- Vulturine Parrot
Taxobox
name = Vulturine Parrot
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend =
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Psittaciformes
familia =Psittacidae
subfamilia =Psittacinae
tribus = Arini
genus = "Pyrilia "
species = "P. vulturina"
binomial = "Pyrilia vulturina"
binomial_authority = (Kuhl,1820 )
synonyms ="Pionopsitta vulturina" (Kuhl, 1820)
"Gypopsitta vulturina"The Vulturine Parrot ("Pyrilia vulturina"), not to be confused with
Pesquet's Parrot ("Psittrichas fulgidus"), is aNeotropical parrot , which is endemic to humid forest and adjacent habitats in the eastern Amazon ofBrazil .Taxonomy
Until recently, it was placed in the
genus "Pionopsitta ", which now is restricted to the type species, "P. pileata". Furthermore, individuals previously believed to beimmature Vulturine Parrots were described as a new species, theBald Parrot ("Pyrilia aurantiocephala"), in 2002.Description
The Vulturine Parrot has a total length of ca. 24 cm (9½ in). It has a rather short, squarish tail, and a mainly green
plumage , which typically is tinged blue, especially below. The chest is olive-brown. The underwing coverts are bright red, and when perched this can be hinted as an orange-red shoulder-patch. The under-tail is yellowish with a bluish tip (appears dark against light). The outer webs and tips of theremiges are bluish-black, making the outer sections of the upperwing appear quite uniformly dark in flight. The arguably most conspicuous feature, however, is its un-feathered blackish and orange-pinkish head, bordered by a broad yellow collar of feathers, followed by a second blackish collar. This bare, vaguelyvulture -like head is the reason behind itscommon name . Juveniles have a feathered greenish head.Little is known about its behavior, but it is suspected the bare head is an
adaptation to avoid feather-matting from stickyfruit s. It has also been recorded feeding onseeds andberries .References
* Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of Least Concern, and the criteria used.
* Collar, N.J. (1997). Vulturine Parrot (Pionopsitta vulturina). Pp. 457 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. eds (1997). "Handbook of the Birds of the World." Vol. 4. Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-22-9.
* Gaban-Lima, R., M. Raposo, and E. Höfling (2002). "Description of a New Species of Pionopsitta (Aves: Psittacidae) Endemic to Brazil." Auk 119(3): 815–819.
* Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). "A Guide to the Parrots of the World." Pica Press, East Sussex. ISBN 1-873403-40-2.
* Ribas, C., R. Gaban-Lima, C. Miyaki, and J. Cracraft (2005). "Historical biogeography and diversification within the Neotropical parrot genus Pionopsitta (Aves: Psittacidae)." Journal Biogeography 32:1409-1427.
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