Wiki Archiv - ForpusFakten

Die Gattung Forpus und ihre 9 Arten

Melanie — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 11:17:05 +0000

In this encyclopedia article you will find a detailed introduction to all nine species of the genus Forpus (parrotlets) with visual descriptions, graphics and photos, distribution maps, audio files of the calls, conservation status and habitat description, identification of possible subspecies, species-specific diet, description of reproduction, and information for keeping each species in human care. You can find an overview of the most commonly kept species from a pet perspective in this blog article.

I can also highly recommend that all ornithology nerds among you try out a subscription to birdsoftheworld.org and browse the genus Forpus there. I've embedded a lot of the fantastic content on this site into this post and used it as sources, but of course you'll find even more and more in-depth information there, so take a look! You can also browse the media library there for free and find an incredible wealth of high-quality photos, videos and audio recordings of all parrotlet species.

Taxonomy

Class:

Infraclass:

Order:

Family:

Subfamiliy

Genus

Birds
(Aves)

Neognaths
(Neognathae)

Parrots
(Psittaciformes)

Holotropical/true parrots
(Psittacidae)

Neotropical parrots
(Arinae)

Parrotlets (Forpus)

Taxonomy within the genus Forpus (Smith et al. 2013, adjusted according to Birds of the World). Until recently, F. crassirostris and F. spengeli were considered subspecies of F. xanthopterygius.

Pacific parrotlet

Forpus coelestis

Alternative names: celestial parrotlet, Lesson's parrotlet

German: Blaugenick-Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

LC – Least concern

Apprearance

The pacific parrotlet has predominantly green plumage. The crown and face are bright light green, the body is darker, the back and wings are olive to gray-green. The males show a slight gray-bluish veil over the body and a cobalt blue colour with a slight purple shimmer on the undersides of the wings and the back feathers. In females, these areas are coloured emerald green. Pacific parrotlets are also characterized by the blue eye stripe that gives them their name, which extends to the back of the neck and turns blue-gray there. In females this is less intensely coloured. The tail feathers of males have a slight blue tinge and therefore shimmer slightly turquoise.

Beak, cere and feet are a light pinkish or peach colour.

Pacific parrotlets measure approx. 13 cm, the weight of the wild form is between 24 and 28 g, while captive-bred birds, especially females, are usually slightly heavier (up to approx. 32 to 35 g).

Distribution

This species naturally occurs on the Pacific coast of Ecuador and north-west Peru. Recently the species was also located in the extreme southwest of Colombia.

Habitat

Pacific parrotlets live primarily in dry lowland scrub, semi-open tropical deciduous forests, gallery forests and secondary vegetation; they also occur locally and more sparsely in moist vegetation up to 1500 m altitude. The species also tolerates proximity to humans.

Subspecies

None.

Diet

Berries found in the branches of trees and shrubs, cactus and tamarind fruits, and seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants taken from the ground.

Breeding

In Ecuador, the breeding season is from January to May, after the rainy season. Nests are built in any natural or human-made cavity, from holes in trees, branches, fence posts, and telephone poles to the ends of pipes and bamboo rafters. In addition, old mud nests of the pale-legged Hornero (Furnarius leucopus) and large stick nests of the necklaced spinetail (Synallaxis stictothorax) and the fasciated wren (Campylorhynchus fasciatus) are used. No nesting material is brought in. A clutch consists of 4-6 eggs, although individual observations suggest the possibility of larger clutches. The incubation period is 17-21 days, the nestling period is approximately 30-40 days. Sometimes a second brood is raised, which can begin as early as 7-8 days after the first brood fledges.

Husbandry

Pacific parrotlets are the most commonly bred and kept species, but also the most aggressive and territorial representatives of their genus. In the wild, outside of the breeding season, they can be found either in pairs, in small family groups or in large flocks of several hundred individuals. In captivity they are therefore easiest to keep in pairs. It is possible to keep a flock of three pairs or more, but this requires a lot of space and the ability to separate the pairs temporarily or permanently if necessary. Flock-housing is therefore not recommended for beginners. Because of their character, they are difficult to socialize with other parrots; harmony is more a matter of luck, and smaller, more peaceful species (e.g. budgies and cockatiels) are not suitable for this at all, as injuries or even deaths can occur very quickly.

The species is very prone to mutation in breeding and is now available in a variety of different colors and markings. This is probably the reason why it is by far the most commonly bred and kept species.

Spectacled parrotlet

Forpus conspicillatus

Alternative names: -

German: Augenring-Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

LC – Least concern

Apprearance

The spectacled parrotlet has a grassy green colour on the forehead, face and throat and a duller green on the back, wings and tail. In males, the lower back, rump and the undersides of the wings are deep blue with paler blue on the shoulder and large wing coverts, the underwing coverts are bluish-green. Only the males have the eponymous blue ring around their eyes. Breast and belly are silvery green. Females lack any blue and the chest and belly are yellowish green.

Beak, cere and feet are a light pinkish or peach colour.

Spectacled parrotlets measure 12-13 cm and weigh 24-28 g. I don't know whether European offspring are heavier in this species as well.

Distribution

The geographic range of the spectacled parrotlet extends from eastern Panama through the northern part of central Colombia to western Venezuela.

Habitat

This species inhabits edges of evergreen lowland forests, gallery forests, semi-open deciduous woodland, llanos (vast tropical grassland plains), secondary vegetation, thorn scrub, pastures and clearings. The spectacled parrotlet is usually found at 100-1800 m altitude, occasionally even up to 2600 m.

Subspecies

According to current scientific knowledge, two subspecies are distinguished in the spectacled parrotlet, in addition to the nominate form.

Forpus conspicillatus conspicillatus (nominate)

The appearance of the nominate form corresponds to the graphics in the main section.

This subspecies occurs in eastern Panama and north-central Colombia (northern Antioquia to Cesar and Magdalena Valley).

Forpus conspicillatus metae

This subspecies has a more yellowish underside and a reduced blue eye ring (see graphic).

It is found in central Colombia from the east of the Departamento del Meta, along the eponymous river Meta, from which the scientific name metae derives, to western Venezuela (in southern Apure).

Forpus conspicillatus caucae

The subspecies caucae has a lighter blue on the back and wings and a larger bill (see graphic), with populations in the dry Patía and Dagua valleys being even paler.

This subspecies occurs in western Colombia from the central Cauca Valley in the south (from which the name caucae derives) to southwestern Nariño.

Diet

Spectacled parrotlets feed on grass seeds foraged on the ground, berries, fruits, buds and probably flowers from bushes.

Breeding

In Colombia the breeding season takes place from December to March. A hole in a stump, tree, termitarium or bamboo fence post (guadua) is used as a nest, often just 1-2 m above the ground. Spectacled parrotlets lay 1-6 eggs in the wild and usually 4-5 in captivity. The breeding period is approx. 21-22 days and the chicks leave the nest after approx. 30-35 days.

Husbandry

Spectacled parrotlets are a little harder to find than pacific parrotlets, but are still kept relatively often. Along with the pacific parrotlet, this species is the most commonly bred and kept parrotlet. They are a little quieter and shyer, but also more sociable than pacific parrotlets. In the wild they can be found in groups of 100 birds or more. In captivity they can be kept at least in pairs, but they are also very suitable for keeping them in a flock. Here, too, you should at least keep three pairs. Socialization with other species is easier here, but larger species should still be preferred.

Over the years, a handful of colour mutations have been bred in the spectacled parrotlet, but the original colour remains the most common.

Riparian parrotlet

Forpus crassirostris

Alternative names: –

German: Dickschnabel-Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

NE – Not evaluated (probably not threatened worldwide, common in most of the distribution area)

Until recently, the riparian parrotlet was listed as one species with both the turquoise-winged parrotlet (Forpus spengeli) and the cobalt-rumped parrotlet (F. xanthopterygius). In some sources, the entire species of the cobalt-rumped parrotlet is listed under the name F. crassirostris instead of F. xanthopterygius (e.g. Ehlenbröker et al. 2010). Due to the novelty of the species, most information about the basic biology of the riparian parrotlet comes from studies of F. xanthopterygius and there are few published observations about the species itself.

Apprearance

Riparian parrotlets are green overall, with slightly more yellowish tones on the chest and belly. The forehead and the area around the eyes are bright emerald green. In males, the underwing coverts, lower back and rump are blue. All blue colours are relatively pale compared to other Forpus species. The females lack any blue, instead they are completely green.

The beak, cere and feet are a light pink, sometimes with a slight grey tint. The iris in this species is slightly lighter than in the other members of the genus.

The species reaches a body length of 12-13 cm and weighs approx. 30 g.

Distribution

The geographic range of the riparian parrotlet extends from the extreme southeast of Colombia, through eastern Ecuador and northeast Peru, to western Brazil and the Rio Madeira.

Habitat

This species lives mainly on the edges of lowland rainforest and secondary vegetation, mostly below 500 m above sea level.

Subspecies

None.

Diet

There is currently little specific data available. The riparian parrotlet probably feeds primarily on fruits and seeds from plants in secondary vegetation.

Breeding

The exact timing of the breeding season is still unclear. An occupied nest hole was found in Colombia in July, but further information is currently lacking.

Husbandry

Due to the recent recognition as a separate species, there is currently no information available on keeping riparian parrotlets in captivity that can be clearly distinguished from cobalt-rumped parrotlets.

Mexican parrolet

Forpus cyanopygius

Alternative names: turquoise-rumped parrotlet, Mexican blue-rumped parrotlet

German: Blaubürzel-Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

NT – Near threatened

Apprearance

Mexican parrotlets have a light green head, a green back, the chest and belly are a paler grass green, and the belly of males sometimes shows a bluish tinge. Males also have turquoise-blue markings on the lower back, rump, secondary coverts, secondaries and underwing coverts. In the female, the blue is replaced by yellow-green.

