as Temuco. It is a fairly large conure, 35cm (2cm more than a Monk or Quaker Parakeet). It is primarily green, lightly barred, with some dull red on the forehead and lores, belly, and upper tail, with the northern part of the range displaying less red.

It occurs mostly in wooded country, but also shrubland and farmland. It stays near sea level in the extreme south, but ranges up to 2000m at the northern end of its range. Flock size is usually only 10-15 individuals, though flocks over 100 are known. It eats grass and bamboo seeds, nuts and small fruit, and nests in tree cavities.

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Reddish-bellied Parakeet

The Reddish-bellied Parakeet is a small parrot found from southeastern Brazil to north-eastern Argentina, including eastern Paraguay and Uruguay. It is also known as the Maroon-bellied Parakeet, and in aviculture it is usually referred to as the Maroon-bellied Conure, Reddish-bellied Conure or Brown-eared Conure.

It has been suggested that the Reddish-bellied Parakeet should include the Blaze-winged Parakeet (P. devillei) as a subspecies based on intermediate specimens from Paraguay. But such hybrids are not common in the wild and the two populations generally maintain their integrity; they are therefore generally considered separate species today.

Description

These birds range from 25 to 28 cm (10-11 in), and are primarily green, with a maroon patch on the belly, a "scaly" yellow-green-barred breast and sides of neck, a whitish ear-patch often tinged brown, and a maroon undertail. The specific name frontalis is a reference to its dark maroon frontlet - a feature which separates it from most similar species. The primaries are blue on the outer webs, green on the inner webs, and dark on the tips. The beak is black.

There are two subspecies, with extensive intergradation where their ranges contact:

• Reddish-bellied Parakeet proper, Pyrrhura frontalis frontalis – Brazil from south Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, and west to Mato Grosso do Sul.

Uppertail greenish-yellow grading into a broad reddish tip.

• Azara's Conure, Pyrrhura frontalis chiripepe – Eastern Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, and far southern Brazil.

Uppertail entirely greenish-yellow.

Another subspecies, kriegi, was described from Bahia in 1932, but today it is universally considered a junior synonym of the nominate subspecies. Distinguished by a narrow brownish-red tip to the tail, it consititutes just a morph or an intermediate genotype making up just 20% of the specimens even in the supposed range. The name Krieg's Conure is occasionally used in aviculture for such birds, and some breed them exclusively; they are of course perfectly interfertile with individuals of the normal morph however.

Ecology

The Reddish-bellied Parakeet is common in woodland, and forest edges. In the northern part of its range, it mainly lives in highlands up to 1,400 m (4,600 ft), but elsewhere it is primarily found in lowlands up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Tolerates disturbance well and even lives in urban parks (e.g., Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo) and feeds in gardens. Flock size is usually only 6-12 individuals, but up to 40. As other members of the genus Pyrrhura, it primarily feeds on fruits, flowers, and similar plant matter; they rarely participate in mixed-species feeding flock.

It is generally common and not considered threatened by the IUCN. Though there is little trade in these parrots, captive-bred birds are occasionally available as pets. Reddish-bellied Parakeets can learn to talk, although not clearly. They are among the quietest conures, but their shrill voices still irritate some people.

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Golden Parakeet

The Golden Parakeet or Golden Conure Guaruba guarouba, is a species of also known as the Neotropical parrots. Sometimes known as the Queen of Bavaria Conure, it is the only species in the genus Guaruba.

Its plumage is mostly bright yellow, hence its common name, but it also possesses green remiges. It lives in the drier, upland rainforests in Amazonian Brazil, and is threatened by deforestation and flooding, and also by the now-illegal trapping of wild individuals for the pet trade. It is a protected species listed on CITES appendix I.

Description

The Golden Parakeet is mainly yellow with green in outer wings and with an all-yellow tail. It has a large horn-coloured beak, pale-pink bare eye-rings, brown irises, and pink legs. Male and female have identical external appearance. Juveniles are duller and have less yellow and more green plumage than the adults. The juvenile's head and neck is mostly green, the back is green and yellow, the upper side of tail is mostly green, the breast is greenish, the eye-rings are pale-grey, and the legs are brown.

