Black-capped Parakeet
Pyrrhura rupicola
Small dark parakeet of tall mature forest of the humid lowlands and lower slopes of the Andes. Dark green and long-tailed, with black scaling around the neck. Often travels in small, tight flocks that rocket through the canopy, calling loudly. Listen for even-pitched screeching, fairly low for a parakeet; voice similar to Rose-fronted Parakeet. Formerly known as Rock Parakeet.
Taxonomy
Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob von Tschudi described the species in 1844.<p>There are two subspecies of Pyrrhura rupicola:<p>P. r. rupicola can be found in western South America and is common in Peru. P. r. sandiae can be found in the extreme west of Brazil, south-east Peru, and northern Bolivia. Commonly called the Sandia conure in aviculture, it features narrower scalloped feathers on the neck and breast and a lack of scalloped feathers on the hindneck.<p>The black capped parakeet may breed with the green cheeked parakeet in the wild.<p>"Black-capped parakeet" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC). It is also known in the pet trade as black-capped conure or rock conure.
- Scientific name
- Pyrrhura rupicola
- Authority
- (Tschudi, 1844)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Genus
- Pyrrhura
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Black capped parakeets are highly social birds and communal roosters. In the wild, they flock with up to 30 birds at a time. During breeding season smaller groups of families can be found. Black capped parakeets enjoy bathing. In the wild black capped parakeets are canopy feeders. The black capped parakeet lives up to 30 years in captivity.<p>Black capped parakeets reach sexual maturity between 1 and 3 years old. They roost in small groups during breeding season. A clutch generally has 4 to 7 eggs. They have a 24-day incubation period, followed by 7 to 8 weeks of parental care. Black capped parakeets have a breeding season from February to March.<p>Wild black capped parakeets eat a variety of fruits, nuts, berries, and vegetation. They may also raid farmers crops.<p>Black capped parakeets are listed as near-threatened in the wild on Appendix II. The primary cause of their habitat loss is the deforestation of the Amazon Basin. It is estimated that between there will be a 13.7% and 15.5% loss of habitable land over 18 years. A decrease in forest buffers alongside streams, amnesty for land owners guilty of illegal deforestation before 2008, and a reduction in the amount of private land that must be kept as forest contribute to this problem.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Albert's Lyrebird
Menura alberti
A large brown bird with very long tail; the male’s is said to be lyre-shaped. These curved outer tail feathers are absent in juveniles and females, which can be mistaken for Superb Lyrebird, but location and underpart coloration (rusty tones in Albert’s) help in ID. Found in rainforests, where it forages in leaf litter for food. Usually heard before it is seen, it has a very powerful song and is known for mimicking other species. Note range, as this species is found only in a small region of Queensland and far northeast New South Wales.
Chinese Fulvetta
Fulvetta striaticollis
Dull brown fulvetta with pale eyes, found only in central and south-central China. Note streaky throat, dark lores, and pale, narrow wing panel. Distinctive in its blandness; no other fulvetta in the region is essentially all brown with no dark eyebrows or significant patches of warmer, brighter colors. Occurs at 2200-4300 meters, favoring areas with shrubby oak or rhododendron cover. Typically forages low down or at middle levels of forest. Not as social as the “Alcippe” fulvettas, and are often encountered singly or in pairs, though small groups do occur. Song is a simple but variable series of whistles in which the first note or two rise and the last one or two fall, sometimes with an intermediary note in between: “tsi-tsi-dih-deer-deer.” Call is a high-pitched chittery rattle.
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia atricapilla
Large, long-tailed sparrow. Look for black stripes bordering yellow crown, especially obvious on breeding adults. Immatures are browner but still show yellow in the center of the crown. Often looks scruffy and not as crisp as White-crowned Sparrow. Breeds in low, shrubby areas of tundra or at edges of boreal forest. Frequents forest edges, backyards, and scrubby areas in winter and migration. Often in flocks with White-crowned Sparrow. Forages on the ground and in low vegetation for seeds and insects. Visits feeders.
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