Beak cere and feet have a slightly grey tinge on top of the light pink base.

Cyanistic specimens (blue mutations) have been spotted in the wild (Rosas-Espinoza et al. 2021).

With a body length of 13 to 14 cm and a weight of 30 to 37 g, the Mexican parrotlet is one of the largest Forpus species.

Distribution

This species is found in western Mexico along the coast from southeast Sonora to Colima. There is also a population on the Tres Marías Islands off the west coast of Mexico.

Habitat

The species inhabits tropical wet-dry deciduous forest and rainforest, riparian forests, plantations and secondary forest, preferably near streams. They can be found up to 1400 m above sea level. Seasonal migrations appear to occur, particularly in the southernmost part of the range.

Subspecies

In addition to the nominate form, another subspecies of the Mexican parrotlet is described.

Forpus cyanopygius cyanopygius (nominate)

The appearance of the nominate form corresponds to the graphics in the main section.

Forpus cyanopygius insularis

The subspecies insularis has a darker green colour on the back, the chest and belly are dull green to gray-blue and darker. The blue parts of the male are more cobalt blue (see graphic). This subspecies is also larger than the nominate form.

As the name insularis suggests, this subspecies only occurs on the Tres Marías Islands off the west coast of Mexico.

Diet

The Mexican parrotlet feeds on ripe and semi-ripe fruits, including small Ficus species, berries and seeds, as well as grass seeds, which are eaten from the ground.

Breeding

The breeding season takes place from June to July in the Tres Marías Islands. On the mainland it is probably a little later. Nests are probably created in tree hollows, but this has apparently not yet been documented. In captivity, Mexican parrotlets lay 3-9 eggs and the breeding period is approximately 19 to 24 days. The nestling period lasts approximately 5 weeks.

Husbandry

Mexican parrotlets are kept relatively rarely. Correspondingly, there is little information about this. As with all parrotlets, keeping them at least in pairs is mandatory. Mexican parrotlets are similarly aggressive to pacific parrotlets (F. coelestis) and can therefore only be kept in larger flocks with plenty of space and are difficult to socialize. In the wild, this species occasionally forms flocks of up to 50 individuals, but like the pacific parrotlet, it is also often found in pairs. Keeping them in pairs can therefore be considered appropriate.

Dusky-billed parrotlet

Forpus modestus

Alternative names: Sclater’s parrotlet

German: Schwarzschnabel-Sperlingspapagei

Distribution

Calls

Conservation

LC – Least concern

Apprearance

The dusky-billed parrot is coloured darker green overall than other Forpus species. In the male, the forehead, cheeks and chin are emerald green, while the stomach and chest have a blue-grey tinge. The lower back, the rump and the undersides of the wings have the genus-typical cobalt blue colouring. The female's back and wings are green instead of blue, and the body and face are paler and yellower than the male's.

What is striking is the eponymous dark gray-brown coloured upper beak, which distinguishes the species from all other parrotlets. The lower beak, cere and feet are lighter than the upper beak, but are more grey than pink.

With a body length of 12 - 13 cm and a weight of approx. 28 g, the species is average size for its genus.

Distribution

Dusky-billed parrotlets are native to eastern Colombia and south-eastern Venezuela, as well as the Amazon basin from Ecuador and Peru east to Brazil and south to northern Bolivia. Another distribution area is from the north of Brazil to the south of the Amazon Delta. They are also found more rarely from the east of Venezuela east to French Guiana.

Habitat

Seasonally flooded forests (varzéa) along rivers appear to be the most important habitat for dusky-billed parrotlets. The species also inhabits clearings, forest edges and other secondary habitats in tropical lowland rainforests. Locally in Ecuador, these birds can be found up to 1000 m above sea level, but otherwise inhabit lowlands.

Subspecies

The dusky-billed parrotlet was previously listed as Forpus sclateri, but now the name modestus is used and sclateri describes the subspecies F. m. sclateri. The previously used subspecies name eidos is now considered a synonym for modestus. In addition to the nominate form, only one other subspecies is recognized. However, the exact boundaries between the two subspecies remain unclear.

Forpus modestus modestus (nominate)

The nominate form corresponds to the graphics in the main section. It is currently established in the northern part of the species' range, from eastern Colombia (Guainía) and southern and eastern Venezuela via Guyana (rare) to northern Brazil.

Forpus modestus sclateri

A clear visual distinction of the subspecies F. sclateri is currently not possible. It is inhabits the southern part of the species' range, from south-east Colombia and north-east Ecuador south (including western Brazil) to eastern Peru and northern Bolivia and eastern to northern Brazil south of the Amazon Delta.

Diet

There is currently virtually no information available about the diet of the dusky-billed parrotlet. Specimens have been recorded feeding on fruits in trees, including those of Cecropia trees, as well as foraging on the ground.

Breeding

Similarly, very little is known about the reproduction of the dusky-billed parrot. The breeding season is assumed to be in July in Peru, and the cavity nesting typical of the genus is assumed.

Husbandry

In contrast to other parrotlet species, dusky-billed parrotlets are not caught for the pet trade, or at least not on a large scale. Therefore, populations remain stable throughout most of their range. There are no reliable reports of keeping or breeding this species in Europe.

Green-rumped parrotlet

Forpus passerinus

Alternative names: –

German: Grünbürzel-Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

LC – Least concern

Apprearance

Green-rumped parrotlets are green overall, slightly lighter on the forehead, cheeks, belly, chest, back and rump (the latter is lightest but sometimes washed out blue). They have a grey tinge on the neck. The primaries and under wing coverts of the male are dark blue, the arm wings are blue and the primary wing coverts are a paler blue. In the female, the blue parts are replaced by green, and the forehead has a yellow tint.

Beak, cere and feet are a light pinkish or peach colour.

This species measures approximately 12 cm when fully grown and weighs between 20 and 28 g. This makes them one of the smaller representatives of their genus.

Distribution

The green-rumped parrotlet lives in northern Colombia and from northern Venezuela east to Brazil.

The species has also been introduced to the islands of Curaçao, Tobago and Jamaica. An introduction to Martinique was unsuccessful and the species became extinct again in Barbados.

Habitat

The green-rumped parrotlet lives in semi-open lowland areas such as dry deciduous and gallery forest edges, secondary vegetation, thorn and cactus scrub, mangroves, and more rarely in open plains. However, this species often moves to open grassland up to 1800 m altitude to feed. They can now also be found in city parks, livestock farms and agricultural areas. It is believed that the population in the lower subtropical zone migrates seasonally to higher elevations.

Subspecies

According to current scientific knowledge, in addition to the nominate form, there are 4 other subspecies of the green-rumped parrotlet.

Forpus passerinus passerinus (nominate)

The appearance of the nominate form corresponds to the graphics in the main section.

It is found in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, mainly near the coast.

Forpus passerinus cyanophanes

This subspecies has more intense blue in the males when their wings are closed than the nominate form (see graphic).

It populates northern Colombia in Guajira and northern Cesar.

Forpus passerinus viridissimus

The viridissimus subspecies is of a darker green overall than the nominate form (see graphic).

They are found in northern Colombia in Norte de Santander, in northern Venezuela and on the island of Trinidad.

Forpus passerinus cyanochlorus

The males of the cyanochlorus subspecies are identical to the nominate form, but the females are more yellow (see graphic).

It is found on the upper Rio Branco in the Brazilian state of Roraima, as well as in northwest Brazil.

Forpus passerinus deliciosus

In this subspecies, the males have a light blue shimmer on their rump and a darker blue on their secondaries. The females have a strong yellow tint on their foreheads (see graphic).

It is widespread by the lower Amazon (east of the Rio Madeira) and the Brazilian state of Amapá.

Diet

Green-rumped parrotlets feed, among other things, on grass seeds (particularly Croton hirtus, Hyptis suaveolens, Wissadula, Cyperus, Scoparia dulcis and Melochia parviflora), which are often obtained by landing on blades of grass and pressing the seed heads to the ground with their weight. Also berries (e.g. from mistletoe), fruits such as Annona species and Psidium guajava, leaf buds, flowers and seeds of Lagerstroemia indica, and sunflowers are part of her menu.

Breeding

The breeding season has probably extended in most areas. In Trinidad the species breeds in most months from February to August. Breeding occurs in February, June, August and November in Suriname, April to August in Venezuela and May, June, August, October and November in Colombia. Nests are built in hollow stumps, branches or logs. Termitaria in trees are also used as nesting holes. More rarely, they nest at the base of palm fronds and in artificial caves such as pipe ends. Typically the clutch consists of 5 eggs, but varies from 2-11 eggs. Incubation lasts about 14 days, but eggs hatch one after another. After 4-5 weeks the chicks leave the nest. In captivity, young are independent almost immediately, suggesting there is room for a second brood, and in the wild half of females attempt repeated reproduction.

Husbandry

Green-rumped parrotlets are relatively quiet and shy in human care. Both pair- and flock-housing, as well as mindful socialization, are possible. In the wild, the species is often found in pairs even outside the breeding season, which is why keeping them in flocks is not considered mandatory for species-appropriate husbandry.

Nachzuchten sind in der Regel nicht mehr nach Unterarten unterscheidbar. Problematisch ist dies jedoch nicht, da verschiedene Unterarten immer noch zur selben Art gehören und „Mischlinge“ damit keine Hybriden darstellen. Für den Grünbürzel-Sperlingspapageien werden einzelne Farbmutationen beschrieben, welche aber anscheinend kaum bis gar nicht ihren Weg in die Haustierhaltung finden.

Turquoise-winged parrotlet

Forpus spengeli

Alternative names: -

German: Türkissperlingspapagei, Kolumbianischer Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

LC – Least concern

Until recently, the turquoise-winged parrotlet was listed one single species with both the riparian parrotlet (Forpus crassirostris) and the cobalt-rumped parrotlet (F. xanthopterygius). However, more recent studies suggest a closer relationship to the green-rumped parrotlet (F. passerinus), which also corresponds to the geographical distribution (Smith et al. 2013). Many sources still list the turquoise-winged parrotlet as a subspecies of the cobalt-rumped parrotlet. Therefore, extremely little is still known about the biology of this species.

