Bonapartes Parakeet (Pyrrhura lucianii)

Bonapartes Parakeet

Subspecies

Monotypic species

Genus

The genus Pyrrhura includes a rich set of small to medium-sized species of parakeets, mostly confined to dense habitats in South America. Also, they inhabit dry as well as tall rainforests which occur from sea level up to 2000m. These birds exploit several tree species and use a variety of food items, from nectar to pure seeds. All have long, pointed tails, a mainly green plumage, and a relatively narrow, dark greyish to white eye-ring. Many have scaly or barred chest-patterns and a whitish, pale grey, buff or reddish ear-patch. They typically move around in small, noisy flocks, flying swiftly at or below canopy level. Once settled in a tree they tend to be silent (especially if aware of danger) and difficult to spot. They nest in a tree-crevice.

Physical charateristics

Both adults mainly green in colour; dark brown crown to nape; dark red/brown frons, lores and face; yellow/brown ear coverts; off-white/yellow scalloping on dull green breast; green bend of wing; brown/red patch in middle of abdomen; brown/red tail turning to green toward base. Bill dark grey. Eye ring bare and off-white. Eye brown.

wingspan min.:	0	cm	wingspan max.:	0	cm
size min.:	22	cm	size max.:	24	cm
incubation min.:	0	days	incubation max.:	0	days
fledging min.:	0	days	fledging max.:	0	days
broods:	1		eggs min.:	5
			eggs max.:	7

Range

South America : West Amazonia. The Bonaparte’s Parakeet occurs in western Amazonian Brazil, along the south bank of the Amazon and in the drainage of the Rio Purus.

Habitat

Found up to 800m (2624 ft) in terra firme and varzea forests, including forest margins and nearby clearings with tall trees. The Bonaparte’s Parakeet is widespread and fairly common in lowland evergreen forest, but the biology of this species is very poorly known.

Reproduction

The nest is most likely placed in a tree cavity, clutch size estaimated at 5-7 eggs.

Feeding habits

It is social and typically seen in pairs or groups. It feeds on fruits, seeds and flowers.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,900,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population size criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., less than 10,000 mature individuals in conjunction with appropriate decline rates and subpopulation qualifiers), even though the species is described as ‘uncommon’ in at least parts of its range (Stotz et al. 1996). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e., declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
The taxonomy and nomenclature of Pyrrhura parakeets can be complicated; the taxonomic status of Bonaparte’s Parakeet is a good example of this confusing state of affairs. The Bonaparte’s Parakeet for many decades was classified as a subspecies of the Painted Parakeet (Pyrrhura picta), although some authors had suggested that brown headed lucianii was the immature plumage of the red-headed taxon otherwise called roseifrons. Provisionally Bonaparte’s now is recognized as a distinct species, but questions remain over its phylogenetic relationships to neighboring species, especially to the Rose-fronted Parakeet (Pyrrhura roseifrons) and the Santarem Parakeet (Pyrrhura amazonum).

Bonapartes Parakeet status Least Concern

Migration

Probably resident. They are social parrots that are typically seen in pairs during the breeding season or groups of 5 to 12 birds when they are not in breeding mode. Occasionally larger flocks can be seen at favored feeding sites or clay banks.

Distribution map

Bonapartes Parakeet distribution range map

Planet of Birds