Distribution and habitat

The Golden Parakeet is distributed in the northern parts of Brazil. The birds studied for a 1986 study used two different habitats during the year; during the non-breeding season, which coincided with the dry season, they occupied the tall forest. During the breeding season they left the tall forest and entered open areas on the edge of the forest such as fields used in agriculture.

Behavior

Golden Parakeets are a sociable species, living, feeding, sleeping and even breeding together. They eat fruits, flowers, buds, seeds, and cultured maize in the wild. These include the seed of Croton matouensis, which is related to the castor bean plant; Muruci fruit (Byrsonima crispa); mangoes; and Açaí fruits.

Reproduction

The Golden Parakeet has a breeding system that is almost unique amongst parrots, as pairs are aided by a number of helpers which aid in the raising of the young. This behavior is less common with parakeets in captivity, who often abandon their young after three weeks.

After the Golden Parakeet reaches sexual maturity at the age of three years, the breeding season starts in November and runs through February. They nest in a high tree, in deeper than average nesting cavities, and lay an average of four 37.1 x 29.9 millimeter eggs, which they aggressively guard. The incubation period is about 30 days, in which the male and female take turns incubating. In the first few years of sexual maturity, Golden Parakeets tend to lay infertile clutches until the age of six to eight. In captivity, Golden Parakeets will resume breeding when their chicks are taken from them.

At birth, Golden Parakeets are covered in white down that eventually turns darker within a week. By the end of the third week, wing feathers start to develop. Juveniles are playful, but may turn abusive against their peers. Nestlings are preyed upon by toucans, a fact that may explain their social behaviour. Nests are vigorously defended from toucans by several members of the group.

Conservation

The Golden Parakeet is listed on the IUCN Red List as endangered. This is largely due to deforestation and the capture of wild birds for aviculure, where in high demand due to the attractiveness of its plumage. Locally, they are considered as pests for feeding on crops, and are hunted for food or sport.

An example of the displacement of Golden Parakeets by habitat loss comes from the building of the Turucuí Dam, Pará, from 1975-1984. More than 35,000 forest dwellers were forced from what had been a habitat that was considered to be "among the richest and most diversified in the world." In addition, 2,875 square kilometers of rainforest were flooded, and 1600 islands were produced by the flooding, all of which were heavily deforested.

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Training Parakeets

It is commonly known that if you want to have a strong relationship with parakeets, you have to try training parakeets. It is necessary for yours and the parakeet’s happiness to train them to interact with you and trust you because they are intelligent, social and lovable birds who love to interact with you and like nothing more than to sit on your shoulders. You have to be patient and spend a lot of time with the training parakeet process. If you are short in free time, maybe you should re think your situation and if indeed you should purchase a parakeet. The birds should be active members of your family, so do not leave them alone in their cages. If you are devoted to spending some time with your parakeet, letting them live in your home, it will only be a matter of time before they will trust you. The first thing you have to do in training parakeets is to encourage him to get used to your hand. You can start doing this when you change his water or when you feed them by putting your hand slowly inside the cage. At the beginning he might flap after seeing your hands in the cage. It helps if you talk softly to him. It will take time for the bird to calm down after realizing that you do not intend to hurt him. It depends on your patience how much time will be necessary until your bird trusts you.

The second step after your bird is used to your hand, is to make him step up on a perch. This is a very important step before reaching the moment when the bird is not afraid of standing on your finger. You can do this by moving another perch gently from the opposite side of the cage towards the parakeet .This could be done when you put fresh water and food in the cage. For all steps in the training parakeet process it is very important that the room is quiet and there are no other objects or people, distracting his attention. Keep moving the perch slowly closer until you reach his lower chest which is above his legs. If the bird still does not allow you to get closer after a few tries, it is better to stop and continue the next day. When you manage to get the perch next to bird’s belly, push it a little to shake the parakeet and to force him to step up on the perch. It can be accomplished with saying a word, for example “up”, to associate this command with the action. If he still freaks out do not proceed, give him some time. On the contrary he may jump up on the perch easily. You can use the same training parakeet method to transfer him to a steady perch but it is still too early to remove him from the cage. It takes more time and you have to be more patient. After the perch is accepted by the bird, you can start using your finger. Repeat the same training parakeet method again but lay your finger on the top of the perch so that the bird does not realize the difference and after the command, steps onto your finger with the perch underneath. Now you are closer to the last goal of the training parakeet process it is time to make him sit on your finger .Remove the perch and use your finger only. Move it slowly towards the bird. Do not force him. He might easily hop on your finger.

