General

Black-hooded Parakeet: Medium-sized parakeet, green overall with black head and chin and yellow eye-ring. Has a blue wash on throat and breast and deep blue outer webs on flight feathers and tips of tail feathers. Flight and tail feathers show gray undersides. Cheeks and underwing linings are pale yellow-green. Rump is pale yellow. Feet are pink with red feathers on legs. Bill is black. Iris is dark brown. Immature has less blue on throat and breast and shorter tail.

Range and Habitat

Black-hooded Parakeet: Native of southeastern Bolivia, southern Mato Grosso, Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina in the provinces of Formosa, Chaco, and occasionally Santa Fe; introduced to California, Florida, Hawaii, Texas, New York, and Puerto Rico. Preferred habitats include savannahs, palm forests, deciduous canyons, and agricultural areas.

Breeding and Nesting

Black-hooded Parakeet: Two to five white eggs are laid in a tree cavity, with no material added to the nest. Incubation ranges from 21 to 23 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Black-hooded Parakeet: Eats seeds, fruits, berries, and nuts. Feeds at feeders and seems to enjoy sunflower seeds; forages in groups, screeching loudly while flying to new feeding areas.

Readily Eats

Berries, Nuts, Fruit, Seeds

Vocalization

Black-hooded Parakeet: Emits a repetitive call of "kree-ah-kree-ah."

Similar Species

Black-hooded Parakeet: None in range.