Grey-cheeked Parakeet
Fire Wing Parakeet
The fire wing Parakeet ( Brotogeris pyrrhoptera ) is a type of Neuweltpapageien. It occurs only in a very small area of distribution in South America. The species is classified by the IUCN as endangered ( endangered ).
Appearance
The fire wing Parakeet reaches a body length of 20 centimeters. As with all parakeets beak narrow the plumage is predominantly green. The apex and the back of the head are bluish. The forehead, the neck, the reins, ear-coverts and cheeks, however, are light gray. The plumage of the neck, chest, abdomen and legs is greenish yellow. The back and upper tail-coverts are dark green. The eponymous under wing-coverts and flanks are bright orange.
The beak is light horn color. The eye ring is naked and whitish. The iris is dark brown. The feet are flesh-colored.
Area of distribution, inventory, and behavior
The distribution area of the fire wing parakeet is very small and extends from southwestern Ecuador to the extreme northwestern Peru. It covers only 9,300 square kilometers. The stocks have declined dramatically since the 1980s. The IUCN estimates that only 15,000 fire wing parakeets occur in the wild. Cause of stock decline is an excessive fishing for the bird trade. Alone 1983-1988 approximately 60,000 fire wing parakeets in the bird trade. To what extent is also a habitat destruction also plays a role, however, is unclear. In the population decline may also plays a role that the fire wing parakeet is pursued in places as an agricultural pest.
The habitat of the fire wing parakeet are deciduous forests and dry bushland of the tropical zone. The reproductive period falls within the period from January to August. However, the peak of the breeding season are the months from January to March, which coincides with the rainy season. Fire wing parakeets live in pairs or in small flocks. They eat seeds, fruits and flowers. To their food spectrum also includes corn and bananas, so they occasionally occur in cultivated land.
Attitude in captivity
Fire Wing Parakeets were first imported to Europe in 1862. The present affirmed succeeded in 1898 in Denmark. They were often imported, especially in the 1980s, which led to the strong population declines throughout their range. When the imported birds are often negotiated by young birds that had been reared by the Indians of Peru and Ecuador by hand. The so -reared fire wing parakeets proved to be extremely tame in the attitude which contributed to the popularity of the fire wing parakeet in the ornamental bird attitude.