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White-eyed Parakeet | Psittacara leucophthalmus
Witoogparkiet | Aratinga ojiblanca | Periquitão
The White-eyed Parakeet is a large, green parakeet of the Amazonian lowlands and one of the most widespread species in its genus. It lives in flocks that sometimes number tens to hundreds of birds and roost together in palms or on cliffs. In flight the underwing shows a combination of red and yellow.
Voice
Shrill, harsh screeches, such as a repeated kree-ah or kreek, in flight and at rest; flocks are very noisy at roosts.
Recording: Marcos E. Sosa — CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · xeno-canto
Identification
32–35 cm, with a long, pointed tail and a pale horn-coloured bill. The plumage is green, with scattered red feathers on the head and sides of the neck; the amount of red varies between birds. A broad, bare white ring surrounds the eye. The bend of the wing and the lesser underwing coverts are red, the greater underwing coverts yellow; in flight this shows as a red and yellow band. The flight feathers and tail are olive-yellow below. The sexes are alike; juveniles lack red on the head and wing and have green underwing coverts.
Confusion species
Dusky-headed Parakeet Aratinga weddellii is smaller, with a grey-brown head and a black bill. Blue-crowned Parakeet Thectocercus acuticaudatus has a blue crown and no red or yellow under the wing. Mitred Parakeet Psittacara mitratus has red on the forehead and cheeks and lives in the Andes. Red-shouldered Macaw Diopsittaca nobilis is smaller, with a blue forecrown and bare white facial skin reaching the bill. Chestnut-fronted Macaw Ara severus is larger, with a chestnut forehead and a dark bill.
Habitat
Forest edges, várzea, river islands, gallery forest, palm swamps and semi-open country with trees in the lowlands and foothills, up to about 1200 m, locally higher. It feeds on seeds, fruit, flowers and nectar. It nests in tree cavities, holes in cliffs and sometimes in buildings.
Where the bird is most at home, classified by the vegetation units of the Andes and the west coast.
Range and movements
In Colombia in the lowlands east of the Andes, in Amazonia and locally in the llanos. In Ecuador in the eastern lowlands. In Peru in the eastern lowlands and foothills. In Bolivia in the north and east of the lowlands. Absent from the Galápagos. Outside the guide area in Venezuela, the Guianas, Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina.
- Resident
- dark = core range, pale = thinly spread
How and when to look
Along the large rivers of Amazonia, for example around Puerto Maldonado or Leticia, where flocks fly in the evening to roosts in palms and on riverbanks.
Conservation status
Least Concern. The species is trapped locally for the cage-bird trade, but it tolerates open and disturbed country and is common in much of the lowlands.
Scientific name
Psittacara leucophthalmus | (Müller, 1776) (GBIF: Aratinga leucophthalma)
Müller described the species in 1776 as Psittacus leucophthalmus; because it was later moved to another genus, the author and year stand in brackets. The genus Psittacara was introduced in 1825 by Vigors. The genus name combines Latin psittacus, 'parrot', with ara, 'macaw', a name of Tupi origin. Greek leukos, 'white', and ophthalmos, 'eye', after the white eye-ring. The specimen the first description was based on came from the Guianas.