Spectacled Parrotlets
Parrotlet Library ( 
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The Spectacled Parrotlets (Forpus conspicillatus) occur naturally in Eastern Panama, Northern Colombia and Central Colombia . They are considered an endangered species in the wild (CITES II).
Description:
The male has a yellowish green forehead, extending to the cheeks and throat. The underparts are slightly duller in coloration, with a bluish gray suffusion on the breast. The area encircling the eyes is cobalt-blue. The wings and upper back are dark green, with the lower back and rump being violet-blue, of a darker shade over the rump itself. The primary and secondary coverts (please refer to Wing Anatomy) are also violet-blue, as are the under wing coverts, axillaries (feathers under the wings) and the carpal edge (= leading edge of the wing at the "shoulder") of the wing (please refer to Wing Anatomy). The primaries (= longest wing feathers) are green, with violet-blue restricted to their bases, while the secondaries are entirely violet-blue. The lower surface of the flight feathers are bluish green. The upper tail coverts and the tail are green, with the tail feathers being of a more dusky shade on their lower surface. The beak is pinkish white. The legs are pinkish. The irises are dark brown.
Hens are duller in terms of overall coloration, with the blue areas of the cock being green in this instance. Their upperparts are brighter, with the area around the eye being emerald-green, as is the lower back and rump. The underparts are more yellowish green.
Immature cocks have no blue circle around the eyes. Instead, this area is emerald-green. The under wing-coverts (please refer to Wing Anatomy) are yellowish green. They can also be recognized by the greenish blue coloration on their lower back and rump, as well as over the wing-coverts (please refer to Wing Anatomy). Hens, in contrast, are similar in appearance to adults.
Talking / Personality:
They are able to learn to talk and share the "big parrot" attitude of the lovebirds. They can get nippy, and require training. They are not very noisy, about the same noise level of a cockatiel.
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
Parrotlets can be nippy, as they do discover their beaks as method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage" and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation. Spraying them with a mister bottle helps in curtailing any negative behavior; however, continuous guidance is important.
- Web Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:
- Procuring your Parrot
- Breeders Listing by State / Country
- Housing Your Bird
- Training Your Bird
- Bird Nutrition
- Parrot Product
Sub-species:
Genus: Scientific: Forpus ... English: Parrotlets ... Dutch: Muspapegaaien ... German: Sperlingspapageien ... French: Perruche moineau
Species: Scientific: Forpus conspicillatus caucae ... English: Cauca Spectacled Parrotlet ... Dutch: Cauca Gebrilde Muspapegaai ... German: Cauca Augenring Sperlingspapagei ... French: Perruche moineau à lunettes Cauca
Description: The males are similar to those of the nominate race, but can be distinguished, at least in some cases, by the depth of their blue coloration. This is paler and less violet in the vicinity of the upper back and rump in this race, as with both upper and under wing-coverts (please refer to Wing Anatomy). The beak is somewhat bigger as well. Hens appear identical to those of F. c. conspicillatus, except for this difference in the relative size of their beaks. Known as the Cauca Spectacled Parrotlet. The race formerly described as F. c. pallescens, recognize d from the vicinity of the upper Patia Valley, is now considered to be conspecific with this form (of, or belonging to, the same species).
Distribution: Found to the west of the Western Andes, in the upper Patia Valley and in the Dagua Valley, as well as in the middle and upper part of the Cauca Valley, being present in both Narino and Cauca, southwestern Colombia ... CITES II - Endangered Species
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Genus: Scientific: Forpus ... English: Parrotlets ... Dutch: Muspapegaaien ... German: Sperlingspapageien ... French: Perruche moineau
Species: Scientific: Forpus conspicillatus metae ... English: Meta Spectacled Parrotlet ... Dutch: Meta Gebrilde Muspapegaai ... German: Meta Augenring Sperlingspapagei ... French: Perruche moineau à lunettes Cundinamarca
Description: The males have brighter, more yellowish green underparts. The throat and cheeks are also more yellowish, with the plumage of the head being a brighter shade of green. The area of blue plumage around the eye is significantly reduced in size, being confined mainly to the rear of the eye. The bend of the wing is also yellower than in the case of the nominate race.
Distribution: The Spectacled Parrotlets can be found on the eastern slopes of the Eastern Andes, being present in Boyaca, Cundinamarca and Meta in the central part of Colombia, ranging eastwards in the vicinity of the Meta River into western Venezuela. ... CITES II - Endangered Species
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Taxonomy:
Genus: Scientific: Forpus ... English: Parrotlets ... Dutch: Muspapegaaien ... German: Sperlingspapageien ... French: Perruche moineau
Species: Scientific: Forpus conspicillatus conspicillatus ... English: Spectacled Parrotlet ... Dutch: Gebrilde Muspapegaai ... German: Augenring Sperlingspapagei ... French: Perruche moineau à lunettes
Sub-Species / Races Including Nominate: conspicillatus, matae, caucae
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots
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