At last your bird is ready to get out of the cage. Birds are curious creatures but do not let them fly free while you are training parakeets. When they are sitting on your finger, move your hand out of the cage. If you feel that the bird is scared, stop at the door for a while. If the bird wants to get back or to step in the doorway, allow him. After a few tries and a few days he will be ready to be outside. Be careful with your bird and to be safe do not let him fly unattended. You will feel pleased after this successful training parakeet session.

Limoeg Veigroeg is owner and editor of http://www.birdscomfort.com and http://www.mybirdcage.com where you can find high quality bird cages. Birds Comfort and My Bird Cage provides detailed information in bird cages sale, as well as hq bird cages, cage covers, bird carriers, HQ play stands, bird perches, bird toys, and bird foods. For more information just visit our www.birdcagesblog.com .

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Stop Parakeet From Screaming, Ways 2 Handle Pet With Care

If you have set your eyes on parakeets to be your pets, you are making a good choice because these are known as intelligent and beautiful animals. You must make sure though that you know the basic things about caring and how to stop parakeet from screaming before you proceed with the purchase. You may want to enjoy the bird as your pet, but you also have to consider the people living with you or near your house. These birds' natural behavior is to scream when they were still living on their original habitat. They do such act in order to call the attention of other birds and as their means of communicating with their own kinds.

There are various things that you must learn more about aside from how to stop parakeet from screaming. If you will be able to be good to your pet, they will definitely reward that with good behavior and may even abide most of the things that you tell them to do. If this is going to happen, you will have fewer problems with their attitude. You will also be able to enjoy their company and be proud that you are the owner.

Here are some basic ideas about proper caring for the birds in order to keep them satisfied and to limit the times that they will resort to making loud noises.

1. You must find time to bond with them or teach your birds some tricks that you want them to follow. This is your opportunity to be close with the bird. This is your chance to start introducing your role as their owner.

2. Make sure that the bird is comfortable in the cage that you have chosen for them. Get the kind of cage that is intended for small birds with cage bars that have narrow gaps. The larger the cage, the better it will be so that the bird will have enough room to move about and open their wings fully. Choose the one that has a swing. It is also advisable to get something with at least two perches. You can attach a cuttlebone on the side of your bird's cage where it can trim its beak whenever it wants to.

3. Your must make sure that you give your bird right amount of food and drink everyday. They will resort to making noises if they get hungry, so make sure that you handle the matter properly. You can buy a good mixture of seeds that are intended for these birds and you can give them with supplements like vitamin drops and bird gravel that can be bought in most pet stores.

4. You have to understand that they get frightened easily. You have to handle them with care and you have to be gentle whenever you try to approach and touch them. Do not make sudden movements and avoid unnecessary noises whenever you are handling your pet. You must be very careful, especially during the first few days that you have brought the bird home. This way, you will be able to gain their trust and you may also succeed to stop parakeet from screaming after some time.

To get free tips on stop a parrot from screaming please visit us at Parrot and Bird Training.

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Train a Parakeet - Train your Parakeet to Talk

Parakeets are small, vibrant and lively birds that can be a wonderful addition to your family. While some parakeets learn to talk without coaching or training, some will require encouragement to get their beaks speaking. Some parakeets only start talking when their owners let them hear specific phrases, words and sounds. If you successfully train a parakeet to talk, you and your family will love your pet even more.

A nourished and well cared pet will more likely demonstrate an interest in repeating sounds as well as talking. A parakeet that is watered, well-fed, and has a mirror and other plaything in his cage is the best aspirant for speech training. This is for the reason that loved pets will want to gain knowledge on how they can communicate effectively with their master and provider.