Apprearance

The turquoise-winged parrotlet is also primarily green, much paler overall than the cobalt-rumped parrotletF. xanthopterygius, which was until recently considered to be the same species. The male turquoise-winged parrotlets have a turquoise-blue back and rump, as well as deeper blue coloring on the wings. The female has a prominent yellow tint on the forehead, otherwise the plumage is green.

Beak, cere and feet are a light pinkish or peach colour.

This species measures between 12 and 13 cm and weighs appr. 30 g.

Distribution

The turquoise-winged parrotlet is distributed from northern Colombia from Sucre through the lower Magdalena Valley to the western and southern foot of the Santa Marta Mountains.

Habitat

The species generally inhabits semi-arid areas with secondary vegetation, bushes and occasional trees. It is mainly found in lowlands.

Subspecies

None.

Diet

Due to its taxonomic history, there are currently no known differences to the diet of the cobalt-rumped parrotlet (F. xanthopterygius), which feeds primarily on fruits and seeds of secondary vegetation, including grass seeds foraged on the ground.

Breeding

There is also no data available on species-specific reproductive biology. However, it is believed that it overall corresponds to the ecology of F. xanthopterygius that nest in tree holes, termitaria, fence posts or vacated nests of other birds and bring in a few blades of grass as ground cover. The clutch contains 4-7 eggs, the incubation period is approx. 18-21 days and the nestling period is approx. 4-5 weeks.

Husbandry

When it comes to husbandry, reports are also blurred with those about the cobalt-rumped parrotlet. Since this species is rarely kept and bred, today's offspring are still very shy and quiet, but active and require plenty of space. I couldn't find any information about flock-housing and socialization.

Yellow-faced parrotlet

Forpus xanthops

Alternative names: -

German: Gelbmasken-Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

VU – vulnerabel

Apprearance

The aptly named yellow-faced parrotlet's most prominent feature is its bright yellow coloration on the crown and face. The close relationship to the pacific parrotlet is reflected in the bluish eye stripe, which merges into the bluish grey of the hind crown and neck. The back, sides of the neck and wings are olive-grey green. The lower back, rump, upper tail coverts and undersides of the wings are a dark cobalt blue in the male, the secondary coverts are somewhat paler. The chest and belly are green-yellow, the tail is emerald green. In the female, the back and rump are paler blue and the wings show less blue. Sexual dimorphism is relatively low in this species.

Both sexes show a slightly dark coloring of the upper beak, but this is significantly less pronounced than in the dusky-billed parrotlet (F. modestus). Apart from that, the beak, cere and feet are a light pinkish or peach colour.

With a body length of 15 cm and a weight of approx. 35 g, yellow-faced parrotlets are the largest representatives of the genus Forpus.

Distribution

The yellow-faced parrotlet is endemic to the upper Marañón Valley in north-central Peru. There, its range extends from the southern Amazon through southeastern Cajamarca to eastern La Libertad. The yellow-faced parrotlet is the representative of the genus with the most limited distribution area.

Habitat

The home valley of the yellow-faced parrotlet cuts a deep gorge longitudinally through the middle of the central Andes and, due to the large eastern Cordilleras, very little moisture reaches the Marañón Valley, resulting in a so-called rainshadow valley. The species lives in small, cross-species flocks in cactus scrub of the mountain desert, in dry leafy scrub and in bank thickets. The habitat extends between 600 and 1800 m altitude.

Subspecies

None.

Diet

This species feeds on the legumes of the Parkinsonia species Cercidium praecox, on cactus fruits and seeds, and flowers of Bombax discolor. Yellow-faced parrotlets were also observed on the ground, where they undoubtedly fed on grass seeds. The species also eats ripe wheat from fields.

Breeding

The breeding season of the yellow-faced parrotlet occurs from March to April. Nests have reportedly been placed in natural soil and rock faces along the Marañón River in colonies of up to 70 birds. Old woodpecker holes are also used. In captivity, the species lays 3-6 eggs. The incubation period is approximately 19-22 days and the nestling period is approximately 32-40 days.

Husbandry

Although (or perhaps precisely because) the yellow-faced parrotlet has such a limited distribution area, it is relatively common in breeding. The species is very active and requires plenty of space. However, within their species they are easy to keep in flocks. Kept in pairs, they are described as very shy. Yellow-faced parrotlets are more selective when choosing partners than other parrotlets and, even more than other members of the genus, should be allowed to choose their partner freely in a flock. Once found, pairs have a stronger bond than is observed with other parrotlets.

Because this species is so rare in the wild and correspondingly expensive, they have reportedly been cross-bred with pacific parrotlets in the past. It is not known whether such hybrids are still in circulation today. However, if you are interested in this species, you should look particularly carefully when purchasing it. Keeping the species clean is particularly important, especially in view of the vulnerable status of the species in its homeland.

Cobalt-rumped parrolet

Forpus xanthopterygius

Alternative names: –

German: Blauflügel-Sperlingspapagei

Calls

Distribution

Conservation

LC – Least concern

Apprearance

Cobalt-rumped parrotlets are green overall, with yellow-green tones on the belly and chest. In males, the secondaries, underwing coverts, lower back and rump are also blue. A blue eye stripe is slightly hinted at. The females lack any blue, instead being completely green with a yellow tinge to their faces.

Beak cere and feet have a slightly grey tinge on top of the light pink base.

This species measures between 12 and 13 cm and weighs appr. 30 g.

Cyanistic specimens (blue mutations) of this species have been spotted in the wild (Pagotto et al. 2020).

Distribution

The geopraphic range of the cobalt-rumped parrotlet extends from northeastern Brazil south and west through Paraguay and northeastern Argentina to eastern Bolivia.

Habitat

In the center of its range, the cobalt-rumped parrotlet inhabits gallery forest, light riparian vegetation, matorral (patchy, varied riverine thickets), lowland rainforest edges and secondary vegetation. At the edges of the range, however, it can also be found in open plains, palm groves and semi-arid scrub, as well as pastures, parklands and suburbs. In southeastern Brazil, this species inhabits areas up to 1200 m above sea level.

Subspecies

Until recently, both the turquoise-winged parrotlet (Forpus spengeli) and the riparian parrotlet (F. crassirostris) were listed as subspecies of the cobalt-rumped parrotlet. In some sources the entire species of cobalt-rumped parrotlets is also referred to under the name F. crassirostris instead of F. xanthopterygius (e.g. Ehlenbröker et al. 2010). Overall, the taxonomic history ofF. xanthopterygius is convoluted and difficult to summarize. The name vivitus is a synonym for xanthopterygius. The subspecies flavissimusa nd flavescens are no longer differentiated today. This means that the cobalt-rumped parrotlet F. xanthopterygius no longer has any subspecies today.

Diet

Cobalt-rumped parrotlets feed primarily on fruits and seeds of secondary vegetation, including grass seeds taken from the ground. For this species there is detailed information about the species consumed, including seeds of Mikania, Cecropia, Trema micrantha, flowers of Ambrosia polystacha, Marcgravia polyantha Fruits of Cereus jamacaru, Rhipsalis sp. (pulp and seeds), Marcgravia polyantha (fruits), Ficus enormousis (pulp), Turnera ulmifolia (seeds), Partenium hysterophorus (seeds), Malvastrum coromandelianum (seeds and leaves), Albizia Lebereck (seeds) and fruits of Myracrodruon urundeuva. In addition, cobalt-rumped parrotlets have been observed to absorb clay from the outer walls of nests of rufous hornero (Furnarius rufus). The reason for this is unknown, but is probably either to absorb minerals or to test the suitability of the nest for their own use. To search for food, the species sometimes forms flocks of up to 50 individuals.

Breeding

The exact timing of breeding is unclear, but active nests were observed in south-east Brazil in October and January and in north-east Brazil in March. Nesting takes place in a hole in a tree (e.g. ant trees), in a termitarium, a fence post or in a vacated nest of a rufous hornero (Furnarius rufus). This species also uses some blades of grass as ground cover. Cobalt-rumped parrotlets also sometimes nest in nests of red-rumped caciques (Cacicus haemorrhous). The clutch contains 4-7 eggs, or more in captivity. The incubation period (only by the female) is estimated to be around 18-21 days. The nestling period is approximately 4-5 weeks.

Husbandry

In human care, cobalt-rumped parrotlets are quiet and shy. They can be kept in pairs or in flocks, provided there is enough space. The species appears to be less aggressive or territorial and could therefore be a candidate for successful socialization with other parrot species. However, the shy nature should be taken into account here. Roommates who are too bold could suppress the little parrots.

Some color mutations have been reported for this species, but these do not appear to have become established in breeding for the long term.

