Fuertes's parrot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fuertes's parrot |
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| a Fuerte's parrot seen in Tolima in 2009 | |
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Hapalopsittaca
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fuertesi
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The Fuertes's parrot (Hapalopsittaca fuertesi), also known as the indigo-winged parrot, is a special bird found only in Colombia. It is an Endangered bird, which means it is at high risk of disappearing forever. This parrot belongs to the family of African and New World parrots.
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About the Fuertes's Parrot
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The Fuertes's parrot was once thought to be a type of rusty-faced parrot. But now, scientists know it is its own unique species. It is closely related to the rusty-faced parrot and the red-faced parrot.
This parrot's English name and scientific name honor a famous American bird artist named Louis Agassiz Fuertes.
What Does It Look Like?
The Fuertes's parrot is about 23 to 24 centimeters (9 to 9.4 inches) long. It weighs around 124 grams (4.4 ounces), which is about as much as a small apple.
Adult parrots have a thin red stripe just above their beak. Their face and the front part of their head are olive-yellow. The top of their head is blue, and the back of their neck is green. Their upper body is green with lighter edges on some feathers.
Their throat and chest are green with a golden-olive tint. Their belly, thighs, and the feathers under their tail are yellowish-green. Some parrots also have a bit of dull red on their belly.
The front edge of their wing is red. The middle and larger wing feathers are dark violet-blue. Their main flight feathers are black with purplish-blue edges. The other flight feathers are mostly blue with some green edges. The feathers under their wings are bright red, and the rest of the underside of their wing is greenish-blue.
Their tail is blue, with red on the inside parts of the central feathers. The tail looks duller from underneath. Their beak is horn-colored, meaning it's a light yellowish-brown. The bottom part of their beak is darker. Their eyes are yellowish, and their legs and feet are dark gray.
Where Does It Live?
The Fuertes's parrot lives only in a specific part of Colombia. You can find it on the western side of the Central Andes mountains. This area is in the Quindío and Risaralda regions.
For a while, between 1992 and 2002, no one saw this parrot. People thought it might be gone! But then it was "rediscovered." After that, two special nature reserves were created to protect it: Alto Quindío Acaime and Cañón del Quindío. More recently, two other reserves, Loro Coroniazul and Giles-Fuertesi Bird Reserves, have been set up in its main living areas.
This parrot lives in wet, cool cloudforests. These forests are full of many epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants) and oak trees. Most sightings of the parrot are between 2,900 and 3,150 meters (9,500 and 10,300 feet) high in the mountains. However, some have been seen as low as 2,160 meters (7,100 feet) and as high as 3,500 meters (11,500 feet).
How Does It Live?
Moving Around
Scientists are not sure if the Fuertes's parrot moves around much. It might move to different heights in the mountains depending on the season or food availability.
What Does It Eat?
Fuertes's parrots usually feed in groups of up to about 15 birds. They mostly eat fruit. They especially love the fruit from a plant called Antidaphne viscoidea.
Reproduction
Many studies have been done on how Fuertes's parrots reproduce. This research helps efforts to increase their population. Many of the nature reserves provide special nest boxes for the parrots. These boxes are watched carefully by scientists.
The parrots nest between January and May. They use both the nest boxes and natural holes in trees. A female parrot usually lays three or four eggs. Only the female sits on the eggs to keep them warm. This takes about 24 to 27 days.
After the chicks hatch, both parents take care of them. The young parrots are ready to fly out of the nest about 55 to 65 days after they hatch.
What Sounds Does It Make?
When the Fuertes's parrot flies, it makes a "nasal, grating 'krraa'" sound. It makes a similar sound when it is sitting on a branch.
Protecting the Fuertes's Parrot
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) used to list the Fuertes's parrot as "Critically Endangered." This is the highest risk category. But in 2021, it was reclassified as "Endangered." This change happened because the special nest box program helped reverse the decline in their numbers.
Even though there are only an estimated 230 to 300 adult parrots left, their population is growing! About half of their original forest home has been cut down. Deforestation still happens outside the protected areas, but it's slower than before. Luckily, people catching these parrots to sell as pets has not been a big problem for the species.
See also
In Spanish: Loro coroniazul para niños
