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Cobalt-winged Parakeet

 (Brotogeris cyanoptera)

Also known as: Blue-winged Parakeet, Deville's Parakeet, Gustav's Parakeet (B.c. gustavi)

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Cobalt-winged Parakeets
© Corey Raffel

Did You Know?

Cobalt-winged Parakeets gather with other parrot species to consume soil at clay licks.

Academic Research

Related publications: Brotogeris cyanoptera

Species Profile

Genus: Brotogeris | Species: cyanoptera

Size:

18cm (7 in)

Weight:

65g (2.3 oz)

Subspecies including nominate:

three: B.c. cyanoptera, B.c. gustavi, B.c. beniensis

Colour Adult:

B.c. cyanoptera: Both adults in general yellow/green; yellow forehead and lores, duller and less far-reaching in female; chin orange; green bend of wing, carpal edge and underwing coverts; purple/blue primary coverts and secondary feathers; purple/blue outer primary feathers edged with green, the remainder purple/blue; dark blue central tail feathers with green margins, the next two green edged with blue, the remainder green. Bill pale horn in colour tipped with brown. Eye ring bare and white. Eye dark brown.
B.c. gustavi: Both adults yellow bend of wing and carpal edge; green outer primary feathers.
B.c. beniensis: Both adults as in gustavi, but paler and more yellow/green; heavy tint of yellow on forehead and lores; strong tint of blue on crown; yellow bend of wing, carpal edge, and primary coverts.

Colour Juvenile:

Duller in colour than adults. Bill brown.

Call:

Calls are described as being like those of the Tui Parakeet, rapid repetition of high pitched notes; also clear splink splink notes and harsh, scratchy noises.

Listen Now

Video Links:

Video 1 | Video 2

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

CITES
BirdLife International
Cornell Lab of Ornithology/Birds of the World
Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, Juniper and Parr, 1998
ML Media Collection Catalogue 81093, Cobalt-winged Parakeet Brotogeris cyanoptera, Ross, David L., Jr., Sucumbios, Ecuador, Jan. 1 1993, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Site
Parrots of the World, Forshaw and Cooper, 1977. 2010 edition
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006.
Lexicon of Parrots, Thomas Arndt.
Parrots in Aviculture, Low, 1992.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Cobalt-winged Parakeets
© Corey Raffel

Did You Know?

Cobalt-winged Parakeets gather with other parrot species to consume soil at clay licks.

Academic Research

Related publications: Brotogeris cyanoptera

Species Care

Captive Status:

Uncommon

Longevity:

Not recorded.

Housing:

Aviary or suspended enclosure, minimum length 2m (6.5 ft).

Diet:

Fruits such as: apple, pear, banana, orange, cactus fruits, pomegranates, forming about 30 percent of the diet; vegetables (if taken) such as: carrot, celery, green beans, peas in the pod; green leaves such as: Swiss chard, lettuce, sowthistle, dandelion, chickweed; spray millet; small seed mix such as: canary, millet and smaller amounts of oats, buckwheat, safflower and a little hemp; soaked and sprouted sunflower seed; cooked beans and pulses, boiled maize, and complete pellet.

Enrichment:

Enjoys bathing, so provide overhead misters or shallow bowls of water; moderate chewer, so provide browse (non-toxic, unsprayed flowering, fir, pine or willow branches.

Nest Box Size:

Nest log or vertical box, 6" x 6" x 6" (15cm x 15cm x 15cm).

Clutch Size:

3-6

Incubation Time:

24 days

Fledging Age:

7 weeks

Hatch Weight:

Not recorded.

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Cobalt-winged Parakeets
© Corey Raffel

Did You Know?

Cobalt-winged Parakeets gather with other parrot species to consume soil at clay licks.

Academic Research

Related publications: Brotogeris cyanoptera

Species Wild Status

World Population:

Unknown, decreasing.

IUCN Red List Status:

Least Concern

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

Common throughout range with no recent trapping activity recorded.

Range:

B.c. cyanoptera: W Amazon basin in S Venezuela, SE Colombia and E Ecuador to E Peru, except upper Rio Huallaga valley and N Bolivia.
B.c. gustavi: Upper Rio Huallaga valley, N Peru.
B.c. beniensis: N Bolivia, in Beni and Cochabamba.

Habitat:

Found up to 1000m (3280 ft) in lowland tropical rainforest, seasonally flooded and dry formations and semi-open savanna.

Wild Diet:

Noted visiting trees and shrubs for nectar, fruit, figs, berries and seeds; also Cecropia catkins.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Social, usually seen in flocks of up to 30 outside breeding season. Forages in the forest canopy.

Clutch and Egg Size:

3-6 rounded eggs, 23.0 x 18.5mm (0.9 x 0.7 in)

Breeding Season:

Evidence of pair activity in June-July; nest is in tree hollow.

Related Links:

Wikipedia

Click photo to visit gallery

Wild Cobalt-winged Parakeets
© Corey Raffel

Did You Know?

Cobalt-winged Parakeets gather with other parrot species to consume soil at clay licks.

Academic Research

Related publications: Brotogeris cyanoptera

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