Sources

Collar, N. and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Green-rumped Parrotlet (Forpus passerinus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.grrpar1.01

Collar, N. and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Yellow-faced Parrotlet (Forpus xanthops), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.yefpar2.01

Collar, N. and P. F. D. Boesman (2023). Spectacled Parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (B. K. Keeney, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.spepar1.01.1

Collar, N., P. F. D. Boesman, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Pacific Parrotlet (Forpus coelestis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.pacpar2.01

Collar, N., P. F. D. Boesman, and C. J. Sharpe (2020). Mexican Parrotlet (Forpus cyanopygius), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.mexpar1.01

Collar, N., A. Bonan, and P. F. D. Boesman (2020). Dusky-billed Parrotlet (Forpus modestus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.dubpar1.01

Collar, N., J. del Hoyo, G. M. Kirwan, and P. F. D. Boesman (2021). Cobalt-rumped Parrotlet (Forpus xanthopterygius), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (H. F. Greeney, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.buwpar3.01

Collar, N., J. del Hoyo, G. M. Kirwan, and P. F. D. Boesman (2021). Riparian Parrotlet (Forpus crassirostris), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (H. F. Greeney, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.buwpar2.01

Collar, N., J. del Hoyo, G. M. Kirwan, and P. F. D. Boesman (2021). Turquoise-winged Parrotlet (Forpus spengeli), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (H. F. Greeney, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.buwpar1.01

Jörg Ehlenbröker, Renate Ehlenbröker & Eckhard Lietzow: Agaporniden und Sperlingspapageien: Edition Gefiederte Welt. Ulmer, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-8001-5431-9

J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana. Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home (Stand Dezember 2023)

Pagotto, A., Muscat, E., & Rotenberg, E. (2020). Out of the blue, a cyanistic parrotlet, Forpus xanthopterygius (Psittaciformes: Picittacidae) in the Mantiqueira Mountains. Atualidades Ornitológicas, 210, julho e agosto de 2019. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339508104

Rosas-Espinoza, V. C., Castro-Félix, L. P., Hudon, J., Gutiérrez, C. A. D. L. T., Ríos, A. C., & Santiago-Pérez, A. L. (2021). Encounter of a cyanistic Mexican Parrotlet (Forpus cyanopygius) in west-central Mexico. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 132(3), 703–708. https://doi.org/10.1676/19-41

Smith, B. T., Ribas, C. C., Whitney, B. M., HernÁndez-baÑos, B. E., & Klicka, J. (2013). Identifying biases at different spatial and temporal scales of diversification: A case study in the Neotropical parrotlet genus Forpus. Molecular Ecology, 22(2), 483–494. https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.12118

Karl Heinz Spitzer: Sperlingspapageien: Arten und Rassen, Haltung und Zucht. Ulmer, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 978-3-8334-8551-0

Der Beitrag Die Gattung Forpus und ihre 9 Arten erschien zuerst auf ForpusFakten.

Körpersprache und Verhalten

Melanie — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 10:15:06 +0000

This article contains an list of observable behaviour in (pacific) parrotlets (especially in captivity) with precise descriptions and what they mean. (The order is alphabetical in German which, unfortunately, cannot be changed for the translation.) For basics about parrot behaviour check this blog post. All photo and video examples display pacific parrotlets and have been selected with great care.

Additionally, each behaviour is categorised by:

positive/neutral/negative
Emotions or physical states, respectively
- Fear
- Aggression
- Tense/excited
- Relaxed
- Friendly
- Sick

Type of behaviour
- Expressive behaviour
- Locomotion
- Comfort behaviour
- Sexual behaviour
- Thermoregulation

Eyes closed

positive negative Relaxed Sick Expressive behaviour Comfort behaviour

Description:

Upper and lower eyelid touch, the eyes are completely shut.

Interpretation:

(Pacific) parrotlets close their eyes for three reasons:

1. Expression of deep pleasure. This can e.g. be observed during allopreening.

2. dozing or sleeping. The bird is completely relaxed and closing its eyes serves its comfort.

3. Illness or discomfort. When birds are unwell and their bodies are weakened, they are tired and exhausted and close their eyes, just like us.

Eyes half-closed / blinking

positive negative Relaxed Sick Expressive behaviour Comfort behaviour

Description:

Die Augen sind nicht kreisrund, sondern locker geöffnet. Dabei wird häufig geblinzelt. Zum Teil sind die Augen sogar (fast) geschlossen und werden alle paar Sekunden nur einen Spalt breit geöffnet. Dies wird von lockerer bis aufgeplusterter Federstellung begleitet.

Interpretation:

The bird is relaxed and communicates this to others, too. If a bird behaves this way in close proximity to its owner this can be interpreted as proof of trust. The bird apparently does not deem it necessary (anymore) to keep an eye on its owner at all times. Between parrotlets, this can be interpreted the same way which can be an important indicator, e.g. when introducing birds to a new partner or flock members, that they are comfortable with each other.

Attention! Just as with closed eyes, half-closed eyes can indicate that your bird is unwell or sick.

Bathing

neutral Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird's plumage is strongly fluffed all over its body, its tail is fanned out and its wings are slightly open and folded down to the sides. The posture tends to be horizontal. From the edge of the water source, the head or upper body is repeatedly held into the water and shaken. If the bird goes completely into the water, it flaps its wings. Often the bird goes in and out of the water again and again. All the feathers are repeatedly shaken and the tail is being wiggled. Sometimes birds simply walk through the water (especially if it comes from above) or wet plants in a typical bathing position. This involves rubbing against the plant while shaking the feathers.

Interpretation:

Birds bathe for body and plumage care as a comfort behaviour. However, birds only bathe if they feel reasonably safe since their ability to fly (and therefore their ability to flee) is limited with wet feathers. Parrotlets seem to have a relatively low need for bathing compared to other parrot species.

In this clip you can see the typical bathing position very well. The bird clearly has an internal conflict, as the new bird shower obviously encourages him to bathe, but he doesn't dare go in. He then prefers the water bowl.

This video shows a pacific parrotlet bathing, or rather showering, in a bird shower.

Courtship display

positive Friendly Sexual behaviour

Description:

The male repeatedly raises his closed wings (this can happen slowly or quickly) and thereby shows the bright blue under his wings. The male often bends forward and stands up again and again, which is sometimes reciprocated by the female. The male then repeatedly walks sideways towards the female and away again, sometimes this is also reciprocated by the female. This is often accompanied by song-like vocalizations and mutual partner feeding. Aggressive behaviour between both partners can often be observed. A successful courtship ends in copulation.

In captivity, this courtship display sometimes also happens with swapped roles. If copulation occurs in this case the female also sits on top. However, I don't know if this also occurs in the wild.

Biting

negative Aggression

Description:

In comparison to pecking, the bird's beak clasps a body part of its opponent (other bird oder keeper) and applies enough pressure that the opponent is hurt by this (does not always result in wounds but at least pain). This can happen very quickly but the aggressor may also latch on to the opponent. In parrotlets, the other bird's feet are a frequent target.

Interpretation:

Biting is always a fighting behaviour. On one side, it can be an aggressive attack, e.g. to defend food, mate or territory. For, instance, this is why parrots may suddenly start biting other birds or humans as soon as the breeding mood sets in. On the other side, bird keepers often get bitten as a defensive behaviour if the bird is being crowded or even cornered without an escape route. This can also happen, if the keeper has good intentions, approaching the bird with a piece of millet. However, birds normally do not bite out of nowhere. Biting is usually preceded by other fearful or aggressive behaviours indicating discomfort. If these communication attempts are not recognized or purposefully ignored, biting is a last resort.

(Fortunately) I have neither photos nor videos to showcase this behaviour.

Breeding mood

neutral Sexual behaviour

Longer days (and therefore more daylight), (too) energy-rich food, changes in feeding or husbandry can trigger the breeding mood to set in. This can also happen with single-housed birds or same-sex pairs.

IMPORTANT If you don't want chicks, the breeding mood should be stopped as early as possible. This is why you should never provide a nestbox for birds that should not breed, neither similar things that could be used as nestbox, like sleeping boxes. If your birds show interest in other "cavities", these must be immediately made inaccessible.

Further actions to prevent breeding mood are extensive enrichment (toys. training, shredding materials) and/or simulating rainy season by reducing the lighting duration and showering your birds several times a day using a plant sprayer with clean water.

In the case that the breeding mood has already progressed so far that the female has a visible egg inside her womb ("egg butt"), not providing a suitable laying spot can cause egg binding (see also crouched posture). In this case you should provide a nest box or something similar.

However, the eggs must NOT be removed since the female will keep laying new eggs, sometimes even until she dies due to exhaustion and nutrient deficiencies (above all calcium)! Instead the eggs should be exchanged for warmed plastic or gypsum eggs (available at pet stores). Alternatively, the eggs can be cooked and put back under the female. Some people also recommend pricking the eggs with a needle. However, there are individual reports where disabled chicks hatched after improper execution of this measure.

You should also note that permanent breeding mood can have detrimental health effects even without egg laying, e.g. increased bone brittleness.

Stretching out one wing

neutral Relaxed Comfort behaviour

Description:

One wing is completely unfolded and stretched back- and downwards. Usually the tail is bent and fanned out to the same side and the respective leg is stretched backwards. This behaviour usually follows immediately on the other side and is often accompanied by yawning and the maximum lifting of the closed wings. This behaviour is often observed after long periods of rest.

Interpretation:

The bird is stretching, a normal comfort behaviour. Sometimes this can also be observed as displacement activity.

A pacific parrotlet stretches out its right wing.

Synchronized stretching of two birds.

Feathers fluffed

positive negative Relaxed Sick Comfort behaviour Thermoregulation

Description:

All feathers from face to rump, in part even the wing coverts, are erected.

Interpretation:

Fluffed feathers create little pockets of air in between the feathers which raises the body temperature or prevents it from decreasing. This comfort behaviour can have three meanings:

1. If this feather posture is accompanied by relaxed behaviours, usually, the bird is indeed relaxed. In this case, the plumage seems plushy and usually the feathers are not maximally erected. You can observe this during resting, sleeping or dozing, for example.

2. If the plumage seems rather bristly or ruffled, this can indicate illness. In this case, the bird is rather apathetic than relaxed.

3. The bird is cold, this is then sometimes accompanied by shivering. This should, however, only be observable in outside aviaries. Parrotlets should not be cold in normal inside temperatures, even if they originate in tropical climates. Even when you air out the room during winter, the room temperature should not drop so far that the birds get cold. If you observe this nonetheless, you should close the window sooner (2-3 minutes are enough during winter).

Feathers ruffled on head and back

negative Aggression Expressive behaviour

Description:

The head feathers are ruffled, especially in the neck. The back feathers are ruffled in the same way and “stick out” between the folded wings. This is often accompanied by a fanned tail, crouched posture and vocalizations.