It's important to note that the male parakeets are distinguished as good talkers. So if you want to have an outspoken pet, it's best to adopt a male parakeet. This doesn't mean that female parakeets just make sounds and do not talk, but in general the female birds are slower in adapting new words and training a female bird might not give you the results you are looking for.

Remember, even if you choose to train a parakeet that is a male, it doesn't give you a guarantee that it will talk. Some parakeets only become skillful in whistling, but talking is not a talent every bird of this kind desires to learn. You should be patient enough to see results. Some breeds of parakeets that are more likely to utter words are the Alexandrine, Australian, English, Plum-head and Ring-necked parakeets. They are also known for having the ability to distinguish individual objects and even people.

Parakeets find it easier to repeat or reiterate words exhibiting hard syllables. You should examine what words are more difficult to speak than others. One of the common phrases parakeets speak is "pretty birdie". This specific phrase encloses hard syllables that make it effortless for talking birds like parakeets to repeat or mimic. You should think of words and phrases containing hard syllables and say them to your bird frequently.

Birds respond well with a dark surrounding. So when you start your training session, you should darken the room to get your parakeet's full attention. Begin saying a phrase or word and repeat it several times. Teach your bird three times a day for about fifteen minutes each. Don't get disappointed if your bird didn't talk immediately. Put in mind that most birds take several days or even weeks before it speak the phrase or word you're teaching.

If you go to work during weekdays, consider making speech training sessions on a recorded tape and leave it to someone who stays in your house. This will not only save you time and effort but the training will be more consistent with this strategy.

If you follow these steps to train a parakeet, your pet will start repeating sounds and words in no time. This will also make your pet the center of attention in your home, making you the proudest mentor ever.

To get free tips on Train a Parakeet please visit us at Parrot and Bird Training.

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Four Tips for Buying Parakeet Cages

Before you actually buy a parakeet and bring him home, you should have a cage already set up for him. As this will be where your new bird spends most of his time, it's important that you pick out the right one. This article will give you a few tips on buying parakeet cages.

Shape

An important consideration to make when choosing a cage is its shape. There are many available shapes you can choose from. It's best to buy a rectangular design. Never buy your bird a round cage because he won't feel safe. He needs a wall to retreat to when he gets spooked.

Material

You will also need to decide what type of material you want the cage made from. Some of the best options include wrought iron and stainless steel. Some cages may be made from brass, lead, zinc, or galvanized steel. You should never buy your 'keet a cage made from one of these materials. Birds love to chew, and the toxic metals will likely kill them.

Size

One of the most important considerations when buying parakeet cages is size. Never buy your bird a cage that's too small for him. At the very least, there should be enough room to allow him to stretch his wings fully without hitting the side of the cage. You should try to buy the biggest cage you can afford.

Bar Spacing

It's vital that you pay attention to the bar spacing of the cage you're interested in buying. The bars should be no more than 1/2-inch apart. You don't want your bird to try to stick his head through the bars and get stuck.

These are a few tips for buying parakeet cages. If this is your first time caring for one of these birds, there are many things you'll need to learn about parakeet care. So, click here now for even more parakeet information that you need to learn.

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Signs of a Sick Parakeet Revealed

If you take care of your bird long enough, chances are he'll get sick sooner or later. Since he will do his best to hide whatever is wrong, it's important that you learn to recognize the signs of a sick parakeet. This article will share a few things to look for.

Droppings

One of the most common symptoms of a health condition is a change in your bird's droppings. It may change color, be watery, or appear looser than usual. Also take note if you every spot seeds in the droppings. However, a change in droppings can sometimes be attributed to a minor cause such as a change in food.

Appetite

Speaking of food, one of the next common signs of a sick parakeet is a change in appetite. You should also be aware of your keet's eating habits. That way, you can easily tell if it changes one day. So, be on the lookout for excessive eating or a reduced appetite. Birds with a reduced appetite will also start losing weight.

