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 Rusty-faced Parrot (Hapalopsittaca amazonina) is found in subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland. I didn’t get a shot and there is only a drawing on Wikipedia so this shot of a drawing I got at Rio Blanco will have to do. There are better photos in the “Learning More” section below and video clips.
They are mostly found in the mountainous areas of Colombia with a small population in western Venezuela. This is not an easy bird to get. I caught a glimpse of a pair in flight on the road leaving Manizales going towards the Nevado del Ruiz.
The only video clips I could find on YouTube were taken by one of Colombia’s top birding guides – Oswaldo Cortes. I wish I could have hired him as a guide, especially when I see how cute this parrot is up close!
The Scaly-naped Amazon or Scaly-naped Parrot (Amazona mercenarius) is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae.
They have a huge range throughout the mountainous areas of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru & Bolivia. You may get lucky as I did at Wildsumaco, El Dorado and Rio Blanco.
I really struggled to find anything on these charming parrots. The first one is a slideshow.
I couldn’t find any live-action filmed in the wild so I have to use a clip of a captive bird to show him up close.
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 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!
The Mealy Amazon or Mealy Parrot (Amazona farinosa) is among the largest parrot in the Amazona genus, the amazon parrots.
Although I have seen this bird in several places – Cristalino, Panama, Tambopata I don’t seem to have any decent photos so I have to rely on the Wikipedia shots.
All I could get was distant flight shots.
Mealy Parrots have a huge range throughout South America and prefer tropical rainforest environments. Good places to see them are Cristalino, Tambopata, Napo, Panama’s Soberania (different subspecies) and other rainforest lodges.
Noisy flock in Peru
On a clay lick
The Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis), also known as the Tovi Parakeet, is a small mainly green parrot of the Brotogeris genus. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and heavily degraded former forest. Its name comes from a small clump of bright orange feathers located under the lower beak.
Radisson Summit, Panama
Laguna del Lagarto
Orange-chinned Parakeets are found from southern Mexico, throughout Central America to the northern parts of Colombia & Venezuela. A Central America award will get you to the main places you can see them. We saw them from the balcony of the Radisson Summit in Panama albeit at a great distance. Views at the Laguna del Lagarto Lodge in Costa Rica were much closer! The parakeets enjoy the bananas put out for them and tend to frequent the surrounding trees as well.
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Although the dialogue is is Spanish, the footage of the birds is beautiful!
Blue-and-yellow Macaw – Ara ararauna
Military Macaw – Ara militaris
Scarlet Macaw – Ara macao
Red-and-green Macaw – Ara chloroptera
Chestnut-fronted Macaw – Ara severa
Red-bellied Macaw – Orthopsittaca manilata
Red-shouldered Macaw – Diopsittaca nobilis
Blue-crowned Parakeet – Aratinga acuticaudata
Scarlet-fronted Parakeet – Aratinga wagleri
White-eyed Parakeet – Aratinga leucophthalmus
Sun Parakeet – Aratinga solstitialis
Brown-throated Parakeet – Aratinga pertinax
Todd’s Parakeet – Pyrrhura caeruleiceps
Painted Parakeet – Pyrrhura picta
Fiery-shouldered Parakeet – Pyrrhura egregia
White-eared Parakeet – Pyrrhura leucotis
Maroon-tailed Parakeet – Pyrrhura melanura
Red-eared Parakeet – Pyrrhura hoematotis (E)
Rose-headed Parakeet – Pyrrhura rhodocephala (E)
Barred Parakeet – Bolborhynchus lineola
Green-rumped Parrotlet – Forpus passerinus
Spectacled Parrotlet – Forpus conspicillatus
Dusky-billed Parrotlet – Forpus sclateri
Orange-chinned Parakeet – Brotogeris jugularis
Cobalt-winged Parakeet – Brotogeris cyanoptera
Golden-winged Parakeet – Brotogeris chrysopterus
Tepui Parrotlet – Nannopsittaca panychlora
Lilac-tailed Parrotlet – Touit batavica
Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet – Touit huetii
Blue-fronted Parrotlet – Touit dilectissima
Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet – Touit purpurata
Black-headed Parrot – Pionites melanocephala
Orange-cheeked Parrot – Pionopsitta barrabandi
Saffron-headed Parrot – Pionopsitta pyrilia
Caica Parrot – Pionopsitta caica
Rusty-faced Parrot – Hapalopsittaca amazonina
Blue-headed Parrot – Pionus menstruus
Red-billed Parrot – Pionus sordidus
Speckle-faced Parrot – Pionus tumultuosus
Bronze-winged Parrot – Pionus chalcopterus
Dusky Parrot – Pionus fuscus
Red-lored Amazon – Amazona autumnalis
Blue-cheeked Amazon – Amazona dufresniana
Festive Amazon – Amazona festiva
Yellow-shouldered Amazon – Amazona barbadensis
Yellow-crowned Amazon – Amazona ochrocephala
Orange-winged Amazon – Amazona amazonica
Scaly-naped Amazon – Amazona mercenaria
Mealy Amazon – Amazona farinosa
Red-fan Parrot – Deroptyus accipitrinus