Golden-winged parakeet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Golden-winged parakeet |
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| at Cristalino Lodge, Southern Amazon, Brazil | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Brotogeris
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| Species: |
chrysoptera
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| Synonyms | |
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Psittacus chrysopterus Linnaeus, 1766 |
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The golden-winged parakeet (Brotogeris chrysoptera) is a beautiful green bird from the parrot family. You can find it in South American countries like Brazil, Bolivia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. This bird is special because of the bright orange or yellow patches on its wings, which is how it got its name!
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About the Golden-winged Parakeet's Name
The golden-winged parakeet got its official name in 1766 from a Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus. He was famous for giving many plants and animals their scientific names. The name Brotogeris comes from an old Greek word meaning "with human voice," because these parrots can sound a bit like people talking. The word chrysoptera also comes from Greek, meaning "golden-winged," which perfectly describes this bird's colorful wings!
Different Types of Golden-winged Parakeets
There are five different types, or subspecies, of the golden-winged parakeet. They are all very similar but have small differences in their colors or where they live:
- B. c. chrysoptera
- B. c. tenuifrons
- B. c. solimoensis
- B. c. tuipara
- B. c. chrysosema
What Does the Golden-winged Parakeet Look Like?
This parakeet is about 16 centimeters (6.3 inches) long and weighs between 47 to 80 grams (1.7 to 2.8 ounces). It is mostly green.
Special Markings
Adult golden-winged parakeets have a brownish band above their beak and an orange-brown spot on their chin. Their most noticeable feature is the bright orange feathers on their wings. Some subspecies might have an orange band above their beak, yellow edges on their tail feathers, or yellow wing feathers instead of orange. Young birds have wings that are completely green.
Where Do Golden-winged Parakeets Live?
Golden-winged parakeets live in different parts of South America:
- B. c. chrysoptera lives in northeastern Venezuela and parts of Brazil.
- B. c. tenuifrons is found along the upper Rio Negro in northwestern Brazil.
- B. c. solimoensis lives in north-central Brazil along the Amazon River.
- B. c. tuipara is found in north-central Brazil, south of the Amazon.
- B. c. chrysosema lives along the Madeira River from northeastern Bolivia into western Brazil.
Their Favorite Places to Live
These parakeets usually live in untouched lowland rainforests, but they can also be found in other places like secondary forests (forests that have grown back), savannas, coastal woodlands, and even towns if there are tall trees. In some areas, like north of the Orinoco River in Venezuela, they live in cloudforests high up in the mountains, sometimes as high as 1,200 meters (3,900 feet)!
Golden-winged Parakeet Behavior
How They Move Around
Golden-winged parakeets usually stay in one area, but sometimes they might wander to new places.
What Do Golden-winged Parakeets Eat?
These birds love to eat flowers and their sweet nectar from many different types of plants. They also enjoy seeds, berries, palm fruits, and even small insects and snails found in still water.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The time when golden-winged parakeets lay eggs changes depending on where they live, but they can nest almost any month of the year. They make their nests in holes in trees or in nests built by tree-dwelling termites. A female parakeet usually lays three or four eggs. Scientists are still learning about how long the eggs take to hatch and how the parents care for their young.
How They Communicate: Their Calls
Golden-winged parakeets make several different sounds. Their common calls are high-pitched sounds like "klee" or "chree," or a two-part "chree-chree." They make these sounds both when they are sitting on a branch and when they are flying. They also make a fast, chattering sound like "cra-cra-cra-cra-cra." When many parakeets fly together, they often call at the same time, which can create a loud, noisy sound!
What is Their Conservation Status?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has listed the golden-winged parakeet as a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing. They live across a very large area, but their total number is not known and is thought to be slowly decreasing. However, there are no immediate big threats to them. They are quite common in many places, even in cities, and are not often traded as pets.
