[order] PSITTACIFORMES | [family] Psittacidae | [latin] Triclaria malachitacea | [authority] Spix, 1824 | [UK] Blue-bellied Parrot | [FR] Caique a ventre bleu | [DE] Blaubauch-Papagei | [ES] Loro de Vientre Azul (Arg) | [NL] Paarsbuikparkiet | [copyright picture] Birdlife
Subspecies
Monotypic species
Genus
The Blue-bellied Parrot or Purple-bellied Parrot (Triclaria malachitacea) is the only species in its genus. It is generally considered endemic to the humid Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, but there are two unconfirmed records from Misiones in Argentina. It occurs up to 1000m
Physical charateristics
Medium-sized, bright green parrot. Male has broad blue belly-patch. Rounded tail. Somewhat large, horn-coloured bill. Pale, bare eye-ring. Female generally paler. Amazona spp. are larger with shorter tails, and female Pileated Parrot Pionopsitta pileata is smaller.
Listen to the sound of Blue-bellied Parrot
[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/PSITTACIFORMES/Psittacidae/sounds/Blue-bellied Parrot.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
recorded by Bob Planque
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 28 | cm | size max.: | 30 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 27 | days | incubation max.: | 30 | days |
| fledging min.: | 35 | days | fledging max.: | 45 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 3 | ||
| eggs max.: | 4 |
Range
South America : Southeast Brazil. Mostly in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, south-east Brazil. There are additional records from south Bahia (none since 1833), Minas Gerais (a few doubtful records), EspSanto (recently from four or five sites), Parana (three recent records) and Santa Catarina (recently from three sites). Two records from Misiones, Argentina, require confirmation.
Habitat
Population sizes poorly known due to its retiring habits, but evidently rare with pairs well spaced and at low densities. Humid broadleaf forests along the escarpment, which are now severely fragmented. Forest interior where it often occupies lower strata. Individuals are able to disperse among habitat patches using narrow corridors and crossing small open areas. From 300m up to 1000 m.
Reproduction
Nests in natural cavities in primary forest remnants. Blue-bellied parrots can be found in small groups or pairs. Pairs become strongly territorial during the breeding season from August to February and neighbouring pairs? nests may be as much as two kilometres apart. Nests are constructed in the natural hollows of old large trees, often in a palm trunk relatively low to the ground. In captivity, clutches of two to four eggs are usual, which are incubated for 28 days, and the nestling period apparently lasts five to seven weeks.
Feeding habits
The blue-bellied parrot has a varied diet that includes the seeds, fruits, flowers, nectar and buds of many native plants, as well as occasionally taking cultivated maize and perhaps insects. Captive birds have also been observed feeding on bark, leaves and algae growing on wood
Video Blue-bellied Parrot
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuFA5UB0FdI
copyright: Josep del Hoyo
Conservation
This species is listed as Near Threatened because it is suspected to be declining moderately rapidly owing to habitat loss and capture for the cagebird trade.
There has been extensive habitat loss for agricultural conversion, urbanisation and intensive palmito collecting. Even the moister valleys in the Serra do Mar are under conversion to banana plantations on the lower slopes. In Rio Grande do Sul, cutting for fuelwood to cure tobacco is fragmenting habitat. During the mid-1980s, small numbers were found in international trade. There is some internal trade but captive birds are rare. Although it is still targeted for the cagebird trade and there is some loss of habitat, even within protected areas, the species appears to persist in moderately disturbed habitats and is apparently not declining rapidly.
There has been extensive habitat loss for agricultural conversion, urbanisation and intensive palmito collecting. Even the moister valleys in the Serra do Mar are under conversion to banana plantations on the lower slopes. In Rio Grande do Sul, cutting for fuelwood to cure tobacco is fragmenting habitat. During the mid-1980s, small numbers were found in international trade. There is some internal trade but captive birds are rare. Although it is still targeted for the cagebird trade and there is some loss of habitat, even within protected areas, the species appears to persist in moderately disturbed habitats and is apparently not declining rapidly.
Migration
Resident with some altitudinal displacements, probably in search of food.
Distribution map
