Rufous-fronted parakeet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rufous-fronted parakeet |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Bolborhynchus
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| Species: |
ferrugineifrons
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The rufous-fronted parakeet is a special kind of parrot. Its scientific name is Bolborhynchus ferrugineifrons. This bird lives only in Colombia, which means it is endemic there. You can find it in high places like shrublands, grasslands, and even farms. Sadly, its home is being destroyed, so it's listed as "vulnerable" by a group called the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This means it needs our help to survive.
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What Does the Rufous-fronted Parakeet Look Like?
This parakeet is a small, strong bird. It grows to be about 18 cm (7 in) long. Both male and female birds look very similar.
Its feathers are mostly a dull green color. Its wings are a pretty bluish-green. The area between its eyes and beak, called the lores, and a thin line on its forehead are brownish-red. Its cheeks, throat, chest, and belly are yellowish-green. The tail is short and pointed, green on top and bluish-green underneath.
Around its eye, there is a grey ring. Its eye itself is brown. The beak is a yellowish-horn color, and its feet are grey.
Where Do Rufous-fronted Parakeets Live?
This parakeet lives only in Colombia. It can be found in two areas of the high Andes Mountains. These areas are very high up, between about 3,000 and 4,000 m (10,000 and 13,000 ft) above sea level.
The biggest group of these birds lives on the Volcán Ruiz-Tolima massif. This is in the Central Cordillera mountain range. A smaller group lives on Puracé Volcano in the Cauca Department. It's possible that these birds also live in the areas between these two volcanoes.
Their favorite home is a special place called páramo. This is an ecosystem found at high altitudes. It has lots of grass and shrubs. Páramo areas are usually between very tall, snow-capped mountains and the forests below. They also live in areas just below the páramo, called sub-páramo. You might also see them in mountain shrublands or even on farms high up in the mountains.
How Do Rufous-fronted Parakeets Live?
Rufous-fronted parakeets like to be with other birds. They often form small groups of 10 to 100 birds.
They mostly find their food on the ground. They eat grass seeds, flowers, and fruits. At night, they sleep on cliffs. They also build their nests on cliffs. We don't know much about how they raise their young yet.
Why Are Rufous-fronted Parakeets Vulnerable?
The Rufous-fronted parakeet, also known as B. ferrugineifrons, used to be considered "endangered". This meant it was in great danger of disappearing forever. However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has now changed its status to "vulnerable". This is still serious, but it means there's a slightly lower risk.
Experts believe there are between 2,000 and 4,000 of these birds left. Sadly, this number is probably going down. Their homes are being used more and more for cutting down trees and for farming. People sometimes burn the páramo plants to make new plants grow, which destroys the birds' habitat. Also, more and more farm animals are grazing in these areas.
Even with these problems, these birds live in some protected areas. They also seem to be able to handle some changes to their home. Sometimes, you can even see them looking for food in high-up pastures and farmlands.
See also
In Spanish: Lorito cadillero para niños
