The Green-rumped Parrotlet (Forpus passerinus) is a small Neotropical parrot. It is one of seven species in the genus Forpus and is found in Northeastern South America.
They are found in Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, northern Brazil and the Caribbean island of Trinidad. I was lucky enough to spot a few at Aripo Livestock Station in Trinidad.
These tiny little beauties can be hard to spot, look how they lend in with the trees!
The Orange-winged Amazon (Amazona amazonica), also known locally as Orange-winged Parrot, Curica and Loro Guaro, is a large amazon parrot. Its habitat is forest and semi-open country. I took these photos in Nariva Swamp.
They have a huge range from Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil. I have seen them in the Pantanal, on Parrot Island near Belem and Nariva Swamp in Trinidad.
I had to wade through a lot of pet bird videos to find these wild birds!
The Yellow-crowned Amazon or Yellow-crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala), is a species of parrot, native to the tropical South America and Panama. Subspecies include xantholaema, nattereri and panamensis.
Sorry they are a bit blurry, I was trying to focus on them as part of a large group at the Napo clay lick. They have quite a large range in in Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. I saw these guys at the large parrot clay lick near Napo Wildlife Center. Also try looking for them at clay licks near Tambopata & Manu in Peru.
This wasn’t easy as there are hundreds of videos of these birds as pets but few in the wild. This pair in swift flight is very typical of how quick you have to be to get a decent shot.
This is in an aviary but at least it’s a nice close-up!
The Cobalt-winged Parakeet (Brotogeris cyanoptera) is a species of bird in the Psittacidae family. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest.
I took the 1st 2 shots at the small parrot clay lick near Napo Wildlife Center. The shot below is from Wikipedia since we didn’t get the full spectacle the day we were there.
They have quite a large range in in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. A top spot to see them is the small parrot clay lick near Napo Wildlife Center. Also try looking for them at clay licks near Tambopata & Manu in Peru.
The clay lick scene can be amazing if you get lucky! By contrast, I only saw around 6-8 parakeets in the trees.
Here’s a digiscoped clip of a hungry parakeet.
The Dusky-headed Parakeet (Aratinga weddellii), also known as Weddell’s Conure or Dusky-headed Conure in aviculture, is a small green Neotropical parrot with dusty grey head found in wooded habitats in the western Amazon Basin of South America.
They have quite a large range in in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. I saw these guys at the large parrot clay lick near Napo Wildlife Center. Also try looking for them at clay licks near Tambopata & Manu in Peru.
This hungry little guy is eating acai berries.
And here’s some clay lick action!
The Black-headed Parrot (Pionites melanocephalus ; sometimes incorrectly Pionites melanocephala), also known as the Black-headed Caique, Black-capped Parrot or Pallid Parrot (for P. m. pallidus), is one of the two species in the genus Pionites of the Psittacidae family; the other species being the allopatric White-bellied Parrot.
I was extremely lucky to see one in the wild in Ecuador at a distance.
It is found in forest (especially, but not exclusively, humid) and nearby wooded habitats in the Amazon north of the Amazon River and west of the Ucayali River in Brazil, northern Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. It is generally fairly common and occurs in many protected areas throughout its range. I saw this one at the Canopy Tower of Napo Wildlife Center and the guide said we were very lucky as they are hard to spot! You could also try eco-lodges near Manaus and Iquitos.
Such a cutie taking a bath in the grass!
Love is in the air with this nesting pair!
The White-eyed Parakeet or White-eyed Conure (Psittacara leucophthalma) is a small green Neotropical parrot native to South America.
They have a huge range all over South America but you would be most likely to see them at any of the Amazon jungle lodges. I personally saw them in the Amazonia National Park in Brazil and the clay lick at Napo Wildlife Center.
A handsome bird getting ready for a date maybe?
And another one who “got lucky”! Shhhhh…….bird porn!
The Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilatus), also known as Guacamaya Manilata, is a medium-sized, mostly green South American parrot, a member of a group of large Neotropical parrots known as macaws. It is the largest of what are commonly called “mini-macaws”. The belly has a large maroon patch which gives the species its name.
Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata)
And since I couldn’t get a perched shot here’s one from Wikipedia.
They have quite a large range in in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela. I saw a pair flying overhead at Nariva Swamp while driving but by the time I pulled over, they were gone. I’ve seen them in several places such as Cristalino and near Napo Wildlife Center.
Preening to look their best!
Depending on which birding field guide you have you may see these birds lumped together with Pyrrhura melanura as the nominate with these subspecies or as two separate species as per the title of this post.
I did see them in 3 separate locations in Ecuador so I know I have at least two varieties! The photos above were taken at Wildsumaco Lodge and were the only Maroon-tailed Parakeets I saw perched. I also saw them flying through trees at the Waterfall Trail in Mindo & from the canopy tower at Napo Wildlife center. The ones at Mindo and Rio Silanche are definitely the Choco Parakeet being the only species seen in the western side of the Andes (red). The ones above could possibly be P.m. souancei (dark green) or the nominate (lighter green). The ones at Napo were most likely Pyrrhura melanura. Splits are so confusing!
This is pretty much all I get with smaller birds like Pyrrhura Parakeets – just a fleeting glimpse!
Here’s some bird porn to make up for it – filmed at Wildsumaco.
Kawall’s amazon (Amazona kawalli), also known as the white-faced amazon, white-cheeked amazon or Kawall’s parrot, is a relatively large species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to the south-central Amazon. After not having been recorded in the wild for around 70 years, the species was rediscovered in the 1980s.
I couldn’t get a decent shot so here’s one from Wikipedia.
They are endemic to Brazil with the best place to see them being Cristalino.
This is a fairly rare bird and videos are hard to find. Nothing I could embed but there are some clips on IBC.