Biology:Dusky-headed parakeet

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Short description: Species of bird

Dusky-headed conure
Aratinga weddellii -Beale Park, Reading, Berkshire, England-8a-4c.jpg
At Beale Park, Reading, Berkshire, England
Scientific classification edit
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Aratinga
Species:
A. weddellii
Binomial name
Aratinga weddellii
(Deville, 1851)[2]
Aratinga weddellii map.svg
Synonyms

Conurus weddellii Deville, 1851

The dusky-headed parakeet (Aratinga weddellii), also known as Weddell's conure or dusky-headed conure in aviculture, is a small green Neotropical parrot with dusty grey head found in wooded habitats in the western Amazon basin of South America. Its range extends from southeastern Colombia south through eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and southwest Amazonian Brazil , to central Bolivia. It prefers semiopen habitats such as várzea, forest edge, and forest remnants, but can also be found in coffee plantations. It is generally common and its habitat preference makes it less vulnerable than many other Amazonian species. Consequently, it is considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International and IUCN.

This long-tailed species is generally green in color (both lutino and blue mutations are rare, but do exist in captivity) with a gray-brown head, a blue-tipped tail, and remiges that are dark gray from below, mainly blue from above. The bill is black, and it has a broad, bare, white (sometimes yellow-tinged) eye-ring. With a typical length of 25–28 cm (10–11 in) and a weight around 100 grams, it is slightly smaller than the sun conure. Many people call these conures minimacaws because they have skin near their beaks and eyes, similar to the macaw.

a group of 6 dusky-headed parakeets on top of a dead tree in eastern Ecuador
a group of 6 on top of a dead tree in eastern Ecuador

It is social, and usually found in pairs or small groups. It may even flock with different species of conures. When food is plentiful, it may form flocks of up to 100 members. It eats fruit, seeds, and flowers, and searches decaying wood for insect larvae. It also ingests mineral-rich soil, e.g., from a clay lick, as a supplement. A pair raises their offspring together, nesting in woodpecker holes in trees or arboreal termite nests.

Several dusky conures resting alongside macaws and amazons in a clay lick and Ecuador
With macaws and amazons at a clay lick in Ecuador

Consuming clay is believed to provide a mineral supplement and neutralise toxins in their diet. Their predators (along with many other neotropical parrots) include many birds of prey, monkeys, and in some cases, jaguars.

They do well in captivity.[citation needed] They are fairly easy to breed if provided with a durable nest box, and will lay up to three clutches per year.[citation needed] They are known to be quiet, compared to other conure species[citation needed], but still very energetic and clownish, like most conures. These conures' lifespans range from 25 to 50 years, though their typical lifespans are usually 35–40 years. [citation needed]

Recently, they have been sighted as a colony in the coastal districts of Lima, Perú. They probably came as pets, and have settled in this city.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Aratinga weddellii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22685732A93084376. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22685732A93084376.en. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22685732/93084376. Retrieved 11 November 2021. 
  2. ↑ Deville, E. (1851). "Note sur espèces nouvelles d'oiseaux provenant de l'expédition de M. Castelnau". Revue et magasin de zoologie pure et appliquée. 2nd ser. 3 (5): 209. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2321196. 
  • Juniper, T.; Parr, M. (1998). A Guide to the Parrots of the World. East Sussex: Pica Press. ISBN 1-873403-40-2. 

External links

Wikidata ☰ Q740580 entry



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