Nombre en español: Periquito Coronirrojo

Nombre en inglés: Rose-headed Parakeet

Nombre científico: Pyrrhura rhodocephala

Familia: Psittacidae

El Periquito Coronirrojo, perico cabeza roja (Pyrrhura rhodocephala) es una especie de ave en la familia Psittacidae.

Perico verde con larga cola roja, prominentes parches alares blancos, anillo ocular del mismo color y plumas auriculares y coronarias rojas. Mayormente observado volando, comiendo fruta o posándose silenciosamente en los árboles siempre en grandes bandadas. Es común en bosques nublados y en bordes de bosque. Su canto es similar a la de otros pericos relacionados. En vuelo, se parece a Red-eared Parakeet (Pyrrhura hoematotis) pero este carece parches alares blancos y de corona roja, de todas maneras, los rangos de distribución de estas especies casi no se solapan.

Distribución y hábitat

Su hábitat natural son los bosques montanos húmedos subtropicales o selvas nubladas de los estados Mérida, Táchira y Trujillo, registrada para Colombia en la zona de amortiguación del Parque del Tama en Norte de Santander vista por el Biólogo Axel Friedman y luego confirmada por el Biólogo Alberto Peña en compañía de Juan David Ramirez, gracias al apoyo de Doña Aura y Don Luis, campesinos de la zona.

Rose-crowned parakeet

The rose-crowned parakeet (Pyrrhura rhodocephala), also known as the rose-headed parakeet, rose-crowned conure or rose-headed conure (perico cabeza roja or cotorra coronirroja in Spanish and conure tête-de-feu in French), is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae and genus Pyrrhura.

Its natural habitat is the subtropical humid montane forests or cloud forests of the states of Mérida, Táchira and Trujillo, registered for Colombia in a zone of the Tama Park in Norte de Santander seen by Biologist Axel Friedman and later confirmed by Biologist Alberto Peña in the company of Juan David Ramirez, thanks to the support of Doña Aura and Don Luis, farmers in the area.

Taxonomy

The rose-crowned parakeet was first described by Philip Sclater and Osbert Salvin in 1871.

Description

The rose-crowned parakeet is a small parrot, measuring 24 cm long with a wing length of 13 to 14.2 cm, tail 9.7 to 11.5 cm, and bill 1.6 to 1.8 cm long, with a tarsus length of 1.4 to 1.6 cm. As an adult it is mainly green; its bright red cap and white primary coverts (blue in juveniles) help to distinguish it from all other long-tailed, small parrot species in South America. It has blue primaries and a red tail and the sexes are alike. No other members of the genus Pyrrhura occur in its range. The painted parakeet also has red on its head but has bold, scaly patterns on its breast and throat.^[2] The bare skin around the eye is white.

Distribution and habitat

 Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest, at elevations of 800 m to 3,100 m asl, but mostly at 1,500–2,500 m. It can also be found in farmland with scattered trees and at the forest edge.

Its estimated extent of occurrence is 17,000 km². In 1988 it was assessed for the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened, updated to Lower Risk in 2000 and Least Concern since 2004; in 2002 it was described as «fairly common.» A reported population decline caused by deforestation had not become problematic as of 2010, but Parr and Juniper considered that in a species with such a small range this must present a long-term threat. The current population trend is «stable» although the number of mature individuals is unknown. The rose-crowned parakeet is on the CITES Appendix II which «includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.»

Behavior

The rose-crowned parakeet is gregarious, forming noisy flocks of 10–30 birds when not breeding, and gathers in larger numbers to roost. It makes movements each day, but the species is probably resident. The voice is described as «harsh [and] reedy», though “apparently quieter than other Pyrrhura conures.» The flight is «swift and direct.” Nothing is known of the species’ diet, though it is suspected to eat berries, seeds, fruits and flowers. It is thought to breed in April, May and June, probably laying 4–6 eggs.

Aviculture

The World Parrot Trust describes the rose-crowned parakeet as «uncommon» in captivity, with a probable lifespan of 10–15 years. It is suggested that a suitable diet should include 30% fruit, along with vegetables, pellets and mixed small seeds. Captive birds lay 4–6 eggs which hatch after 23–24 days, with the chicks fledging at «probably 7–8 weeks.»

Fuentes: eBird/xeno-canto/wikipedia