- Black-hooded Parakeet
Taxobox | name = Black-hooded Parakeet
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum =Animalia
phylum =Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Psittaciformes
familia =Psittacidae
subfamilia =Psittacinae
tribus = Arini
genus = "Nandayus"
genus_authority = Bonaparte, 1854
species = "N. nenday"
binomial = "Nandayus nenday"
binomial_authority = (Vieillot , 1823)The Black-hooded Parakeet ("Nandayus nenday") is also known as the Nanday Parakeet or Nanday Conure. The bird is native to
South America from southeastBolivia to southwestBrazil , centralParaguay and northernArgentina , from the region known as thepantanal . Caged birds have been released in some areas and the birds have established self sustaining populations in theLos Angeles, California , and several areas of Florida (including St. Petersburg, Broward County, and Miami-Dade County).A prehistoric relative, "
Nandayus vorohuensis ", was described fromLate Pliocene fossils found inArgentina .Description
The Black-hooded Parakeet is 32-37 cm in length, and is mostly green in color. Its most distinguishing characteristic, for which it is named, is its black facial mask and beak. It also shows black trailing flight feathers on its wings and has a long tail edged at the end in blue. The upper chest is bluish-green and the lower chest is a paler green. Feathers covering the thighs are red.
Behaviour
Food and feeding
The bird feeds on
seeds ,fruit , palm nuts,berries , flowers and buds.Feral birds will also come to bird feeders. Wild birds primarily use scrub forest and forest clearings around settlements. It frequents opensavannah , pastures and stockyards in South America where it is considered a pest in some areas.Breeding
Black-hooded Parakeets usually find holes in trees to nest in. It lays 3-4 eggs. After raising its young, all birds will form rather large communal roosts until the next breeding season.
Aviculture
In captivity they make wonderful pets if cared for and socialized properly. They all have distinct personalities and appreciate a roomy cage and toys. They also like to be outside of their cage at least two hours a day. They eat a pellet based diet with fruit and vegetables daily. This can be accomplished by giving them a raisin, apple slice, or other fruit or veggie daily. These birds are extremely intelligent and skilled escape artists. Some of them will talk, others will not, depending on their personality. They are also loud natured birds not suited for apartments.
Fearing the birds may escape and become feral agricultural pests, the state of
Tennessee , USA bans the keeping of Black-hooded Parakeets as well asMonk Parakeet s.References
*IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=48047|title=Nandayus nenday|downloaded=11 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* "National Geographic" "Field Guide to the Birds of North" "America" ISBN 0-7922-6877-6
*"Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 4", Josep del Hoyo editor, ISBN 84-87334-22-9
*"National Audubon Society" "The Sibley Guide to Birds", by David Allen Sibley, ISBN 0-679-45122-6External links
* [http://wildflorida.org/bba/BHPA.htm Florida Breeding Bird Atlas: Black-hooded Parakeet]
* [http://www.nanday.com Nanday Conure]
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