Orange-cheeked Parrot

Pyrilia barrandi

Cotorra Cabecinegra

Song

Orange-cheeked Parrot

Appearance: The Orange-cheeked Parrot is known for its vibrant plumage. It has a predominantly green body with a bright orange patch on each cheek, which gives the species its name. The bird also features a yellowish-orange lower belly, a blue crown, and blue-tipped wings. The beak is typically horn-colored, and the eyes are surrounded by a bare white eye-ring. Males and females generally look alike, and juveniles have duller colors compared to adults.

Habitat: This species dwells in the rainforests of the Amazon Basin, ranging from Colombia and Venezuela in the north to Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia in the south. The Orange-cheeked Parrot prefers humid lowland forests, often staying in areas near rivers and floodplains. It can be found at elevations up to 500 meters.

Behavior: Orange-cheeked Parrots are social birds, commonly seen in pairs or small flocks. They can be quite noisy, communicating with a variety of squawks and calls. Their diet consists mostly of fruits, seeds, and nuts, which they forage from the forest canopy. They are known to visit clay licks, where they ingest mineral-rich soil to help neutralize toxins from unripe fruits and seeds.

Breeding: Breeding behavior in the wild is not extensively documented, but like many parrots, the Orange-cheeked Parrot is likely to be a cavity nester, using holes in trees to lay eggs and raise young. The breeding season may vary depending on

Conservation Status: The Orange-cheeked Parrot is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN.

Distribution

Amazon Basin: This region, which includes parts of southern Colombia, is a significant habitat for the Orange-cheeked Parrot. The vast, dense forests provide an ideal environment for these birds.

Eastern Andes Foothills: The eastern slopes of the Andes, where the mountains transition into the Amazon lowlands, are another important habitat. This area provides diverse ecological conditions that support the parrot's needs.

Orinoco Region: The savannas and gallery forests in the Orinoco Basin, particularly in departments like Vichada and Meta, also host populations of the Orange-cheeked Parrot.

Taxonomy

The Orange-cheeked Parrot (Pyrilia barrandi)

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves (Birds)
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Pyrilia
Species: Pyrilia barrandi

Vocalization

The Orange-cheeked Parrot, also known as the Orange-cheeked Parrotlet is known for its distinctive vocalizations, which are typical of many parrot species. These vocalizations can include a variety of calls such as squawks, whistles, and chattering sounds.

Parrots use vocalizations for communication within their flocks, to signal alarm, to establish territory, and during mating rituals. The Orange-cheeked parrot is no exception, and its calls can vary in pitch and depending on the situation.

In captivity, like many parrots, they can also learn to mimic human speech and other environmental sounds if exposed to them regularly, although their mimicry abilities may not be as pronounced as those of some other parrot species, like the African Grey Parrot.