Golden-capped Parakeet
Aratinga auricapillus
Medium-sized parakeet with a long graduated tail. Usually seen in noisy groups in light woodland, savanna, farmland, and even urban areas. The body is mostly green and contrasts with its black bill, yellow crown, red forehead, and reddish belly patch. It has blue flight feathers, but in flight note the prominent orange underwings.
Identification
It is 30 cm (12 in) long and mostly green with a black beak, white eyerings, orange-red belly, and red face fading to yellow over the crown. Juvenile members of the A. auricapillus group develop their yellow head markings and red coloration on the lower body in adulthood. The approximate weight for golden-capped parakeets is 4.9-5.25 oz.
Taxonomy
The Aratinga genus name was created to describe medium to small south American conures and parrots. As such, alongside its common name as the golden-capped parakeet, it is also called the golden-capped conure. Within the A. solstitialis species group, the golden-capped parakeet is the only member considered to be polytypic: A. auricapillus is said to contain the subspecies A. a. aurifrons. The measured variable for this basis is slightly varied coloration between the two (less red on back and yellow on head for A. a. aurifrons than that of A. auricapillus). Other variables such as size were found to have little variability between the two, and thus the distinction is still under question.
- Scientific name
- Aratinga auricapillus
- Authority
- (Kuhl, 1820)
- Order
- Psittaciformes
- Family
- Psittacidae
- Genus
- Aratinga
Range and habitat
The Aratinga auricapillus inhabits mostly the semi-deciduous forests in northeastern Brazil, although through time it has adapted to rural agricultural areas and sometimes even urban cities, spreading throughout the states of Bahia, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, Goiás, and Paraná.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
White-throated Shrike-Tanager
Lanio leucothorax
Large, long-tailed tanager with heavy hooked bill. Striking plumage is reminiscent of an oriole: yellow body with black head, black wings, white throat, and white shoulder patch. Female brown with paler throat and yellow belly. Note especially bill shape and habitat. Found in forests, usually at moderate heights, often in pairs leading a mixed-species flock.
Western Screech-Owl
Megascops kennicottii
Pint-sized, cryptically patterned gray owl with fine streaks of black and white; short ear tufts. Found in a variety of wooded habitats, but favors riparian and deciduous areas. Can be found in urban areas and parks. Feeds mostly on small mammals, birds, and insects. Nests in cavities. Listen for its voice at night: a series of short whistled notes that accelerates at the end. Unlike counterpart, Eastern Screech-Owl, they do not have a rufous color morph, only gray morph.
Pallid Swift
Apus pallidus
Medium-sized swift, dark overall with a white throat patch. Like Common Swift, nests in buildings and cliff faces, often in coastal regions, and forages over a wide range of habitats. Very similar to Common Swift but with slightly paler plumage overall (plumage tones of both species greatly influenced by lighting), subtly blunter wings, and less deeply forked tail. Shrill screaming call is subtly different from that of Common Swift as well: slightly deeper, and sometimes incorporating a slight “hiccup” at the end. Many dark swifts are not safely identified in the field.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.