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Santa Marta Conure

 (Pyrrhura viridicata)

Also known as: Santa Marta Parakeet

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Santa Marta Conure
© William Stephens [CC BY 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Santa Marta Conure is one of the least typical of the Pyrrhura species in its colouration. The scalloped breast markings found in so many other Pyrrhuras is missing, and its abdomen is bright orange/red.

Academic Research

Related publications: Pyrrhura viridicata

Species Profile

Genus: Pyrrhura | Species: viridicata

Size:

25cm (9.75 in)

Weight:

Not recorded.

Subspecies including nominate:

one

Colour Adult:

Both adults in general dark green; purple/brown ear coverts; orange/red abdomen; yellow bend of wing, carpal edge and lesser underwing coverts with orange/red markings; green tail. Eye ring bare and white. Eye brown.

Colour Juvenile:

Undescribed.

Call:

Calls are similar to those of the Painted Conure (Pyrrhura picta): in flight a coarse, strong series of rapid, staccato notes pik-pik-pik.

Listen Now

Video Links:

Video 1 | Video 2

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

CITES
BirdLife International
Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Birds of the World
A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998
ML Media Collection Catalogue 68055, Santa Marta Parakeet Pyrrhura viridicata, Coopmans, Paul, Magdalena, Colombia, Jan. 3 1994, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Site
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006. 2010 edition
Vanished and Vanishing Parrots, Forshaw, 2017.
Parrots: Their Care and Breeding, Low, 1986.
Lexicon of Parrots, Thomas Arndt.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Santa Marta Conure
© William Stephens [CC BY 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Santa Marta Conure is one of the least typical of the Pyrrhura species in its colouration. The scalloped breast markings found in so many other Pyrrhuras is missing, and its abdomen is bright orange/red.

Academic Research

Related publications: Pyrrhura viridicata

Species Care

Captive Status:

Not commonly found in captivity.

Longevity:

Not recorded.

Housing:

Inside enclosure 1 x 1 x 2m (3.3 x 3.3 x 6.5 ft) with outside flight (in warmer climates) 4 x 1 x 2m (12 x 3.3 x 6.5 ft).

Diet:

Fruit such as: apple, pear, orange, banana, papaya, mango, cactus fruits, pomegranate; berries such as: blueberries, mountain ash, Pyracantha and elder; vegetables such as: carrot, celery, green beans and peas in the pod; green leaves such as: Swiss chard, lettuce, sowthistle, dandelion, chickweed; seed mix such as: safflower, oats, buckwheat, millet, canary grass, some sunflower (dry or sprouted) and a little hemp; millet spray; vitamin and mineral supplements; complete kibble.

Enrichment:

Not recorded.

Nest Box Size:

Vertical box 10" x 10" x 28" (25.4cm x 25.4cm x 70cm)

Clutch Size:

Not recorded.

Incubation Time:

Not recorded.

Fledging Age:

Not recorded.

Hatch Weight:

Not recorded.

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Santa Marta Conure
© William Stephens [CC BY 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Santa Marta Conure is one of the least typical of the Pyrrhura species in its colouration. The scalloped breast markings found in so many other Pyrrhuras is missing, and its abdomen is bright orange/red.

Academic Research

Related publications: Pyrrhura viridicata

Species Wild Status

World Population:

4000-4500, decreasing.

IUCN Red List Status:

Endangered

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

The species greatly depends on intact forest; estimates of habitat loss range from 30% to 80%. The main threat to habitat is food agriculture, livestock farming and logging, whose impacts are ongoing. Is not affected by illegal pet trade, but there are records of hunting in the Río Frío valley, in San Pedro de la Sierra and by indigenous people from the kogi comunity. Some birds are occasionally shot as crop pests.

Range:

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, NE Colombia.

Habitat:

Found from 1800-2800m (5904-9184 ft) in cooler humid mountain forest and forest edge, mainly in subtropical zone. May also occur in grass and bracken covered slopes with mountain shrubs.

Wild Diet:

Diet includes fruits and seeds of Alchornea triplinervia (Euphorbiaceae); fruits of Croton bogotanus (Euphorbiaceae), Miconia (Melastomataceae), Ficus aff. tequendamae (Moraceae), Morella pubescens (Myricaceae), Myrcia (Myrtaceae), seeds of Sapium and Tetrorchidium rubrivenium (Euphorbiaceae), Clusia multiflora (Clusiaceae), Brunellia integrifolia (Brunelliaceae), Cupressus sempervirens (Cupresaceae); flower clusters of Lepechinia bullata (Lamiaceae), Casteneida santamartensis and Vernonia canescens (Asteraceae). Also flowers from Eucalyptus aff. globulus (Myrtaceae), Miconia, leaves of Podocarpus oleifolius (Podocarpaceae), Guettarda aff. roupaliefolia (Asteraceae) and Usnea lichens.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Is usually seen in flocks of up to 20 individuals in fast, acrobatic flight across open country between forest patches. Roosts communally in a tree hollow or hidden in foliage at night.

Clutch and Egg Size:

Not recorded.

Breeding Season:

Two peak periods from December-May and May-October. Nests exclusively in dead Wax Palms Ceroxylon ceriferum.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Santa Marta Conure
© William Stephens [CC BY 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons

Did You Know?

The Santa Marta Conure is one of the least typical of the Pyrrhura species in its colouration. The scalloped breast markings found in so many other Pyrrhuras is missing, and its abdomen is bright orange/red.

Academic Research

Related publications: Pyrrhura viridicata

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