Mexican parrotlet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mexican parrotlet |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Genus: | Forpus |
| Species: |
F. cyanopygius
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| Binomial name | |
| Forpus cyanopygius (Souancé, 1856)
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| Subspecies | |
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The Mexican parrotlet (Forpus cyanopygius) is a small, colorful parrot. People also call it the turquoise-rumped parrotlet or the Mexican blue-rumped parrotlet. It belongs to the parrot family, Psittacidae.
There are two main types, or subspecies, of this bird. One is called Grayson's parrotlet or the Tres Marias parrotlet (F. c. insularis). The other is F. c. cyanopygius.
Contents
What Does the Mexican Parrotlet Look Like?
| Name | Appearance | Where They Live |
|---|---|---|
| Mexican parrotlet
(Forpus cyanopygius cyanopygius) |
These birds are usually about 13–14 centimetres (5.1–5.5 in) long. They weigh around 30–37 grams (1.1–1.3 oz). Their bodies are bright yellow-green. They have light peach beaks and feet, and dark brown eyes.
Male and female Mexican parrotlets look different (this is called sexual dimorphism). Males have bright turquoise feathers on their wings and on their lower backs (rumps). Females are all yellow-green and look a bit duller. Some males also have faint turquoise feathers near their eyes and heads. Like all parrots, they have special feet called zygodactyly feet. This means two toes point forward and two toes point backward. This helps them grip branches. Young parrotlets look like the adults. However, young males have some green feathers mixed with their blue ones. |
From Sinaloa and western Durango down to Colima |
| Grayson's parrotlet or Tres Marias parrotlet
(F. c. insularis) |
Males of this type have darker green feathers on their backs. Their undersides are bluer. Their turquoise markings are also darker. Females are a darker green color. These birds are usually a little bigger than the other type. | The Tres Marias islands |
Where Do Mexican Parrotlets Live?
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Mexican parrotlets live only in western Mexico. This means they are endemic to that area. Their home range goes from southern Sonora to Colima. This parrotlet is the northernmost type of its kind, the Forpus genus.
These birds do not migrate (travel long distances for seasons). But they do move around their home area. They follow where their favorite plants are blooming and growing.
They like to live in different places. These include dry scrublands, forests that lose their leaves, and open grasslands with scattered trees. You can also find them in old forests that have changed a lot, on farms, and in woods near rivers. They do not live in places higher than 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) above sea level.
How Are Mexican Parrotlets Protected?
The Mexican parrotlet is listed as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN Red List. This means they could become endangered soon if we don't protect them.
There are thought to be about 50,000 or more of these birds. But their numbers are going down. This is because people illegally catch them to sell as pets. Also, their homes are disappearing. Before 1995, there were about 208,000 Mexican parrotlets. From 1996 to 2013, only about 107,000 were left. This is a big drop of almost half their population.
Why Are They in Danger?
It's believed that up to 8,000 parrotlets are illegally caught each year for the pet trade. Right now, there are no specific plans to protect them. However, many areas where they live are already protected lands.
Mexican Parrotlet Behavior
Social Life
Mexican parrotlets are very social birds. They love to be with others. You will often see them in groups of 4 to 30 birds. These groups are made up of pairs and families. When they fly together, they fly fast and close to each other.
They make many squeaky, excited sounds when they are sitting or flying. While they are eating, they sometimes make short squawks.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Mexican parrotlets usually lay eggs between May and July. They lay up to 3 small, white eggs at a time (this is called a clutch). The eggs are kept warm for at least 19 days. The young birds leave the nest (this is called fledging) about 4 to 5 weeks after hatching. Mexican parrotlets can live for over 20 years.
They usually build their nests in holes in trees, in cacti, or other similar places.
What Do They Eat?
Mexican parrotlets mostly eat seeds, especially grass seeds. They also enjoy berries and Ficus (fig) fruits, whether ripe or not quite ripe. They look for food both on the ground and in trees and bushes. They often move around in large groups to find food. Because they wander so much for food, it's hard to count how many there are in different areas.
Mexican Parrotlets as Pets
Mexican parrotlets are not very common as pets, but you can find them. Because they are a protected species, it's against the law to catch them from the wild and sell them. So, any Mexican parrotlets kept as pets must come from breeding programs where they are born in captivity.
 | Aaron Henry |
 | T. R. M. Howard |
 | Jesse Jackson |