Interpretation:

This is an aggressive stance. For one thing, this implies an angry emotional state, for another, it serves as an aggressive display towards others (human or animal). You can, for example, observe this during aggressive conflicts between conspecifics but also towards humans, e.g. if one enters the birds territory (i.e. the cage) during breeding mood. Parrotlets exhibit relatively little of these so-called ritualized displays compared to other parrots.

This video shows an aggressive confrontation between two pacific parrotlets with threatening/aggressive body language.

Feathers smooth

negative Fear Tense/excited Expressive behaviour Comfort behaviour Thermoregulation

Description:

All over the body, the feathers are folded as close to the body as possible. The bird appears very slim and dainty. Often accompanied by wide-open eyes and lstretched posture.

Interpretation:

This feather position is an expression of a tense or even fearful emotional state (the higher the tension, the flatter the plumage). From an evolutionary point of view, one can assume that the bird is trying to make itself look as small as possible to hide from predators.

Because birds fluff their feathers to protect themselves against cold, they fold their feathers as close to the body as possible against heat, as a means to increase their comfort (see also slightly unfolding wings).

Feathers loose

positive Relaxed Expressive behaviour

Description:

The feathers all over the body are neither smoothly folded, nor erected. The muscles which are attached to each individual feather are relaxed, resulting in the feathers loosely laying on top of each other.

Interpretation:

The bird is relaxed but not resting. This feather position can be observed when the bird casually goes about its day, feeds, shreds, looks outside the window etc. It is, so to speak, the neutral position of the feathers.

Flying

neutral Locomotion

Description:

The bird moves from place to place in the air via beating its wings.

Interpretation:

Flying is the fastest but also the most energy-hungry way of locomotion for birds. Since all organisms strive to save energy, birds don't fly unnecessarily. They only do so in situations with high arousal, e.g. when frightened, excited or nervous, or in aggressive contexts (see displacement). In human care, birds can be a little more lavish with their energy resources, so they may fly a couple of laps through the room/aviary "just because", to expend excess energy (so-called "zoomies" 😉).

Especially for our indoor birds, it is even important to have them regularly fly bigger distances because their whole bodies are made to fly. Not only does lack of flying lead to atrophied flight muscles but flying also gets your bird's circulation and metabolism going and practically flushes its komplex, winding respiratory system which is important for preventing respiratory illnesses like aspergillosis.

Using so-called flight calls, birds can encourage each other to take flight. In parrotlets, these are frequent, high-pitched chirps.

As short-tailed parrots with rather round wings, parrotlets are not among the skilled flyers. Their compact physique is mainly made for short flights between trees and branches. Their round wings enable them to make the quick turns necessary for manoeuvring the boughs. In the wild, parrotlets sometimes travel larger distances to food, mineral or water sources. But the tiny South Americans are not built for actual long-distance flights. Nomadic parrot species like budgerigars have a more aerodynamic physique. However, for pet parrotlets, this has the advantage that they can live out their natural need to fly much easier inside the constraints of human housing than other species.

Corresponding to their physique, parrotlets exhibit a so-called intermittent flight pattern where short phases of powered flight alternate with gliding phases during which the wings are folded. The same flight pattern can be observed in indigenous small, forest-dwelling birds like tits.

A parrotlet flies a small lap around the room.

A slow-motion video of a pacific parrotlet who flies between its cage and playground. You can see their ability for quick, tight turns, as well as the intermittent flight pattern.

Lifting folded wings

positive negative Aggression Tense/excited Friendly Expressive behaviour Sexual behaviour

Description:

The bird lifts its wings slightly away from its body on both sides while the wings remain closed. This can happen slowly or extremely fast and is usually repeated several times. This is often accompanied by song-like vocalizations.

Interpretation:

This behaviour falls into the category of displaying ("flexing", to put it in slang 😉). This can happen in friendlier contexts like courtship, in which case the feather position is loose to slightly fluffed, including forward-facing cheek feathers and relaxed, neutral posture.

I often observe this with my male in combination with song-like vocalizations, with relaxed posture on a high perch. I assume this serves to mark his territory but with low arousal, maybe comparable to songbirds. However, I was not able to find conclusive information on that so far. Nevertheless, the wings are lifted higher and more often the higher the state of arousal becomes. Accordingly, the vocalizations become louder and less melodic.

Moreover, lifting the folded wings can occur in aggressive contexts. In this case, the wing posture is usually held longer. The bird makes itself look bigger to intimidate its opponent, often accompanied by ruffled feathers to increase this effect.

The pacific parrotlet in this video shows a relaxed posture, so the wings are only raised slightly.

In this video, the context is accompanied by a higher state of arousal. The wings are lifted further and longer, the feather position is less relaxed and the bird runs up and down. The display behaviour is accompanied by aggressive interactions with the bird on the right. This is probably courtship behaviour with a slightly aggressive mood, perhaps because the female does not respond to the male's attempts to impress.

Maximum lifting of closed wings

neutral Relaxed Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird raises both wings so that the wings remain closed and almost touch each other over the back. After a few seconds the wings are lowered again.

Interpretation:

The bird stretches its wings, this is normal comfort behaviour.

In the video, first, the left bird stretches its left wing, leg and tail, raises the closed wings, then stretches the other side - the full stretching program, here after preening, before taking off. Immediately afterwards, the right bird also lifts both wings to stretch between the contortions necessary for plumage care.

Slightly unfolding wings

negative Aggression Expressive behaviour Thermoregulation

Description:

The bird slightly unfolds its wings so that they are held parallel to the body.

Interpretation:

Parrotlets exhibit this behaviour for two reasons:

1. Birds slightly unfold their wings if they are hot. This posture enables air circulation under the wings which allows the blood to cool. After all, birds can't sweat. This position is held over several minutes and is usually accompanied by smooth plumage. If the beak is slightly opened, the bird is panting for additional air circulation.

If you observe this behaviour during the cold season (in indoor birds), your room is heated too much! You should turn town the heater (19-22 degrees Celcius are enough) and open a window. If you observe this behaviour during the summer, opening a (secured) window or spraying the bird with water can cool them down.

2. Parrotlets also sometimes unfold their wings in aggressive displays to mae themselves look bigger. This can be seen as an escalation of lifting folded wings. However, in comparison to wing-lifting for thermoregulation, in this case, the feathers are ruffled, especially on head and back and sometimes the tail is fanned out as well.

Wing twitching (nonrecurring)

neutral Tense/excited

Description:

The bird twitches one or both wings once. The feathers are usually loosely folded.

Interpretation:

This behaviour can be described as displacement activity, often due to insecurity or indecisiveness. However, this behaviour also occurs in short scare moments which dissolve again in a matter of seconds. You may know this yourself when e.g. you come into a dark room and see a big shadow. Before you can form the conscious thought of "Oh God, a burglar!", your body has powered up and down again (it was the coat rack after all 😉).

In this video, a parrotlet twitches its wings when a titmouse suddenly approaches as it flies past the window.

Food sharing

positive Friendly

Description:

One bird allows another to take food that was already in its beak. This is not regurgitated food from the crop. I have neither personally observed nor read anywhere else that a bird directly offers food.

Interpretation:

A proof of affection or pair-bonding between two birds.

You can see that the yellow bird gives up its seed with some reluctance. But if you know how greedy parrotlets can be, you understand that this is still a sign of love.

Feeding others (allofeeding)

positive Friendly Sexual behaviour

Description:

One bird places its beak across the beak of another and transfers food, sometimes with quick, shaking movements of the head. This behaviour is usually preceded by regurgitation of food from the crop by jiggling the head from side to side. (Since in English, feeding both means eating something yourself and giving it to someone else, this is differentiated in biological jargon as allofeeding - from Greek "allos" meaning "else", i.e. nonself - versus autofeeding - from Greek "auto" meaning "self".)

Interpretation:

Normally, parrots only feed their partner or offspring. In rearing you, it actually serves supplying the chicks with food since they are not able yet to feed on their own. Additionally, males feed females during incubation of the eggs because she can leave the nest only rarely during this time.

Outside of incubation and rearing offspring, this behaviour is used for courtship and strengthening existing pair bonds (also outside of courtship). According to Lantermann (2012), feeding the partner during courtship is a means to rehearse feeding the female during incubation. In addition, the male proves its ability to provide for both female and offspring. But it also gives the female the opportunity to rehearse taking the food from the males beak so that no precious food will be spilled once it gets serious with brooding. Synchronising this food transfer has to be learned and rehearsed for new pairs.

The video shows both partner birds feeding each other during courtship.

The yellow female tries to feed the green male, who repeatedly refuses. The female then eats the regurgitated food herself, which is apparent from the smacking beak movements.

Yawning

neutral Relaxed Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird opens its beak as wide as possible for a few seconds, sticks its tongue out and closes its beak again. This can often be observed before and after resting periods, both during the day and at night.

Interpretation:

Well, yawning is actually still a bit of a mystery to science and its exact function is still unknown. However, it is clear that, just like with humans, it is associated with tiredness and it is socially contagious. In addition, during yawning the muscles in the neck and beak are stretched, which is why it is characterized as comfort behaviour. Yawning can also be a displacement activity.

Crouched posture

positive negative Aggression Sick Sexual behaviour

Description:

Perching, the bird's body is almost horizontal. Often, the head is positioned even lower than the body, which creates a hunched appearance.

Interpretation:

A crouched, flat posture can have several meanings:

1. This posture is part of aggressive displays in parrots (see also Feathers ruffled on head and back ).

2. If a female bird sits in a flat posture with spread legs, the breast touching the perch, over longer periods of time, this can be an indicator of impending egg deposition or that the female is egg bound (see Breeding mood). However, it can also be an indicator of illness or injury of the abdomen, e.g. cloacal prolapse. In any case, this posture protects a sensitive abdomen from pressure during perching.

