Brown-hooded Parrot
Pyrilia haematotis
Medium-sized, rather chunky parrot of humid tropical lowlands. Found in rainforest and edge, where easily overlooked in the canopy, feeding quietly on fruits. Most often seen in fast direct flight, low over the canopy in pairs or small groups. In flight, armpits show brilliant red, but often birds are flying too fast to see this. On perched birds, note the brown head (small red ear patch is rarely visible), pale spectacles, and very pale bill.
Identification
The brown-hooded parrot is 21 to 23 cm (8.3 to 9.1 in) long and weighs 145 to 150 g (5.1 to 5.3 oz). Adults have a reddish brown crown, ear coverts, and throat, a pinkish red patch behind the eye, and white nares and eye ring. Their nape and breast are dull olive-yellow and their flanks red. Most of the rest of their body is green, with blue on the wing edge, blackish blue on the flight feathers, and blue on the tips of the tail feathers. Subspecies P. h. coccinicollaris adds some pinkish red below the dark throat that sometimes extends around the neck. Immature birds are much like adults but with a paler head, no red patch behind the eye, and a greener breast.
Taxonomy
The brown-hooded parrot and the other six members of genus Pyrilia were until the early 21st century included in genus Pionopsitta with the pileated parrot (P. pileata). The brown-hooded and rose-faced parrot (Pyrilia pulchra) have at times been treated as conspecific and are now considered sister species. <p>The brown-hooded parrot has two subspecies, the nominate P. h. haematotis (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1860) and P. h. coccinicollaris (Lawrence, 1862). The latter has at times been suggested as a separate species but this treatment has not been accepted.
- Scientific name
- Pyrilia haematotis
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL & Salvin, 1860)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Genus
- Pyrilia
Range and habitat
The nominate subspecies of the brown-hooded parrot is found from Veracruz and Oaxaca in southeastern Mexico south on the Caribbean slope through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua and thence on both slopes in Costa Rica and western Panama. P. h. coccinicollaris is found from approximately the Panama Canal into northwestern Colombia's Chocó, Antioquia, and Córdoba departments. The species inhabits the canopy and edges of humid evergreen forest, cloudforest, and mature secondary forest. In elevation it mostly ranges from sea level to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) but occurs as high as 1,900 m (6,200 ft).
- Migration
- Vertical migration
Behavior
The brown-hooded parrot is thought to make some seasonal elevational movements or, at least in Costa Rica, moving to lower elevation after breeding fairly high.<p>The brown-hooded parrot forages in the canopy and forest edge. Its diet is mostly fruits and seeds from trees and epiphytes; figs (Ficus) appear to be favored. It has also been observed feeding on mistletoe leaves.<p>The brown-hooded parrot's breeding season appears to vary geographically but is not well defined. It nests in a cavity in a tree. The clutch size, incubation period, time to fledging, and details of parental care are not known.<p>The brown-hooded parrot's flight call has been described as "a clear chirruping kee-reek or curicu-reek" and also as "a high-pitched chreea, cheea". When perched is makes other, rather melodious calls "ranging from yelps to various gurgling and squeaking notes".
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Sumba Flowerpecker
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Small and stout forest-dweller that hops and buzzes about in the canopy like a large, active insect. Note male’s iridescent dark blue back, bright red chest, and black line extending down the white belly. As with many other flowerpeckers, the female is considerably duller, with a red rump patch being the only patch of bright color on her otherwise gray-brown plumage. Endemic to Sumba, where found in wooded habitats throughout the island. Gives a short, descending series of whistles, as well as piercing high-pitched notes.
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