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Maroon-bellied Parakeet
Conservation statusLeast Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Pyrrhura
Species: P. frontalis
Binomial name
Pyrrhura frontalis
(Vieillot, 1818)
Also known as:
* Maroon-bellied Parakeet
* Reddish-bellied Conure/Parakeet
* Brown-eared Conure/Parakeet
* Scaly-breasted Conure/Parakeet
* Azara's Conure/Parakeet (P. f. chiripepe)
* Blaze-winged Conure/Parakeet (P. f. devillei)
* Bronze-winged Conure/Parakeet (P. f. devillei)
* Krieg's Conure/Parakeet (P. f. kriegi) or (P. f. frontalis)
The Maroon-bellied Conure, Pyrrhura frontalis, is a small parrot found from Southeastern Brazil through Northern Argentina, including Paraguay and Uruguay and maybe the Eastern tip of Bolivia. These birds range from 25 to 28cm, and are primarily green, with a maroon patch on the belly, a yellow-green barred ("scaly") breast and front and sides of neck, brownish ear patch, black beak, and maroon undertail. The primaries are blue on outerwebs, green on innerwebs, and dark on the tips.
There are three (or maybe four) subspecies:
* P. f. frontalis: Brazil from South Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, west to Mato Grosso do Sul. Tail shades from bronze to dull red tip.
* P. f. chiripepe: Central & South Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay. Tail shades yellowish, sometimes orange-red at wing bends.
* P. f. devellei: North Paraguay, Bolivia, Southwest Brazil. Bend of wing bright red. Underwing coverts banded red and yellow. forehead browner.
* P. f. kriegi: If a valid subspecies, coastal portions of frontalis range, except not in Bahia. Differs from frontalis (if it does) by narrow brownish-red tip of tail.
(Note: P. f. devellei is often treated as separate species (P. devellei), but hybridizes with P. f. chiripepe in Paraguay and Southern Brazil where ranges overlap, suggesting they're conspecific. Chromosome studies suggest Maroon-bellied (P. molinae) may also be conspecific with Green-cheeked Conure, but for now let's keep them separate - the Green-cheek has another five subspecies and five names.)
The Maroon-bellied conure is common in woodland, forest edges, and pantanal (in Paraguay, mainly along Rio Paraguay and major tributaries). In Brazil mainly in highlands up to 1400m, elsewhere in lowlands to 1000m. Tolerates disturbance well and even lives in urban parks (e.g., Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo) and feeds in gardens. Flock size is usually only 6-12 individuals, but up to 40. Omnivorous.
Maroon-bellied conures can learn to talk, although not clearly. They are among the quietest conures, but their shrill voices still irritate some people.
References
Juniper & Parr (1998) Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World ISBN 0-300-07453-0
Michele Lowell (1994) Your Pet Bird: A Buyer's Guide ISBN 0-8050-2325-9
