Red-masked parakeet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-masked parakeet |
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Psittacara
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| Species: |
erythrogenys
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The red-masked parakeet (Psittacara erythrogenys) is a cool, medium-sized parrot. You can find these birds living naturally in Ecuador and Peru. Many people also know them as pets, often called the cherry-headed conure or the red-headed conure. These parakeets are even thought to be the best talkers among all the different types of conures!
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What Does a Red-Masked Parakeet Look Like?
Red-masked parakeets are about 33 centimeters (around 13 inches) long. Half of this length is their long tail! They are mostly bright green. Their heads are mostly red, and they have a pale ring around their eyes that really stands out. The back of their neck is green.
You'll also see some red feathers under their wings. There's a bit of red on their neck, thighs, and the front edge of their wings too. Young parakeets are completely green at first. They start getting their first red feathers when they are about four months old. When they call out, their sound is loud and has two harsh syllables.
Where Do Red-Masked Parakeets Live?
These birds originally come from southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru. They usually live in jungles and forests where trees lose their leaves. But they can also do well in dry areas and even in towns and cities.
They can live high up, even 2,500 meters (about 8,200 feet) above sea level. However, you usually find them below 1,500 meters (about 4,900 feet). Because they are popular pets, some have escaped and now live in other places. You can find these wild populations, especially in the southern and western parts of the United States.
Wild Parakeet Populations in Cities
Sometimes, pet birds escape from their cages and start living in the wild. These are called feral populations. You can find them in places like Spain. Many of the wild parakeets in San Francisco, California, in the United States, are red-masked parakeets. There's even a movie about them called The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.
You can also see these wild parakeets in parts of Hawaii. They have been seen breeding in California in areas like San Francisco, San Diego County, Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley, Sunnyvale, Orange County, Palo Alto, and Long Beach. These birds have been seen eating fruits and flowers and making their nests in palm trees.
How Do Red-Masked Parakeets Reproduce?
Female parakeets usually lay three to four eggs at a time. The eggs hatch in about 23 or 24 days. They typically build their nests inside holes in trees. These birds can successfully raise their young even in small groups of trees or single trees in areas where forests have been damaged. Young birds leave the nest after about 50 days, and they are completely green when they fledge.
Why Are Red-Masked Parakeets Near Threatened?
The red-masked parakeet was once very common in its home areas. However, its numbers have been going down. Because of this, the IUCN (a group that studies wildlife) changed its status in 1994. It went from being a species of "least concern" to "near threatened."
This change happened because many of these birds are caught and sold as pets in Peru and Ecuador. This pet trade, along with losing their natural homes, has caused their populations to shrink.
