Green Parakeet
Psittacara holochlorus
Bright green bird with long, pointed tail. Bill is dull pink. Some birds have red speckling on neck, but plumage otherwise uniform. Native to Mexico, but also found in small introduced colonies in southern Texas. Almost always seen in small flocks in wooded or suburban areas; gathers in large nighttime roosts. Feeds on fruit and seeds. Listen for high-pitched screeching calls.
Identification
The green parakeet (Psittacara holochlorus), green conure, or Mexican green conure is a New World parrot. As defined by the International Ornithological Committee (IOC), it is native to Mexico and southern Texas in the Rio Grande Valley.
Taxonomy
Genus: Psittacara; Family: Psittacidae; Order: Psittaciformes.
- Scientific name
- Psittacara holochlorus
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Genus
- Psittacara
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Kinglet Manakin
Machaeropterus regulus
Chunky little, short-tailed bird of lowland and foothill forest. Male is distinctive with bright red crown and bold white stripes on reddish belly. Female lacks red crown but shows faint streaking on sides unlike any other manakin. Inconspicuous; elaborate display dance infrequently seen. Found in the lower to middle levels of forest. Listen for its strong “chew” call.
Western Citril
Crithagra frontalis
Small seedeater with a sharp bill and forked tail. The upperparts are olive-green and the underparts pale yellow with some sparse streaking. Both sexes have a strong pale yellow eyebrow, and males also have a bold black face patch. Found at middle and high elevations in a variety of habitats including forest edge, gardens, cultivation, moist scrub, and woodland. Usually in small flocks. The song is a fast jumble of high-pitched notes. Similar to Papyrus Canary, but found in a different habitat, less streaked below, and the male is easily separated by its black face.
Reed Cormorant
Microcarbo africanus
A small, speckle-backed cormorant that is common and widespread in fresh water. The adult is blackish with a short black crest above the bill. Immatures are brownish with paler underparts. Although they share the same habitat with Great Cormorant, Long-tailed Cormorants can be separated by their much smaller size, red eyes, and proportionately longer tails. Generally, Long-tailed Cormorant avoids the marine habitats of the similar-looking Crowned Cormorant, which has a larger crest, an unspeckled back, and a shorter tail.
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