Black-capped Parakeet (Pyrrhura rupicola)

Identification & Behavior: ~24 cm (9.4 in). The Black-capped Parakeet (aka, Rock Parakeet) has a dusky top of the head and nape, large green patches on the sides of the head, and conspicuous pale orbital skin.  The throat and neck are scaled. The bill is black. The tail is green. It has red on the leading edges of the wings. It is very similar to the Maroon-tailed Parakeet but is distinguished by having a green tail. The ranges of these two Pyrrhura Parakeets do not overlap. It does not have a red patch in the belly.

Status: The Black-capped Parakeet is uncommon in the mature forest in southeastern Peru where it is known to range up to 2000 m along the foothill of the Andes. An isolated population occurs in parts of Pasco and Junin. It also occurs in Br and Bo.

Name in Spanish: Perico de Gorro Negro.

Sub-species: Black-capped Parakeet (Pyrrhura rupicola rupicola), Tschudi, 1844. CE Peru (S Loreto, Ucayali).
(P. r. sandiae), J. Bond and Meyer de Schauensee, 1944.  SE Peru, extreme W Brazil (Acre) and N Bolivia (S to Beni and La Paz).

Meaning of Name: Pyrrhura: Gr. purhos= flame-colored, red. Ouros= tailed. rupicola: L. rupes= a rock and cola= dweller, inhabitant.

See more of the Family Psittacidae