Overview
Mitred Parakeet: This fairly large green parakeet has a red forehead grading into scattered bright red feathers on the crown, face, cheek, and at times on the bend in the wing. Its dull green underparts are faintly washed olive, the hooked bill is dull yellow, and the legs and feet are gray. It feeds on fruits, berries and nuts. It has a fast direct flight with rapid wing beats. Sexes are similar.
Range and Habitat
Mitred Parakeet: In its native range occurs in mountain valleys in a narrow band from southern Peru to northern Argentina. Populations of escaped birds also established in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, and south Florida. Prefers dry subtropical forest, but also uses cultivated areas and grasslands with scattered trees. Frequently found near rocky cliffs.
African and New World Parrots (Psittacidae)
ORDER
The taxonomic order PSITTACIFORMES (pronounced sit-uh-suh-FORM-eez) is composed of three families; the cockatoos, New Zealand parrots such as the Kea, and parakeets and parrots.
FAMILY TAXONOMY
The Psittacidae (pronounced sit-UH-suh-dee), a family of nearly worldwide occurrence, includes three hundred and forty-eight species of parrots and parakeets in seventy-seven genera.
NORTH AMERICA
Fifty-four species of parrots and parakeets in fifteen genera have been recorded in North America (including two extinct species, the Carolina Parakeet and Cuban Macaw). Sixteen groups fall into this family found in North America that include conures, amazons, and macaws.
KNOWN FOR
African and New World Parrots are known for their distinctive bill shape, intelligence, and popularity as pets. The Yellow-headed Parrot is especially popular in this regard as it readily learns to repeat human speech. Unfortunately, this trait has made it such a popular cage bird that wild populations have become highly endangered because of capture for the pet trade.
PHYSICAL
African and New World Parrots are small to large in size. Although all share a short, sharply decurved bills, and have fairly short legs with strong “zygodactyl” toes (two facing forward and two facing backward), the overall shape of these birds differs considerably among groups. For example, the macaws and parakeets sport long, pointed tails and wings, while most of the parrots have square-shaped, short or medium length tails and fairly broad wings.
COLORATION
African and New World Parrots are colorful birds with predominately green plumage. Red and yellow patches are often found on the heads, wings, and tails, while some species also have blue or gray coloration.
GEOGRAPHIC HABITAT
In the United States and Canada, most members of this family occur as populations that escaped from captivity. Most of these persist in cities with mild climates and fruiting plants (many of which are also introduced species) that provide them with food.
MIGRATION
In North America, African and New World Parrots are non-migratory.
HABITS
African and New World Parrots are highly social birds typically occurring in flocks. They form strong pair bonds with individual pairs often discernible even when associating with other birds. Members of this family use their strong bills to crack open seeds and feed on fruits. When searching for fruiting and seeding trees, parrots fly high overhead, giving frequent screeching vocalizations. Upon flying into a tree, though, they go quiet and seem to “disappear” as their green plumage blends in with the foliage.
CONSERVATION
Several members of this family are endangered in various parts of the world due to habitat loss and capture for the pet trade.
INTERESTING FACTS
New world parrots tend to originate from rainforest habitats which is different from the Old world parrots that come from dryer habitats. It is suggested that disease might affect new world parrots and old world parrots differently.