Blaze-winged parakeet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blaze-winged parakeet |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pyrrhura
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| Species: |
devillei
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| Synonyms | |
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Pyrrhura frontalis devillei |
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The blaze-winged parakeet (Pyrrhura devillei) is a colorful bird that belongs to the parrot family. People who keep birds sometimes call it the blaze-winged conure. You can find this parakeet in parts of Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and maybe even Argentina.
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About the Blaze-winged Parakeet
Scientists group living things based on how they are related. The blaze-winged parakeet is very similar to the maroon-bellied parakeet. They are so alike that some scientists think they might be the same species. Sometimes, these two parakeets even have babies together where their homes overlap in Paraguay. The blaze-winged parakeet is a unique species, meaning it doesn't have different subspecies.
What Does It Look Like?
The blaze-winged parakeet is about 25 to 26 cm (9.8 to 10 in) long. That's about the length of a ruler! Both male and female parakeets look the same.
- Head: They have a brownish top of the head and reddish-brown feathers around their ears. The rest of their face is a yellowish-green color.
- Body: Their back is green. Their chin, neck, and chest are yellowish-green, with brown edges on the feathers that make them look a bit scaly. The middle of their tummy is maroon, and the rest of their underside is green, just like their back.
- Wings: Their wings are mostly green. The main flight feathers (called primaries) are blue. They have a red patch near their shoulder and red and yellow feathers under their wings.
- Tail: The top of their tail is olive green, with a maroon tip. The underside of their tail is a dull reddish-brown.
Where Do They Live?
You can find the blaze-winged parakeet in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. They also live in northeastern Paraguay, in areas like Alto Paraguay and Concepción. Even though one of the first birds studied was thought to be from Bolivia, that area is now believed to be in Paraguay. Some people have reported seeing them in Argentina, but this hasn't been officially confirmed yet.
These parakeets like to live in specific types of forests, especially in the Pantanal (a large wetland area) and the Gran Chaco (a dry forest region). They prefer forests where trees lose their leaves in certain seasons, and forests that grow along rivers. They also live in areas where these forests meet scrublands and grasslands.
How Do They Behave?
Moving Around
Scientists don't know much about how the blaze-winged parakeet moves from place to place. It's not clear if they migrate or just stay in one area.
What Do They Eat?
Blaze-winged parakeets enjoy a diet of fruits, seeds, and nuts. They use their strong beaks to crack open tough shells and get to the tasty parts inside.
Raising Babies
We don't know much about how these parakeets raise their young in the wild. However, when they are cared for by humans, they usually lay four to six eggs. The eggs hatch after about 22 days, and the young birds are ready to fly about seven to eight weeks after they hatch.
What Do They Sound Like?
The most common sound the blaze-winged parakeet makes is a series of high-pitched, sharp notes. It sounds like "krree krree krree." They make this sound both when they are sitting on a branch and when they are flying. However, when they are perched, they are often quiet. When many parakeets fly together, they call out often and at the same time. This creates a loud, harsh, and piercing chattering sound.
How Are They Doing?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) checks on how many animals are left in the wild. They first said the blaze-winged parakeet was of "Least Concern," meaning it wasn't in much danger. Then, for a while, they listed it as "Near Threatened," but in 2021, they changed it back to "Least Concern."
This parakeet lives in an area that is somewhat small and mostly untouched by people. Some things that could threaten them are logging (cutting down trees), turning their habitat into small farms or ranches, and people catching them for the pet trade. However, none of these seem to be big problems right now. In Paraguay, they are considered rare to uncommon, but in Brazil, you can find them commonly in some places.
