Orange-fronted Parakeet (Aratinga canicularis)

Orange-fronted Parakeet

[order] PSITTACIFORMES | [family] Psittacidae | [latin] Aratinga canicularis | [authority] Linnaeus, 1758 | [UK] Orange-fronted Parakeet | [FR] Conure a front Orange | [DE] Elfenbeinsittich | [ES] Aratinga Frentinaranja, Perico frentinaranja (Cr), Periquito Naranjera (HN) | [NL] Ivooraratinga | [copyright picture] Charlene Wood

Subspecies

Monotypic species

Genus

The parrot genus Aratinga comprises 24 species. Aratinga is a genus of American parakeets. They belong to the long-tailed group. Most are predominantly green, although a few are predominantly yellow or orange. They are social and commonly seen in groups in the wild. In Brazil the popular name of several species usually is Jandaia, sometimes written as Jandaya in the scientific form.
The genus Aratinga includes species with habitat from South America to Mexico. Birds in the Aratinga genus have a “swift, direct flight” that differs from other similar birds according to “Parrots of the World.” Other characteristics include the males and females looking alike, a fully feathered face and a rather long tail that starts wide at the base and becomes slender at the tip.

Physical charateristics

A.c. canicularis: both adults wide orange frontal band reaching down to lores; dull blue forecrown; pale olive throat and breast. Bill horn colour. Eye ring bare and dull orange/yellow. Eye yellow. A.c. eburnirostrum: both adults as in canicularis, but frontal band thinner; brown spot on each side of base of lower mandible. A.c. clarae: both adults as in eburnirostrum, but frontal band not as extensive; dark grey at base of lower mandible.

Listen to the sound of Orange-fronted Parakeet

[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/PSITTACIFORMES/Psittacidae/sounds/Orange-fronted Parakeet.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

recorded by Bernhard Kroeger


wingspan min.: 0 cm wingspan max.: 0 cm
size min.: 23 cm size max.: 35 cm
incubation min.: 28 days incubation max.: 32 days
fledging min.: 40 days fledging max.: 45 days
broods: 1   eggs min.: 3  
      eggs max.: 5  

Range

Middle America : West Mexico to West Costa Rica. The most numerous parrots on the Pacific Slope of Central America, the Orange-fronted Parakeet is found from Western Mexico south to Costa Rica.

Habitat

These parakeets inhabit a variety of habitats including forest edge, deciduous woodland, Pacific swamp forest, savanna, arid thorn scrub and even cow pastures and urban areas.

Reproduction

Orange-fronted Parakeets nest primarily in self excavated cavities in arboreal termitariums. Also known to breed in old Woodpeckers holes. Clutch size is 3-5 eggs which are incubated for about 1 month by the female only. Young fledge after about 6 weeks.

Feeding habits

They feed on trees and shrubs; eat fruits of several species such as figs and mulatos (Bursera), flowers of the genus Gliricidia or Combretum, and seeds of Ceibas and Inga. These birds feed primarily on fruits and flowers, but outside of the breeding season, large flocks have been known to cause damage to maize and ripening bananas. Individuals Orange-fronted Parakeet reaches their feeding sites in groups, which usually wipe out the food available. Therefore they are regarded as a pest on crops, especially in plantations of maize and bananas ripe

Video Orange-fronted Parakeet

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slrqzR-PgAo

copyright: Josep del Hoyo


Conservation

This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is very large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Globally it is considered a Least Concern species because they are abundant and are widely distributed. It is considered a species under special protection under Mexican law, because their populations could be affected by trade and habitat destruction.
Orange-fronted Parakeet status Least Concern

Migration

It is a resident species, common to frequent in their distributional areas. This species makes local movements in response to their nutritional needs.

Distribution map

Orange-fronted Parakeet distribution range map

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