3. If you see a crouching female, this can also be a signal for the male that she is ready to mate. In this case, the rump is pushed upwards while the head is usually not lowered (compared to an aggressive posture).

Of course, this flat posture also occurs in other contexts, e.g. when there is an interesting object below the perch or, as in the picture, where the two parrotlets are peaking through the blinds. That is why, again, you have to look at the complete picture of feather position, gaze, posture and accompanying situation.

Preening others (allopreening)

positive Relaxed Friendly

Description:

Preening others follows the same basic procedure as preening oneself: Each individual feather is pulled through the beak from root to tip using vibrating movements of beak and tongue. The receiving bird lightly fluffs its feathers of the respective region. In parrotlets, allopreening is usually constrained to the head and neck. (In biological jargon, preening oneself and others is differentiated as as allopreening - from Greek "allos" meaning "else", i.e. nonself - versus autopreening - from Greek "auto" meaning "self".)

Interpretation:

Next to plumage care, social preening also serves to strengthen the pair-bond. It is less common among non-paired birds and can the be interpreted as a sign of friendship. If your bird is tame enough, you can make use of this bonding technique yourself by carefully scratching your bird's head feathers with your finger. However, your bird has to trust you a lot to allow and enjoy this. Birds letting their keepers scratch them can be more commonly observed in hand-raised and/or single-housed birds but this is usually a sign of sexual mis-imprinting in which the bird views the human caretaker als partner.

Attention! Excessive preening of the partner can turn into feather picking! If you can see bald spots or even blood, this should be checked by an avian vet as soon as possible!

Pecking

negative Aggression Expressive behaviour

Description:

The bird snaps forward with its upper body and at the same time moves its head forward and down to peck at its counterpart with its beak. It can be pecked into the air or, as an escalation, with contact with the feathers or the body of the other bird. However, there is no bite involved.

Interpretation:

This is an aggressive behaviour of mild to medium escalation level, which is used to threaten or drive someone away (as attack or defence). This behaviour can be frequently observed in parrotlets defending resources (e.g. water, food or toys) or when a bird feels cornered by other animals or humans, e.g. because of a too-fast approach.

In the video, the green bird pecks at the yellow one which then defends itself. A typical fight between parrotlets.

In the video you can clearly see how subtle and quick body language often is in birds. The yellow bird lightly pecks at the green one to defend the toy.

Pacing

positive negative Aggression Tense/excited Expressive behaviour

Description:

The bird walks back and forth, slightly bent forward, walking forward (also on a perch) and not sideways. The plumage is normally loose or slightly ruffled up; the wings may be slightly lifted. The gaze is directed towards a source that is currently attracting particular attention. This may be accompanied by squeaking and/or growling-croaking vocalizations.

Interpretation:

This behaviour always indicates a high level of arousal in the bird, which can be positive or negative.

1. The bird displays more or less aggressively, for example during an aggressive fight between two birds or as territorial behaviour. The walking is often relatively slow and the other bird is often stared at, almost without blinking.

Here the green bird strides back and forth threateningly during an argument with his mate.

2. The bird is excited, impatient or looking forward to something, for example because it wants to be let out of the cage or because it knows there will be food soon. The wings are not lifted and the overall posture is friendlier.

This video was taken on the second day after the two birds moved in with me. I suspect that the excitement of the easing tension is mixed with the acceptance of the cage as territory (displaying). (The calls in the background are zebra finches, which I played during the acclimatization period as the two knew this from their old home.)

Hopping

neutral Locomotion

Description:

The bird moves on the ground or from branch to branch by pushing off from the ground/branch, briefly pulling both feet towards the body at the same time, then moving forward and dragging the body to land (as opposed to walking, in which one foot is placed in front of the other).

Interpretation:

In parrots, hopping is primarily used to overcome short distances above the ground and/or are too far apart to be overcome by walking or climbing. However, flying these short distances would require up to 10 times more energy, which is why birds generally avoid this. Unlike many songbirds, parrot(let)s do not usually hop on the ground to move around. In some other parrot species, this is only known in a playful mood or as an display behaviour. However, I don't know of any reports of this for parrotlets.

A parrotlet hops up and down a ladder.

Displaying

positive negative Aggression Tense/excited Friendly Expressive behaviour

Imponiergehabe kann aggressiv sein und hat dann Drohcharakter (siehe Verhaltensauflistung beim Filter „Aggression“).

Imponieren kann aber auch friedlich sein, z.B. bei der Courtship display, und wird dann von entspannter Körpersprache begleitet (siehe Verhaltensauflistung beim Filter „Entspannt“).

Both are often accompanied by displacement activities and vocalizations. In males, when their appearance is more friendly, the vocalizations are usually song-like. A typical characteristic of displays in parrotlets is the raising of closed wings.

This video was taken after I rearranged the cage setup. This could be a marking of territory. Nevertheless, the position of the feathers indicates peaceful intentions and a relatively relaxed state of mind.

Crouching / bobbing

neutral Expressive behaviour Locomotion

Description:

The bird quickly transitions from the normal upright posture to a crouched posture with the chest almost resting on the ground/branch. The head remains partially directed upwards, and the head or the entire body is often moved quickly from one side to the other. Sometimes crouching and standing up again is repeated several times and then a boobing motion. The plumage is usually smooth. This behaviour is often accompanied by short, high-pitched beeps (flight calls).

Interpretation:

This behaviour occurs directly before taking wing. the body is positioned to build up momentum and push off as powerfully as possible. However, especially when this behaviour is repeated without actually taking off, it is also used to communicate the intention of take-off to others. This allows the pair or flock to coordinate a joint take-off (see also mirroring/synchronized behaviour). Additionally, repeated bobbing occurs when the bird is unsure whether to take wing or not. The head bobbing functions to improve three-dimensional perception of the surroundings. Using this behaviour, the bird can assess distances better and can then land more precisely and avoid obstacles.

The video shows a compilation of parrotlets bobbing before take-off.

positive Friendly Expressive behaviour

Description:

The bird lowers its head and erects all its head feathers. This behaviour can most frequently be observed in close proximity to the partner or owner.

Interpretation:

This acts as a preening/scratching solicitation and is a sign of affection and trust towards the recipient.

Head-shaking

positive negative Friendly Sick

Description:

The head is shaken from side to side, the area around the crop appears enlarged and the beak is slightly open. Afterwards, the partner is usually fed or smacking beak movements are made.

Interpretation:

The bird regurgitates food from its crop. Parrotlets display this very characteristic movements described above. If this behaviour is used to feed the mate, it also acts as a positive bonding behaviour which can be observed in several contexts, including courtship. If food is regurgitated for chicks, it is a normal and necessary behaviour to rear offspring.

However, if your bird frequently displays this head-shaking outside of these contexts, it can indicate illness or sexual mis-imprinting. Especially single-housed birds often "feed" mirrors or plastic birds (both completely unsuitable cage equipment anyway). Regurgitating food for the human caretaker is also abnormal behaviour and should not be enjoyed as a sign of affection. This is particularly common among hand-raised birds.

This video shows both female and male pacific parrotlet mates regurgitating food for each other during courtship display.

Here, the bird regurgitates food and then swallows it again. Since this behaviour occurs immediately after mating, it should not be seen as alarming, but rather as residual courtship energy.

Tucking head into back feathers

neutral negative Relaxed Sick Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird turns its head towards the back and tucks its beak between the folded wings into the fluffed back feathers.

Interpretation:

This is the typical sleepingposition for birds. This way, valuable thermal energy can be preserved during the cold hours of the night. Some parrotlets take up this pose during day-time naps as well. If you observe this behaviour at unusual times or more frequently, however, this can indicate that your bird is sick.

Hanging upside-down

neutral Locomotion

Description:

The bird holds on to a branch or the like with its feet and hangs upside-down from there. Sometimes only one foot is used to hold on.

Interpretation:

Unlike larger parrots, in parrotlets hanging upside-down can be observed frequently. While this behaviour can be seen as a sign of frolic in the larger relatives, parrotlets often hang upside-down during their normal climbing locomotion, even if they are tense. Although casually holding on with just one foot is rather playful, frolicsome behaviour. What matters is how fast a bird can flee out of the respective position. Due to their small body size, parrotlets can quickly take wing from an upside-down position as well. If, however, they cannot find proper purchase with their feet and an easy escape is not possible anymore, the bird has to feel safe and relaxed to show this behaviour.

In this video you can see how the little flying acrobats can easily take wing from the upside-down position.

Perching with body contact

positive Friendly

Description:

Two birds sit side by side so that their bodies touch each other. This is common during joint resting.

Interpretation:

This behaviour is a tender sign of affection between two birds, not as strong as allopreening but especially when introducing birds to each other , this can be an important indicator of basic sympathy. Birds that do not like each other or do not have any close relationship always keep a certain distance between each other.

Defecating

neutral Comfort behaviour

Description:

The lower abdomen is pushed slightly down and backwards so that perching, it is positioned in a way which prevents excrement from soiling the perch. The tail is slightly raised and the feathers around the cloaca are fluffed. In this posture, the bird visibly defecates. Afterwards, the bird returns to its normal posture. After defecating, birds often give their feathers a good shake.

Interpretation:

This comfort behaviour is the normal procedure during excreting metabolic waste.

Scratching

neutral negative Sick Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird pushes one wing forward and downward so that the foot on the same side can reach over the wing towards the head. The entire head and neck area can be reached this way (if other parts of the body itch, they can be reached with the beak). The foot is then moved up and down at lightning speed. The area to be scratched is mainly varied by moving the head.

Interpretation:

Parrotlets are an exception among neotropical parrots which scratch themselves without lowering their wing, like the majority of parrot species. Most sources, however, view scratching with lowered wing as the primordial form and, accordingly, many other bird orders scratch themselves this way.