Feathers

The appearance of your bird's feathers can also tell you if something is wrong. They shouldn't be ruffled or puffed up for long periods of time. They also shouldn't be discolored.

Discharge

The appearance of discharge can also tell you if there is something wrong with your bird. Sick birds can sometimes produce discharge from their nostrils or eyes. This may also be accompanied by sneezing or eye swelling. These are usually serious symptoms that require prompt veterinary attention.


Breathing

A sick parakeet may also experience difficulty breathing. You should particularly look for rapid breathing, wheezing, or breathing through an open mouth. Some birds will also bob their tail with each breath they take.

These are a few of the most common signs of a sick parakeet. If this is your first time caring for one of these birds, there are many things you'll need to learn about parakeet care. So, click here now for even more parakeet information that you need to learn.

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Four Expert Tips for Taking Care of Parakeet

Parakeets are very popular pets. They're very sociable and playful. They also come in many different colors, so you can easily find the perfect one for you. If you're thinking about buying one of these birds, there are a few things you'll need to know. This article will give you a few tips for taking care of parakeets.

Cage

The type of cage you buy is very important. Make sure that the cage is big enough for your keet to flap its wings completely without hitting the side. Also, the door should be big enough for you to easily reach inside to get your bird out. Although there are cages available in many shapes, it's best to get a rectangular design.

Bathing

When taking care of parakeets, it's important that you bathe them frequently. It's best to do so two or three times each week. Some birds like a dedicated water dish that they can use for bathing. Others like it better if you use a spray bottle to mist water on them. Whichever method your bird uses, make sure he has a bath in the morning. This will give his feathers time to dry off before night.

Trimming

It's important that your bird gets exercise time out of his cage. If you let him out, it's best that you have his wings trimmed so that he can't fly away. You will also need to trim his toe nails periodically whenever they get too sharp. His beak will also get sharp and need to be trimmed with an emery board too.


Companionship

When taking care of parakeets, you should know that they are very sociable. Your bird will feel a lot less lonely if you provide him with another keet to keep him company. However, this will severely reduce the bond that you share with your bird. This is due to the fact that birds would rather bond with each other than humans.

These are a few tips for taking care of parakeets. There are many more things you need to learn about proper parakeet care. So, click here now for even more parakeet information that you need to learn.

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Buying A Parakeet

Parakeets (Melopsittacus undulatus) are one of the most common birds purchased as a pet bird. These delightful pets are usually friendly and relativly easy to handle. Although they can sometimes be difficult to understand, with a little hard work they have been known to mimic our sounds.

Parakeet Facts:

Life span: 10-15 years (up to 20).Origin: Australia. Colors: the normal wild coloration is green with black bars on the wings, back and head.

Determing Sex: The area around the nostirls is called the cere. You can use this as a way to distinguish between males and females. Mature females will have a beige colored cere. Males will have a blue tint to their cere.

Temperment: Known for being a very doscile and friendly bird, they are easily tamed if you aquire them while young. I've found that having more than one parakeet resulted in the parakeets being hard to handle and less vocal. When I have just one parakeet, the bird looked to me for interaction and was much easier to handle and actually could say a few words. I placed a parakeet mirror in the bird cage and was amazed at how much my parakeet played with his own image in the mirror.

Choosing a Parakeet

I highly recommend you choose a young bird that has been handled regularly and has been hand fed. The extra costs you experience buying a hand raised bird will be worth it in the long run. While their is nothing wrong with a store bought parakeet, my experiences have taught me that they are slower to adjust to being handled.


Use the same techniques you would use when buying a pet dog or pet cat. Look for a parakeet that is active and has shining and smooth feathers. A bird that is inactive and its feathers are puffed up may be a sign it is sick. Take note of the birds feet. Make sure the scales are smooth and the nails are in good shape. Don't forget to inspect the birds beak for any problems.

Parakeets are playful and active and do well in large cages. We always kept our parakeets on top of our refrigerator. We bought a cage that would fill the entire top of the frig. Add a couple of rod perches and maybe a bird swing along with your water and feed bowls. Even with a large cage, parakeets need a little time outside of the cage as well. Letting them out once in a while to stretch their wings is a good idea. The exercise is very benefical for your pet bird.

