Blue-headed pionus
The blue-headed parrot, also known as the blue-headed pionus (Pionus menstruus ) is a medium-sized parrot of about 27 cm in length. The body is mostly green, with a blue head and neck, and red undertail coverts. It is a resident in tropical and subtropical South America and southern Central America, from Costa Rica, Venezuela and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Brazil.
Its habitat is forest and semi-open country, including cultivated areas. It is largely restricted to humid or semi-humid regions, but locally extends into drier habitats, at least along rivers. The blue-headed parrot lays three to five white eggs in a tree cavity.
Blue-headed parrots are noisy birds and make light, high-pitched squeaking sweenk calls. They eat fruit and seeds, and sometimes grain. They roost communally in palm and other trees, and large numbers can be seen at the roost sites at dawn and dusk.
Blue-headed pionus parrots are popular as pets. Compared to other parrot species (Amazons for example) they are very quiet. They are affectionate, but not known for their talking ability.
The Blue-headed parrot, also known as the Blue-headed pionus is a medium-sized colorful parrot native to South America and southern Central America. It is mainly green with a blue head, neck and upper breast, red undertail coverts, and some yellowish on the wing coverts. The upper mandible is black with reddish areas on both sides. The male and the female are alike, and juvenile birds have less blue on the head, as well as red or pinkish feathers around the beak.
Blue-headed parrots are residents in tropical and subtropical South America and southern Central America, from Costa Rica, Venezuela and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Brazil. They inhabit forest and semi-open country, including cultivated areas. These birds prefer humid or semi-humid regions, but can also be found in drier habitats, at least along rivers.
Blue-headed parrots are noisy birds and make light, high-pitched squeaking 'sweenk' calls. They are highly gregarious and roost communally in the palm and other trees; large numbers of these bright and energetic birds can be seen at the roost sites usually at dawn and dusk. During the day Blue-headed parrots spend time in small groups, however, with the start of the breeding season they fly in large flocks and every morning travel long distances from their nesting sites to feeding areas.
Blue-headed parrots are herbivores (frugivores, granivores). They feed on fruit, seeds, flowers, and sometimes grain.
Little is known about the mating season in Blue-headed parrots. However, most parrot species are monogamous and pairs mate for life. These birds nest in tree cavities and lay 3 to 5 white eggs. Females incubate their eggs for about 26 days and the chicks leave the nest about 70 days after hatching. The young become independent at 3 months of age and reach reproductive maturity when they are 2-4 years old.
In some areas of their range, Blue-headed parrots suffer from habitat loss due to deforestation and from illegal trade.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Blue-headed parrot total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.