Painted parakeet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Painted parakeet |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pyrrhura
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| Species: |
picta
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| Range map of P. picta picta | |
The painted parakeet (Pyrrhura picta) is a colorful bird. It belongs to the parrot family, Psittacidae. People who keep birds as pets sometimes call it the painted conure. You can find this parakeet in several South American countries. These include Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Suriname, and Venezuela.
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Understanding Painted Parakeet Types
Scientists sometimes disagree on how to classify animals. This is true for the painted parakeet too. Different groups of scientists have slightly different ideas.
The International Ornithological Committee (IOC) recognizes four main types, called subspecies:
- P. p. picta (the main type)
- P. p. caeruleiceps (also called "Todd's" or "Perijá" parakeet)
- P. p. subandina (also called "Sinu" parakeet)
- P. p. eisenmanni (also called "Azuero" parakeet)
Other groups, like the American Ornithological Society, add a fifth subspecies. Some even think each of these types should be its own separate species! For this article, we will follow the IOC's idea of four subspecies.
What Does a Painted Parakeet Look Like?
Painted parakeets are about 20 to 23 centimeters (8 to 9 inches) long. The main type weighs between 46 and 85 grams (1.6 to 3 ounces). Male and female parakeets look the same.
The main type of painted parakeet has a blue head. This blue turns a deep maroon color on the back of its head and neck. It has a thin blue band below its neck. Its face is maroon, with a ring of gray skin around its eyes. The feathers near its ears are whitish.
Most of its upper body is green. Its lower back and rump are dull red. The sides of its neck and its chest are a light tan color. They have a pattern that looks like reddish-brown scales. The middle of its belly is dull red, and the rest of its underside is green. Its wings are mostly green. They have a red patch near the shoulder and blue flight feathers. The tail is mostly maroon with a green base. Its eyes are dark.
Young parakeets look like adults. However, they do not have the red patch on their wings. Their eye ring is whitish.
Other subspecies have small differences in color. For example, P. p. caeruleiceps has a blue forehead that turns brown. It also has a pale eye color. P. p. subandina has a brighter maroon-red face. P. p. eisenmanni has a sooty (dark, smoky) crown.
Where Do Painted Parakeets Live?
Each subspecies of the painted parakeet lives in a specific area:
- P. p. picta (the main type) lives in southern and eastern Venezuela. It also lives in the Guianas and northern Brazil. This type prefers lowland forests and forested savannas. It can be found up to 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) high.
- P. p. caeruleiceps ("Todd's" or "Perijá" parakeet) lives on the western side of Colombia's Cordillera Oriental mountains. It also lives in the Serranía del Perijá mountains, which are on the border of Colombia and Venezuela. This parakeet needs old-growth forests. It lives between 400 and 2,200 meters (1,300 to 7,200 feet) high.
- P. p. subandina ("Sinu" parakeet) lives in the Sinú Valley in Colombia. It prefers humid forests and their edges. It lives from near sea level up to at least 700 meters (2,300 feet).
- P. p. eisenmanni ("Azuero" parakeet) lives in Panama's Azuero Peninsula. It lives in hilly, humid forests. It is often found in the middle or top parts of trees. It can live as high as 1,660 meters (5,450 feet).
Painted Parakeet Behavior
Movement and Daily Life
Scientists do not know much about how painted parakeets move around. The eisenmanni subspecies might move to different elevations during the year.
What Do Painted Parakeets Eat?
Painted parakeets eat many different things. Their diet includes fruits, seeds, and flowers. They usually look for food in groups. These groups can have up to about 30 birds.
Painted Parakeet Reproduction
Not much is known about how painted parakeets reproduce in the wild. The main subspecies, P. p. picta, breeds between December and February in the Guianas. They build their nests in holes in trees. In captivity, they usually lay four or five eggs.
Other subspecies have different breeding times. P. p. caeruleiceps seems to breed between March and September. P. p. eisenmanni breeds from January to March. P. p. subandina breeds between March and June.
How Do Painted Parakeets Communicate?
The sounds painted parakeets make can vary a bit between the different subspecies.
The main subspecies often makes a high-pitched, yelping sound. It sounds like "kyeek kyeek kyeek." They make this sound when sitting on a branch and when flying. When perched, they might also make a rolling "kurrek" sound or a quiet "kek." However, perched birds are often silent. When a group of parakeets flies together, they make a loud, harsh, and piercing chattering sound.
The P. p. caeruleiceps subspecies makes a series of "kurr, kurr, kurr, kurr" or "kirr, kirr, kirr, kirr" notes when perched. The P. p. eisenmanni subspecies makes sounds similar to the main type. It also adds a harsh, guttural "kleek-kleek" sound when perched. The sounds of P. p. subandina have not been described in words.
Conservation Status of the Painted Parakeet
The conservation status of the painted parakeet depends on the subspecies. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) assesses each subspecies separately.
The main subspecies, P. p. picta, is considered of Least Concern. This means it is not currently at high risk. It lives in a large area. However, its population size is unknown and seems to be decreasing. No major threats have been found for this subspecies.
The "Perija" parakeet (P. p. caeruleiceps) is Endangered. It lives in a small area. Its population is estimated to be between 1,000 and 2,500 adult birds. This number is believed to be going down. About 70% of its original forest home has been cleared. This land is now used for cattle farming and agriculture. The remaining forests are broken up into small pieces. People catching these birds for the pet trade is also a big problem.
The "Sinu" parakeet (P. p. subandina) is Critically Endangered. It might even be extinct. There have been no confirmed sightings of this bird since 1949. It lives in a very small area. Almost all of its forest home has been destroyed. Scientists think there might be fewer than 50 adult birds left, if any.
The "Azuero" parakeet (P. p. eisenmanni) is Vulnerable. It was once considered endangered. It lives in a limited area. Its population is estimated to be fewer than 6,000 adult birds and is decreasing. Its biggest threat is habitat loss. Forests are being cleared to create farmland. However, this subspecies does live in the Cerro Hoya National Park, which helps protect some of its home.
