Come fly with us.....

Blue-winged Parrotlet - Forpus xanthopterygius (Spix 1824)

1. Forpus x. xanthopterygius (Spix 1824)
Blue-winged Parrotlet
German: Blaufluegel-Sperlingspapagei

Description
Yellowish-green; forehead, crown and sides to head more greenish; nape and back of head with slight greyish-white tinge; some feathers to bend of wing, lower back, top of upper tail-coverts, under wing-coverts and shoulders violet-blue; primary-coverts, base of primaries and secondaries violet-blue; large upper wing-coverts paler violet-blue; underside of flight-feathers pale grey-blue; tail underside dusky green; bill pale horn-colour with faint greyish tinge; narrow periophthalmic ring grey; iris dark brown; feet flesh-coloured.

Female as male, but all blue markings green; forehead and area around bill pale green.

Immatures as adults, but young males with less extensive blue wing markings; under wing-coverts and rump green interspersed with violet-blue.

Length
12 cm (4.75 ins), wing length 80 - 90 mm (3 - 3.5 ins).

Distribution
Northeast Argentina in provinces of Misiones and Corrientes, Paraguay, central and eastern Brazil to northern Bahia; overlaps with flavissimus in northern Bahia.

2. Forpus x. flavissimus (Hellmayr 1929)
Ceara Blue-winged Parrotlet
German: Blassgelber Blaufluegel-Sperlingspapagei

Description
As xanthopterygius, but plumage generally slightly more yellow; forehead, area around base of bill and throat yellowish to bright lemon yellow; all violet-blue markings slightly paler.

Female as xanthopterygius, but plumage slightly more yellow; forehead, area around base to bill and throat yellowish to lemon yellow.

Length
12 cm (4.75 ins), wing length 80 - 85 mm (3 - 3.5 ins).

Distribution
Northeast Brazil from Maranhão, Ceará and Paraiba south to northern Bahia; overlaps in northern Bahia with xanthopterygius.

3. Forpus x. crassirostris (Taczanowski 1883)
Thick-billed Blue-winged Parrotlet
German: Dickschnabel-Sperlingspapagei

Description
As xanthopterygius, but forehead emerald-green; apart from secondaries all violet-blue markings paler; greater wing-coverts pale greyish violet-blue; bill more powerful and broader in relation to size; smaller.

Female as xanthopterygius, but with emerald-green forehead; bill more powerful and broader in relation to size; smaller.

Length
11 cm (4.5 in), wing length 72 - 80 mm (2.8 - 3.2 ins).

Distribution
From northeast Peru and southeast Colombia along both sides of Amazon and its tributaries to central Amazonas, northwest Brazil.

4. Forpus x. olallae Gyldenstolpe 1941
Olalla's Blue-winged Parrotlet
German: Olalla-Blaufluegel-Sperlingspapagei

Description
as xanthopterygius, but forehead emerald-green; apart from secondaries all violet-blue
markings paler; greater wing-coverts pale greyish-violet; primary-coverts and rump darker, under wing-coverts slightly paler than in very similar subspecies crassirostris; bill more powerful and broader in relation to size; smaller.

Female as xanthopterygius, but with emerald-green forehead; bill more powerful and broader than in relation to size; smaller.

Length
11 cm (4.5 ins), wing length 73 - 79 mm (2.9 - 3.1 ins).

Distribution
Known only from area around Codajas and Itacoatiara on north bank of Amazon in northwestern Brazil.

5. Forpus x. flavescens (Salvadori 1891)
Salvadori's Blue-winged Parrotlet
German: Santa-Cruz-Sperlingspapagei

Description
As xanthopterygius, but generally slightly more yellow; forehead and cheeks yellowish-green; rump,
under wing-coverts and secondaries blue; greater wing-coverts pale blue; underside of tail-feathers pale bluish-green.

Female as xanthopterygius, but much more yellowish; forehead and cheeks yellowish-green; underside of
tail-feathers pale bluish-green.

Length
12 cm (4.75 ins), wing length 81 - 86 mm (3.2 - 3.4 ins).

Distribution
Eastern Bolivia in provinces of Santa Cruz and Beni as well as southeast and central-eastern Peru.

Habitat
Dry open and semi-open areas with bushes and trees, open woodland, thorn-bush savannah, secondary
vegetation and edges of rain forest; in coastal regions in palm groves, regularly seen in cultivated areas, gardens and city parks.

Status
Common and only rare in localities.

Habits
In pairs or groups of 5 to 12 birds outside breeding season; also occasionally gatherings of 50 or more birds in feeding trees and bushes; spends much of day on ground feeding on grass seeds; there difficult to see despite constant chattering; however conspicuous when flying; active and not shy; can often be approached to within 10 m (33 ft); if disturbed flies off screeching loudly in complaint; flock formation reminiscent of finches; perches in foliage of trees during hot midday hours; often seen in late afternoon on bare bushes; seasonal migrations in localities; contact call penetrating tseet...tseet...tseet or soft high-pitched twittering; flight swift and slightly undulating.

Natural diet
Half-ripe and dry grass seeds, vegetable matter, berries, fruits, buds and probably also flowers.

Breeding behaviour
Breeding season from May to
August; nests in dead tree stumps, hollow branches or frequently abandoned mud nests of Ovenbird (Furnarius rufus); bottom of nest lined with grass stems; clutch 3 to 7 eggs; no further information available;egg measures 18.9 x 15.2 mm (0.74 x 0.60 ins).

Aviculture
Fairly quiet and active bird; however often lethargic in small cage; inclined to obesity; offspring hardy; newly imported birds initially susceptible; often shy and difficult to accustom to keeper; mostly incompatible with other parrotlets; bathing requirement varies; enjoys chewing fresh twigs.

Accommodation
Ideally aviary 2 x 1 x 2 m (6 x 3 x 6 ft); bird room cage at least 120 x 40 x 50 cm (48 x 16 x 20 ins) also possible; not less than 20°C (68°F) during acclimation period; afterwards not less than 20°C (50°F); provide roosting box all year.

Diet
Seed mix of canary grass seed, various millets, weed seed, some wheat and oats; millet spray (also sprouted); various fruit and vegetables (carrot, pear, apple, half-ripe maize etc.); rose-hip, rowanberries, greenfood (chickweed, dandelion, etc.); insect softfood for rearing; often conservative in diet; inclined to eat one item and ignore rest.

Breeding in aviculture
Regularly achieved and not difficult; pairs must be isolated for breeding; budgerigar nestbox or preferably tree stump 15 cm (6 ins) in diameter and 30 cm (12ins) high; breeding possible all year, but prefers May to October; clutch between 3 and 7 eggs; usually 5 or 6 eggs; incubation 21 days; fledging period 35 days; separate young after leaving nest as several breedings per year possible and male often bites young soon thereafter; more than two breedings per year shouldn't be permitted because of risk of egg-binding.