Turquoise-winged parrotlet
| Turquoise-winged parrotlet | |
|---|---|
| |
| Illustration of a turquoise-winged parrotlet (Forpus spengeli) (top) and green-rumped parrotlet (Forpus passerinus) (bottom) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Genus: | Forpus |
| Species: | F. spengeli
|
| Binomial name | |
| Forpus spengeli (Hartlaub, 1885)
| |
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The turquoise-winged parrotlet (Forpus spengeli) is a species of parrot in the family Pscittacidae.
Description[edit]
Turquoise-winged parrotlets are typically 12 centimetres (4.7 in) long and weigh about 28 grams (0.99 oz). Their bodies are mostly yellow-green; eyes are dark brown and legs and beak are light peach. Turquoise-winged parrotlets are sexually dimorphic: males have bright turquoise feathers on their lower backs and rumps, and have purple-blue underwing coverts and axillaries. Females have no blue markings, but their foreheads and faces are brighter yellow-green than males'.[2] Like all parrots, turquoise-winged parrotlets exhibit zygodactyly: two toes face forward and two toes face backward.
Distribution and habitat[edit]
Turquoise-winged parrotlets are found in northern Colombia from the Caribbean coastal region southwest of the Santa Marta Mountains, Atlantico, and south along the Rio Magdalena in Bolívar and Cesar.[2]
Turquoise-winged parrotlets are most often found in drier, open or riparian woodlands, cerrado, caatinga, savanna, palm groves, semi-arid scrubland, and pastures.[2]
Conservation[edit]
There is not an estimate for the number of turquoise-winged parrotlets, but it is believed that their population is decreasing because of increased human interference and habitat destruction.[2] Turquoise-winged parrotlets are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.[1]
Behavior and ecology[edit]
Social[edit]
Turquoise-winged parrotlets are highly gregarious and are often found in flocks of up to 50 birds.
Reproduction[edit]
The turquoise-winged parrotlet's breeding season is May to August. Females lay 3-7 small white eggs.[2]
Diet[edit]
Turquoise-winged parrotlets mostly feed on Cecropia sp. fruits,[3] Mikania sp. and Trema micrantha seeds, and Ambrosia sp. and Marcgravia sp. flowers. They are also known to occasionally feed on other plants such as grass.
Taxonomy[edit]
Until recently, the turquoise-winged parrotlet was considered a subspecies of the cobalt-rumped parrotlet as Forpus xanthopterygius spengeli. However, in 2015 Bocalini and Silveira studied morphological differences between subspecies of cobalt-rumped parrotlets and determined that the turquoise-winged parrotlet was its own species, F. spengeli.[4] This split was supported by Donegan et al. in 2016.[5] There is continuing debate over the validity of this change. Some taxonomic authorities (including the American Ornithological Society) do not recognize this change in classification.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Forpus spengeli". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T45428679A95153318. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T45428679A95153318.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Turquoise-winged Parrotlet (Forpus spengeli) | Parrot Encyclopedia". www.parrots.org. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
- ^ Wheeler, W.M.; Darlington Jr., P.J. (June 1930). "Ant-Tree Notes from Rio Frio, Colombia" (PDF). Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. 37 (2): 116 – via Antwiki.
- ^ Bocalini, F.; Silveira, L.F. (May 2015). "Morphological variability and taxonomy of the Bluewinged Parrotlet Forpus xanthopterygius (Psittacidae)". Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia. 23: 64–75. doi:10.1007/BF03544290 – via ResearchGate.
- ^ Donegan, T.; Verhelst, J.C.; Ellery, T.; Cortés-Herrera, O.; Salaman, P. (October 2016). "Revision of the status of bird species occurring or reported in Colombia 2016 and assessment of BirdLife International's new parrot taxonomy". Conservación Colombiana. 24: 17–21.
- ^ "A classification of the bird species of South America". www.museum.lsu.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-17.