Dusky-billed Parrotlet |
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Also known as: Sclater's Parrotlet
Wild Dusky-billed Parrotlet
© Nick Athanas [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] via Flickr
Photos
View in GalleryDid You Know?
The Dusky-billed Parrotlet takes mineral soil from clay river banks alongside other parrots. This is called geophagy.Academic Research
Related publications: Forpus modestusSpecies Profile
Genus: Forpus | Species: modestus
Size:
12.5cm (4.8 in)
Weight:
Probably 30-35g (1-1.2 oz)
Subspecies including nominate:
two: F.m. modestus, F.m. eidos
Colour Adult:
F.m. modestus: Male-dark green in colour; emerald green forehead and cheeks; purple/blue lower back and rump; purple/blue primary and secondary coverts, secondary feathers, and underwing coverts; outer webs of inner primary feathers purple/blue at bases. Upper mandible dark grey with horn coloured base, lower mandible horn in colour. Eye brown. Female-as in male but blue markings replaced by green; green/yellow forehead, forecrown and cheeks.
F.m. eidos: Male-paler green in colour; purple/blue on lower back and rump paler. Female-paler green in colour, particularly on breast.
Colour Juvenile:
In general duller than adults; in young male blue markings are mixed with green.
Call:
Calls are described as distinctive; high-pitched notes or soft, wheezing sounds in flight or while perched.
Listen NowVideo Links:
Video 1 | Video 2More Information:
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 75060, Dusky-billed Parrotlet Forpus sclateri, Marantz, Curtis, Madre de Dios, Peru, Jul. 28 1994, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Site
Parrots of the World, Forshaw and Cooper, 1977. 2010 edition
Lexicon of Parrots, Thomas Arndt.
Parrots of the World, Forshaw, 2006.
Parrots in Aviculture, Low, 1992.
Wild Dusky-billed Parrotlet
© Nick Athanas [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] via Flickr
Photos
View in GalleryDid You Know?
The Dusky-billed Parrotlet takes mineral soil from clay river banks alongside other parrots. This is called geophagy.Academic Research
Related publications: Forpus modestusSpecies Care
Captive Status:
Virtually unknown in captivity.
Longevity:
Up to 25 yrs.
Housing:
Walk-in enclosure minimum length 2.1m (7 ft) or indoor aviary length 1.8m (6 ft).
Diet:
As in other parrotlets - small seed mix such as: canary, millet and smaller amounts of oats, buckwheat, safflower and a little hemp; limited sunflower seed; spray millet; green leaves such as: Swiss chard, lettuce, sowthistle, dandelion, chickweed; seeding grasses; rearing food made from: hard-boiled egg, wholegrain bread and carrot, all ground to crumbly consistency; complete pellet.
Enrichment:
Provide overhead misters or shallow bowls for bathing. Are moderate chewers, so provide bird-safe, unsprayed flowering, fir, pine or willow branches, heat sterilized pine cones, wooden block toys, vegetable tanned leather toys, puzzle toys, foraging toys, swings and ladders.
Nest Box Size:
Vertical box 6" x 6" x 6" (15cm x 15cm x 15cm).
Clutch Size:
Probably 3-6
Incubation Time:
22 days
Fledging Age:
5-6 weeks
Hatch Weight:
Not recorded.
Peak Weight:
Not recorded.
Weaning Weight:
Not recorded.
Wild Dusky-billed Parrotlet
© Nick Athanas [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] via Flickr
Photos
View in GalleryDid You Know?
The Dusky-billed Parrotlet takes mineral soil from clay river banks alongside other parrots. This is called geophagy.Academic Research
Related publications: Forpus modestusSpecies Wild Status
World Population:
Unknown, stable.
IUCN Red List Status:
Least Concern
CITES Listing:
Appendix II
Threat Summary:
There is evidence for this species' decline in E Amazonia and possibly an increase in Colombia. Not generally found in trade.
Range:
F.m. modestus: From Belem, Para, N Brazil, west to SE Colombia, south to E Peru, W Brazil and N Bolivia.
F.m. eidos: French Guiana, W Guyana, E and S Venezuela and N Brazil to E Colombia.
Habitat:
Found up to 1000m (3280 ft) in lowland tropical rainforest in clearings, forest edge, riparian growth, varzea, secondary habitats and savanna.
Wild Diet:
Diet consists of Cecropia fruits, seeds, berries, buds and blossoms.
Ecology and Behaviour:
Found in flocks of 100 or more individuals outside breeding season. Nests in tree cavity. Conspicuous while moving amongst foliage of canopy.
Clutch and Egg Size:
Unknown number of spherical to elliptical eggs, 18.0 x 15.0mm (0.7 x 0.6 in).
Breeding Season:
Likely July. Nest is presumably in tree hollow.
Wild Dusky-billed Parrotlet
© Nick Athanas [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] via Flickr
Photos
View in GalleryDid You Know?
The Dusky-billed Parrotlet takes mineral soil from clay river banks alongside other parrots. This is called geophagy.Academic Research
Related publications: Forpus modestusMembers Only Resources
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