Free Information on bird cages. Also product announcements from PetSafe and Innotek coming soon!

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White-winged Parakeet

The White-winged Parakeet, also known as the Canary-winged Parakeet, is a small parrot native to the Amazon River basin from southeast Colombia to the River’s mouth in Brazil. Caged birds have been released and the birds have established self sustaining populations in Lima, Peru, the Los Angeles, San Francisco, California and Miami, Florida areas of the United States, and in Puerto Rico. Although feral birds are showing some recent declines as nesters in the United States, they seem to be doing well in their native habitat

Description

The White-winged Parakeet is 22 cm in length, and is mostly green in color. It has a trailing yellow edge on its folded wings. Its most distinguished characteristic is the white wing patches most noticed when the bird is in flight. It is closely related to the Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, and the two have often been considered conspecific.

Food and Feeding

The White-winged Parakeet feeds mostly on seeds and fruit in its native habitat, and feral populations have adapted to take in blossoms and nectar. Feral birds will also come to bird feeders. Wild birds primarily use disturbed forest and forest clearings around settlements. It rarely uses deep tropical forest.

Breeding

The White-winged Parakeet usually finds a hole in a tree to nest in. It may also form a nesting tunnel in a dead palm frond.

Clutches usually consist of four to five white eggs, which hatch after about 26 days of incubation. Chicks leave the nest about 45 days after hatching. After raising its young, all birds will form rather large communal roosts until the next breeding season.

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Plain Parakeet

The Plain Parakeet is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to Brazil.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, and heavily degraded former forest.

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Slender-billed Parakeet

The Slender-billed Parakeet, also known as the Slender-billed Conure, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to Chile.

Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

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Sulphur-winged Parakeet

The Sulphur-winged Parakeet also known as the Hoffmann's Conure in aviculture, is a medium-small parrot endemic to humid highland forests and woodlands in Costa Rica and western Panama. It occurs up to 3000 m asl, and locally down to 1300 m in the wet season. It is named for the German naturalist Karl Hoffmann

Description

The Sulphur-winged Parakeet is 23 cm long and weighs 75 g. The adult is mainly green. Scaled with orange-yellow on the head and chest. There is a red spot on the auriculars and the tail is broadly tipped dull red (entirely dull red from below). The outer primaries are blue, but the most obvious feature in flight is the extensive yellow on the inner wing. Young birds are similar to the adults, but duller and with much less yellow in the wing.

Behaviour

The flight call of the Sulphur-winged Parakeet a grating toweet-deet-deet-toweet, and when perched it has a reedy zeeweet.

Food and feeding

Sulphur-winged Parakeet feeds in flocks of 5-15 birds at treetop level, taking various seeds and fruits including figs.

Breeding

The white eggs are laid in an unlined nest cavity 8–20 m high in a tree, which may be an old woodpecker hole or a broken stub.

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Black-capped Parakeet

The Black-capped Parakeet or Rock Parakeet, also known as the Black-capped Conure or Rock Conure in aviculture, is a parrot native to the south-western Amazon Basin and adjacent east Andean slopes in Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. It has a total length of approximately 25 cm, is mostly green with a dark brown-black cap, whitish scaly neck and breast, red wing coverts (upper, not lower - along leading edge) and a black beak. The breast feathers are dark with light tips, rather than the opposite.

It lives in humid forests, ranging from the Amazonian lowlands up to an altitude of 2000 m. on the East Andean slopes. While its habitat is being disturbed, parts of its range are within protected areas (e.g., in Manú National Park), and it remains widespread and locally fairly common. Flock size 20-30, smaller in breeding season.

In the past, some speculated that it might be conspecific with the Green-cheeked Conure. This was based on an apparent Black-capped–Green-cheeked hybrid found in Puno, Peru, though the identification of this individual (or at least its provenance) must be considered questionable, as beyond the range of the Green-cheeked Conure, which has never been recorded in Peru.