If scratching behaviour occurs moderately, it is a normal comfort and preening behaviour. Increased scratching is also normal during moulting. However, if your bird otherwise scratches itself frequently or even until it draws blood, this could indicate illness, e.g. parasite infestation.

Another reason for increased scratching can be too-low humidity (which dries up the bird's skin and makes it itchy) or complete lack of suitable bathing options. If enough water dishes are supplied, reasons for birds not using them for bathing may be that they need to be cleaned, are guarded by dominant birds or not deemed suitable for other reasons. This can be remedied by providing adequate and enough big, clean bathing dishes in convenient spots.

And here the whole thing as a video.

Stretched pose

positive neutral negative Fear Tense/excited Expressive behaviour Locomotion

Description:

The bird stretches its neck and sometimes the entire body. The total body length can increase significantly because birds have very long necks with significantly more cervical vertebrae (11 to 23) than mammals (usually 7).

Interpretation:

An elongated posture can have different meanings in parrots:

1. The bird expresses tension and fear because in a stretched position, potential dangers can be recognized better.

In this video, you can see very clearly how the body language changes depending on the situation. At first the birds eat in a relatively relaxed manner. But since the bowl is quite far down, they are always vigilant. You can see the two of them elongating when some noise, or perhaps a crow flying past the window, makes them uneasy. This is followed by the visible easing of tension and the continuation of foraging.

2. The bird is attentive or curious and tries to get a better view of an object of interest. The feathers are usually loose. You can observe this, e.g. when the caretaker approaches with food bowls or when something interesting is happening outside the window.

3. The bird tries to reach something far away. This can be observed during climbing, for instance, when the next point of purchase is far away, or when the owner's hand is still a bit scary and the bird stretches to reach a treat.

Walking

neutral Locomotion

Description:

The bird moves on a flat surface by alternately placing one foot in front of the other. The speed of this type of locomotion is very variable, from very slow, for example when searching for food on the ground, to astonishingly fast. Unlike four-legged animals, which usually have three gaits (walk, trot, canter), the gait of birds changes only minimally as speed increases. Similar to humans, at high speeds both feet are in the air at the same time (running).

Parrots can also walk on branches. First, like walking on the ground, they can walk forward in the direction of the branch. But here you can also often observe a sideways gait. The bird sits across the branch as usual, then one foot is moved to one side and the other follows suit. In this way, parrotlets usually only move shorter distances, especially in the context of courtship or aggression.

Interpretation:

On more or less flat surfaces, walking is the most economical way of movement for birds. Wherever the ground allows it, accordingly, parrot(let)s prefer walking or fluently alternate between walking and climbing wherever walking is not possible anymore. Unlike many songbirds, even small parrots clearly prefer walking over hopping, which is hardly ever seen in parrots for covering short distances on the ground (if at aLl, then in a playful mood, especially in juveniles). Such short distances are only covered flying if the energy expenditure pays off, e.g. to outrun (or rather outfly) conspecifics at feeding time, to chase off intruders or to flee.

In the video you can see a parrotlet walking slowly on the wood-chip bedding on the cage floor.

In this video, a parrotlet walks a little faster on a smooth, somewhat slippery surface (acrylic glass).

Tail-wagging

neutral Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird quickly moves its tail from side to side several times. This is accompanied by an audible fluttering of the tail feathers.

Interpretation:

This behaviour can be frequently observed in the context of bathing, often accompanied by shaking all feathers. In this situation, this behaviour presumably removes excess water from the plumage. Tail-wagging can also be a displacement activity.

The parrotlet in the video shakes its tail after bathing.

Looking with one eye

neutral Tense/excited

Description:

Objects of interest are focussed with one eye. To do this, the head is turned sideways so that it is approximately at a 90° angle to the focused object.

Interpretation:

The bird looks closely at a distant object. What may seem like a coquettish tilt of the head is simply a result of the anatomy of parrots. As prey animals, parrots have their eyes on the sides of their heads (in contrast to birds of prey, such as owls, which have their eyes further forward). This enables a good all-round view with few blind spots, meaning that predators approaching from almost all sides can always be spotted. However, it has the disadvantage that the intersection of the visual fields of both eyes is very small, which means that only close objects can be seen clearly with binocular view. Objects that are further away, on the other hand, can be seen more clearly with one eye.

Gnawing / shredding / oral exploration

positive neutral Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird touches objects with its beak and/or tongue, manipulates them or even bites out pieces. These are then sometimes examined further inside the beak by turning the piece and touching it with the tongue and tasting it. Some pieces are also chewed/ground up with the beak.

Interpretation:

This behaviour originally derives from foraging and nest building behaviour. In the wild, these behaviours are used to expose and dehusk seeds, expose kernels from hulls or pulp, or find food in rotten wood. This behaviour is also used to expand breeding cavities. Although parrotlets like to use ready-made breeding cavities, other parrots sometimes gnaw their own burrows and so some of this behaviour seems to extend across the parrot order.

You can definitely observe an instinctive urge to gnaw in all parrots, whether they are building nests themselves or not, which must also be lived out in human care. Since the beak is the main tool for parrots, comparable to our hands, new objects are preferably explored with the beak and tongue (i.e. orally), even if they are not shredded. In addition, gnawing on wood and other harder materials helps to wear down the beak horn and, thus, is used for beak care. Since the beak, like our fingernails, is constantly growing, it needs to be worn down so that it doesn't get too long.

The parrotlet in the video dismantles a piece of balsa wood to get to the food hidden underneath.

Here, a cork is shredded and explored, sometimes even with the foot, which is rarely seen in parrotlets. You can clearly see how bits of cork are bitten off and explored further in the beak before they are dropped and the bird returns to the cork.

Sneezing

neutral negative Sick Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird utters a low, rapid hissing sound that sounds something like a “tssk.” This is often repeated several times and the head sometimes moves quickly forward and down. Compared to sneezing in many mammals, parrot sneezing is fairly subtle, which is why it is often not recognized as such.

Interpretation:

As with other animals, including humans, sneezing is used to remove foreign bodies (e.g. dust or water) or pathogens from the upper respiratory tract. Occasional sneezing is therefore normal and harmless. Sneezing is common, especially during preening or bathing, as feather dust or water often gets into the nose.

Frequent sneezing can indicate an illness such as a cold, which can occur, for example, if the bird sits wet in a draft.

Mating / copulation

positive Friendly Sexual behaviour

Description:

The female crouches and lifts her rump. The male mounts the female from the side and clings to the female's back with one foot, while the other foot grips the perch. The female's tail is stretched upwards and the male's tail is angled downwards so that the cloacae can be pressed together. This is accompanied by squeaking vocalizations. Mating can last several minutes in parrotlets.

According to several sources, mating in parrotlets always happens in the described sideways fashion (as is typical for neotropical parrots). A complete mounting of the female, as is typical for most bird species, has, to my current knowledge, not been described in parrotlets.

As with the courtship display, the roles can be reversed here, with the female mounting the male. (However, I do not know whether this form can lead to successful fertilization or whether this also occurs in the wild. However, there are reports of other parrot species in which female mounting led to successful fertilization of the eggs and rearing of young.)

Interpretation:

This behaviour primarily serves reproductive purposes. In parrotlets, courtship and mating can also be observed outside of the breeding season and then serve to strengthen the pair bond.

The video shows two pacific parrotlets mating. Probably a bit awkward here, as the cloacae don't touch each other.

Preening / feather care

neutral Comfort behaviour

Description:

The beak is stuck into the feathers so that a feather can be grasped at the base. The feather is now pulled through the beak to the tip with vibrating movements of beak and tongue. This process is repeated for each feather. The plumage is usually loosely ruffled during this procedure. Usually, the entire plumage is not preened in one session, but partial preening sessions are spread out over the course of the day. The movement pattern is basically the same for all body regions that can be reached with the beak. However, the head feathers are preened by other birds, usually the mate.

Interpretation:

positive Friendly Expressive behaviour

Description:

Two birds carefully and gently touch each other's beaks. In part, they exhibit similar beak and tongue movements as during preening. Often the beaks are slightly interlocked and sometimes the tongues touch.

Interpretation:

This behavior is actually very close to kissing in humans. It is an expression of the bond between mates and a loving gesture that both usually seem to enjoy. This behaviour might be a ritualized form of partner feeding without food. This would enable the pair bond to be maintained even without food and could therefore have been of evolutionary advantage.

Bill-rubbing

neutral Comfort behaviour

Description:

The bird rubs its beak on a branch or something similar.

Interpretation:

With this comfort behaviour the bill is cleaned of food remnants and other filth. It can be frequently observed after consuming fruits and vegetables as well as after bathing or in between bathing sessions.

Bill-rubbing in between bathing sessions.

Screaming / chirping / singing

positive neutral negative Expressive behaviour

Parrotlets possess a wide range of different calls with different meanings. To cover them all would go beyond the scope of this article. Moreover, there is relatively little research on this topic so far.

In general, one can say that there are friendly vocalizations, neutral contact calls or chattering, as well as alarm or aggressive calls. So if your parrotlet vocalizes, for starters, that means it's a parrot. Overall, parrotlets are not as loud as other parrot species and have prolonged phases throughout the day where they do not make a peep and that is normal for this group of species. But it is just as normal for them to be really loud every once in a while.

Shaking

neutral Comfort behaviour

Description:

The feathers are slightly fluffed all over the body and then shaken by rapid back and forth movements of the entire body. The wings are slightly opened. This is accompanied by a fluttering noise when the feathers strike together.

Interpretation:

First, this is a comfort behaviour frequently displayed between or after preening or bathing sessions. Its function is to remove dirt, loose feathers, excess feather dust or water from the plumage, as well as smoothing ruffled parts of the plumage. Secondly, shaking is also often displayed as a displacement activity.

Shaking after bathing.

Shaking as displacement activity deciding between staying inside the cage or flying outside.

