| Mitred parakeet | |
|---|---|
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| A feral mitred parakeet in Florida | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Genus: | Psittacara |
| Species: | P. mitratus |
| Binomial name | |
| Psittacara mitratus (Tschudi, 1844) | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
Aratinga mitrata | |
Themitred parakeet (Psittacara mitratus), also known as themitred conure inaviculture, is a species of bird in subfamilyArinae of the familyPsittacidae, the African and New World parrots.[3] It is native toArgentina,Bolivia, andPeru.[4] It has been introduced toUruguay and is established there.[5] There are also substantial populations in the US states ofCalifornia andFlorida and smaller numbers inHawaii.[6][7]
The mitred parakeet was for a time placed in the genusAratinga but from about 2013 has been in its present genusPsittacara.[8][4] Its taxonomy is otherwise unsettled. TheInternational Ornithological Committee (IOC) recognizes these three subspecies:[4]
TheAmerican Ornithological Society (AOS) and theClements taxonomy recognize a fourth subspecies,P. m. alticola ("Chapman's parakeet"), that Arndt (2006) had suggested as a separate species.[10][11][12][9] Agnolin (2009) called into question the validity ofP. m. tucumanus, andBirdLife International'sHandbook of the Birds of the World (HBW) does not recognize it orP. m. alticola, assigning onlyP. m. chlorogenys andP. m. mitratus to the mitred parakeet.[13][14]
Arndt (2006) also suggested that another full species,P. hockingi ("Hocking's parakeet"), exists within the mitred parakeet.[9] The IOC, AOS, Clements, and HBW have not accepted this taxon as either a species or subspecies.[4][10][11][12][14]
This article follows the three-subspecies model.
The mitred parakeet is 31 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in) long and weighs 219 to 275 g (7.7 to 9.7 oz).[3] The sexes are alike. Adults of all subspecies are mostly green with a purplish forehead and a variable amount and pattern of red on the face. All subspecies have a red forecrown and red in front of their eye. The red usually extends past the eye and down the cheeks, and is often just flecks on the earcoverts. SubspeciesP. m. chlorogenys has less red around and below the eye than the others, often a blue tinge on the crown, and some red on the thighs. Some individuals of all subspecies have a small amount of red at the bend of the wing. Their eye is surrounded by bare white skin and their bill is horn colored. Juveniles have little or no red.[15][16]
The differences in plumage coloration noted in the field and in specimens are possibly due to erroneous age assignments, and might also beclinal.[11][15]
Thenominate subspeciesP. m. mitratus of the mitred parakeet is found from the departments ofAyacucho andCuzco in Peru south through Bolivia into northwestern Argentina as far asCórdoba Province. SubspeciesP. m. chlorogenys is found on the eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes betweenAmazonas andJunín departments.P. m. tucumanus is found in the Argentinian provinces of Córdoba andTucumán.[4][15]
The mitred parakeet has been introduced toUruguay and is established there.[5] Populations in California, Florida, and Hawaii are apparently derived from escaped or released cage birds. California's official list does not include the species but the other two states' lists do.[17][18][19]
In their native range mitred parakeets inhabit a variety of landscapes, most of them forested. These include both evergreen and deciduousmontane forest,cloudforest,secondary forest, and semi-humid to humid scrub areas in otherwise arid zones. SubspeciesP. m. chlorogenys ranges from 1,200 to 2,900 m (3,900 to 9,500 ft) in elevation. The other two subspecies occur in the wider elevational range of 1,000 to 3,400 m (3,300 to 11,200 ft) with one reported sighting at 4,000 m (13,000 ft) in Peru.[15][16][20] The introduced populations in California and Florida mostly occur in suburban and urban areas[21][22][7] while those in Hawaii occur in both populated and unpopulated areas.[19][7]
The mitred parakeet makes some movements in response to food availability and also apparently roams outside the breeding season. Flocks of up to 2000 have been reported though those of about 100 individuals are more common.[15][9][23]
The mitred parakeet's diet in its native range has not been fully described but is known to include berries and other fruits, seeds, nuts, andmaize. In California the species has been observed feeding on fruits and flowers.[15][16] In south Florida it has been documented feeding on 34 species of plants, both native and introduced.[22]
In its native range the mitred parakeet nests in tree cavities and on cliffs. Its clutch size in the wild is two to three eggs.[15] In Florida it nests almost exclusively on human structures[22] and in Hawaii has nested on sea cliffs[19].
| Songs and calls |
The mitred parakeet is very vocal, especially in flight with "a continuous loud screeching chatter". It also makes nasal "[s]queaky notes and screeches".[15]
TheIUCN has assessed the mitred parakeet as being of Least Concern in its native range.[24] It has a large range and though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable. Though it was formerly heavily captured for the cage bird trade, as of 2018 no immediate threats have been identified.[1] It is considered generally common and locally abundant and occurs in several protected areas.[15]
The population of mitred parakeet in California was estimated at 1000 individuals in 2002.[25] That in south Florida has been increasing since at least 2004 and by 2019 had reached at least 400.[22] The population in Hawaii had reached about 200 by 2003; lethal control measures reduced the population to about 30 in 2012. Occasional sightings at widespread sites have continued into the 2020s.[19][7]
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The subspecies seen in American aviculture isPsittacara m. mitrata (though this is labelled with some uncertainty considering the recent developments in the taxonomy). Popular as pets, the mitred parakeets are considered outgoing and playful. They are even used as "watch birds", given their loud, piercing alarm call. Like mostparrots, they tend to be devoted to their human owners. They have been known to grow attached to groups rather than individuals. They make great pets for people who will devote their time and money and will understand the birds natural behaviors; screaming, biting, splashing, etc.