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Grey-breasted Parakeet

The Grey-breasted Parakeet is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is endemic to Ceará in north-eastern Brazil and restricted to a few mountains with relatively humid forest and woodland in a region otherwise dominated by arid Caatinga.

Until recently, it was considered a subspecies of the White-eared Parakeet, as Pyrrhura leucotis griseipectus. The split was based on range and subtle differences in colour of crown, ear-coverts and chest. A recent study based on mtDNA has failed to confirm the status of the Grey-breated Parakeet as a species distinct from the White-eared Parakeet, while confirming the species status of Pfrimer's Parakeet.

This parrot is classified as Critically Endangered by BirdLife International. It has an extremely small population and occupies a very small known range. The population is estimated to be less than 250 adult birds.

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Green-cheeked Parakeet

The Green-cheeked Parakeet, is a small parrot of the genus Pyrrhura. The name Green-cheeked Parakeet is primarily used in aviculture, while the name Green-cheeked Conure is used elsewhere. It is mainly green, with short transverse striations on its breast, brown crown, maroon tail, and blue flight feathers. It is native to forests of South America.

Description

The Green-cheeked Parakeet is 26 cm (10 in) long and weighs 60 to 80g. It has a brown crown, white bare eye-rings, green cheeks, blue primary wing feathers, and its long pointed tail is mostly brownish-red. It has short transverse striations on its breast and a red abdominal area. Males and females have an identical external appearance.

Distribution and habitat

The Green-cheeked Parakeet occurs in west-central and southern Mato Grosso, Brazil, through northern and eastern Bolivia to northwestern Argentina and northern Paraguay. Its habitat is forests and woodland, where it usually forms flocks of 10 to 20 individuals at treetop level, or larger flocks where there is plenty of food.

Behaviour

The Green-cheeked Parakeet eats various seeds and fruits and probably other kinds of vegetable matter. The average clutch is 4–6 eggs. Average incubation is 24 days, varying from 22 to 25 days.

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Pearly Parakeet

The Pearly Parakeet, more commonly known as the Pearly Conure in aviculture, is a species of parrot that is endemic to east Amazonian forests in Brazil. Its taxonomic history is potentially confusing. It was formerly known as Pyrrhura perlata, but following a review it was discovered that the type specimen, long believed to belong to this species, actually was a juvenile of the closely related Crimson-bellied Parakeet. Consequently, P. perlata was transferred to that species, while the next name in line for the Pearly Parakeet, P. lepida, became its valid scientific name. While the Pearly Parakeet remains locally fairly common, it has suffered due to extensive habitat destruction, especially in the eastern part of its range where the subspecies coerulescens may be approaching extinction.


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Crimson-bellied Parakeet

The Crimson-bellied Parakeet, more commonly known as the Crimson-bellied Conure in aviculture, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is found in forests in the south-central Amazon Basin in Brazil and Bolivia. It remains locally fairly common, and is consequently considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN. Its taxonomic history is potentially confusing. It was formerly known as Pyrrhura rhodogaster, but following a review it was discovered that the type specimen for P. perlata, long believed to belong to the closely related Pearly Parakeet, actually was a juvenile Crimson-bellied Parakeet. Consequently, P. perlata was transferred to this species, while P. rhodogaster became a junior synonym.


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Ochre-marked Parakeet

The Ochre-marked Parakeet Pyrrhura cruentata also known as Blue-chested Parakeet, Blue-throated Parakeet or Blue-throated Conure is a medium-sized, up to 30 cm long, green parakeet with a dark brown crown, red ear-coverts, green cheek and orange yellow on sides of neck. It has a blue upper chest, yellow green uppertail, red underside tail feathers, greyish bill, blue outer wing feathers, and red shoulder and belly patch. Both sexes are similar. The young is duller than adult.

One of the largest among Pyrrhura parakeets, the Ochre-marked Parakeet is endemic to lowland humid forests of coastal areas of southeastern Brazil. The diet consists mainly of tree-fruits, seeds, flowers and berries. It nests in a tree cavity. The female usually lays between two to four eggs.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range, small population size and illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade, the Ochre-marked Parakeet is evaluated as Vulnerable on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix I and II of CITES.

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