Tail-fanning

neutral negative Aggression Expressive behaviour Comfort behaviour

Description:

The tail feathers are spread out so that they visually form a fan. The tail can be fanned more or less or only to one side.

Interpretation:

Parrotlets fan out their tail feathers in 3 situations:

The fanned-out tail makes the bird look bigger for displays and is an aggressive expression, accompanied by other aggressive features. Although tail-fanning can also be observed during courtship displays, it is not a courtship behaviour in itself but rather communicates an aggressive mood which is often heightened during courtship.

The tail feathers are also fanned out to stretch as a comfort behaviour, however, in this case usually only to one side. In this context, the behaviour is accompanied by stretching of the wings.

In the typical bathing posture, the tail is fanned out as well to allow water to reach all feathers, including the tail feathers.

Mirroring / synchronized behaviour

positive Friendly

Description:

Two (or more) birds exhibit the same behavior at the same time or in quick succession. This can range from rough synchronization, such as preening, resting, or yawning at the same time, to near-perfect mirroring, such as two birds making exactly the same preening movements at the same time or stretching the same wing at exactly the same time. Synchronized flying can also occur, which ranges from (almost) simultaneous departure to perfect synchronized flying.

Interpretation:

On the one hand, birds of a flock synchronize their behaviour for reasons of survival. The flock offers protection from predators and the bird that does not fly off with the others remains alone and may be eaten. This automatically results in parrots in a flock having a synchronized daily routine with shared periods of rest and activity.

On the other hand, mirroring behavior is a sign of bonding. At least you can interpret it as belonging to the flock. However, mated birds show a higher degree of synchronization than the loose flock. Therefore, you can easily recognize a successful or unsuccessful introduction to a new mate or flock by the degree of synchronization.

As owners, we can also take advantage of this behaviour, building bonds and trust by specifically mirroring the behaviour of our birds (a technique that also works within human relationships and often happens subconsciously 😉). For example, if you stand in front of the cage and imitate blinking, stretching the wings (or arms), yawning or grinding the beak (or teeth), this can break the first ice, especially during the acclimatization phase.

Play / exploration

positive

From a behavioral perspective, play is a difficult concept to grasp. Playful exploration is particularly difficult to distinguish from non-playful exploration. This type of behaviour would therefore have to be observed and analysed in individual cases. Therefore, I will not go into detail about play in parrot(let)s in this article.

That being said, I want to mention that parrots are among the playful animals. Exploring new places, gnawing/shredding/oral exploration, hanging upside-down, picking up, shaking or throwing objects, manipulating water, placing objects in water or combining them with other objects, as well as aerial and climbing acrobatics can be play (O'Hara & Auersperg 2017). At least for young parrotlets, social play, such as playfights, has also been described.

Displacement activity

neutral Tense/excited

Description:

Behaviours that seem unexpected or unfitting to observers. Common displacement activities are wing-twitching, yawning, tail-wagging, short and apparently sudden bouts of gnawing or preening, shaking, sometimes also stretching, but other behaviours are possible as well.

Interpretation:

The concept of displacement activities comes from classical descriptive behavioral biology (ethology). According to the theory, the bird has a conflict between two behavioral options. Since it can carry out neither one nor the other behaviour as a result of this conflict, pent-up energy arises, so to speak, which is then released in a behaviour that actually does not fit the situation at all.

Displacement activities that are very typical for humans are saying "Um" or similar statements, or scratching one's head (which is why displacement behaviours are sometimes referred to as awkwardness, but this poses great risks of anthropomorphizing our parrots). With our birds, an example might be that the bird is having a conflict during training because it would like to get the treat but is afraid of the hand and then shakes itself.

The concept was originally described as two conflicting instincts (hereditary coordinated behavior). However, modern biology no longer makes a clear distinction between innate and learned behavior. In addition, the theories that are supposed to explain this concept cannot be scientifically tested. Therefore, the concept of displacement activities is now viewed by many as outdated. It still has value for our purposes, but should be viewed merely as a description rather than an explanation of behaviour.

Forward-facing cheek feathers

positive Relaxed Friendly Expressive behaviour Comfort behaviour Thermoregulation

Description:

The feathers on the right and left of the beak are pushed forward so that they partially cover the beak. This makes the beak appear smaller.

Interpretation:

This position of the feathers, hides the beak, so to speak, a parrot's most dangerous weapon. Therefore, it communicates a relaxed emotional state or peaceful intentions to others.

On the one hand, it can be seen as appeasement behavior, which can be observed in aggressive conflicts, but also when the bird is fearful. However, depending on the situation, forward-facing cheek feathers can also be a sign of relaxation.

On the other hand, it also serves for heat regulation. The beak is supplied with a lot of blood and therefore can lose a lot of heat. In cold temperatures it can be insulated by the cheek feathers.

Retching

neutral negative Sick Comfort behaviour

Description:

The beak is opened, the tongue is stuck out and the neck is stretched backwards and upwards. This sequence is usually repeated several times. It can be confused with yawning at first glance. With yawning, however, stretching of the neck and repetition are usually missing.

Interpretation:

Unlike with regurgitating food from the crop, the typical head movement (see Head-shaking) is missing here because nothing is moved up from the crop but the oesophagus. Foreign bodies like stuck swallowed feathers or seed husks can also cause the bird to gag. In addition, this behaviour is used to adjust the crop.

If this behaviour is exhibited only from time to time, it is completely normal and harmless.

Attention! If retching occurs persistently or repeatedly over a longer period of time, it should be checked by an avian vet. If the bird doesn't stop retching after a long time, it could even be an emergency. It is important to check whether the bird can still breathe freely (that the foreign body is not blocking the trachea) and that the bird has fresh water available. As with us humans, a foreign body can sometimes be washed away. In addition, increased gagging can be caused by various diseases of the digestive tract (e.g. macrorhabdiosis, also known as avian gastric yeast or going light syndrome).

The video shows normal, harmless retching in a pacific parrotlet. Apparently a feather has been swallowed during preening and is now stuck.

Shivering

neutral negative Tense/excited Relaxed Sick Expressive behaviour Comfort behaviour Thermoregulation

Description:

The bird's body or feathers visibly vibrate without the bird itself moving. The feathers are often fluffed up.

Interpretation:

Above all, shivering, just like in mammals including humans, is a mechanism to raise the body temperature and, thus, also a sign to others that the shivering individual is cold. This should not be observable in indoor birds, except when airing out the room (in which case the window should be closed) or after bathing, when the body temperature drops due to the wet feathers.

Some sources also describe that parrots sometimes shiver when resting. One could assume that the muscles cool down during rest and therefore the body temperature drops slightly.

Other sources mention that parrots shiver with excitement. This is also known from other animals and I have also observed shivering in African grey parrots in exciting situations, but not in parrotlets.

Attention! Shivering can also be a sign that the bird is sick. Sick birds often shiver because their body temperature may drop because the body is too weak to maintain it.

In this video you can see a pacific parrotlet shivering because it is sick.

Leaning / moving backwards

negative Aggression Expressive behaviour

Description:

The bird shows a backward posture towards another living being or sometimes also objects. It leans back (i.e. away from the other individual) or even walks or hops backwards. The plumage is often smooth and the beak is slightly open. This is often accompanied by croaking defensive noises.

Interpretation:

With this behavior, the bird puts distance between itself and its counterpart because it feels threatened or harassed by them. It can therefore be interpreted as incomplete escape behaviour. In addition, this behaviour can have an appeasing effect on the aggressor in a fight, i.e. be a sign of “backing down”. This means an escalation of a conflict can be avoided. It is therefore often classified as defensive display behaviour. If the aggressor is sitting above, the receiving bird will often crouch downwards instead of backwards.

I hope this article was able to give you an overview of the behavioural spectrum of parrotlets and perhaps clear up one or two mysteries.

Habt ihr Fragen, Kritik oder Anregungen, schreibt es gern in die Kommentare.

Sources

Alan B. Bond & Judy Diamond: Thinking like a Parrot – Perspectives from the Wild. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London 2019, ISBN 978-0-226-24878-3.

Andrew U. Luescher: Manual of Parrot Behavior. Blackwell Publishing 2006, ISBN 978-0-8138-2749-0.

https://meine-papageien.wixsite.com/manu/blank-mop79 (as of 13.01.2023)

Johanna-Louise Dehne: Körpersprache und normale Verhaltensweisen der in Gefangenschaft lebenden Großpapageien. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Vogel und ich bei www.vogelforen.de, Infoblatt V03 2005.

Jonathan Elphick: Birds – A complete Guide to their Biology and Behaviour. Natural History Museum, London 2016, ISBN 978-0-565-09379-2

Jörg Ehlenbröker, Renate Ehlenbröker & Eckhard Lietzow: Agaporniden und Sperlingspapageien: Edition Gefiederte Welt. Ulmer, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-8001-5431-9.

Karl Heinz Spitzer: Sperlingspapageien: Arten und Rassen, Haltung und Zucht. Ulmer, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 978-3-8334-8551-0.

Mark O’Hara und Alice M. I. Auersperg (2017): Object play in parrots and corvids. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 16, 119-125, doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.05.008

Melody W. Young, Edwin Dickinson, Nicholas D. Flaim & Michael C. Granatosky (2022): Overcoming a ‘forbidden phenotype’: the parrot’s head supports, propels and powers tripedal locomotion. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 20220245, doi:10.1098/rspb.2022.0245

Volker Munkes & Heidrun Schrooten: Papageienverhalten verstehen: Edition Gefiederte Welt. Ulmer, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8001-5446-3.

Werner Lantermann: Sittiche und Papageien – Verhalten in Freiland und Voliere. Oertel+Spörer, Reutlingen 2012, ISBN 978-3-88627-406-2.

Der Beitrag Körpersprache und Verhalten erschien zuerst auf ForpusFakten.