The Blue-winged Parrotlet (Forpus xanthopterygius flavescens) is found in central and eastern Brazil extending up to northern Bahia.
This race also occurs in Paraguay and the northern of Argentina, where it is found in both Corrientes and Misiones.
Description
The male is mainly green, of a brighter shade around the eyes and ear coverts (feathers covering the ears). The lower back and rump, as well as the under wing-coverts and the wing-coverts themselves, are violet- blue. There may be some odd violet- blue feathers evident at the bend of the wing.
Both primary and secondary coverts are violet-blue (please refer to Wing Anatomy), with the outer webs of the secondaries (shorter, upper “arm” feathers) being similarly colored towards their bases. The tail feathers are green, being more dusky beneath. Beak horn in color, with a darker gray area at the base of the upper beak; legs gray. The eyes are dark brown.
Hens have greenish plumage where the cock is blue. Both the forehead and facial area are a bright shade of greenish yellow, with a strong yellow tone also on the underparts. Can be distinguished from F. passerinus hens by their grayish feet.
Young birds resemble adults, although young cocks have reduced violet-blue areas on the wings, with the rump as well as the under wing-coverts (please refer to Wing Anatomy) being green with a prominent violet-blue suffusion.
Taxonomy:
Genus: Scientific: Forpus … English: Parrotlets … Dutch: Muspapegaaien … German: Sperlingspapageien … French: Perruche moineau
Species: Scientific: Forpus xanthopterygius xanthopterygius … English: Blue-winged Parrotlet … Dutch: Spix Muspapegaai, Blauwvleugelmuspapegaai … German: Blauflügel Sperlingspapagei … French: Perruche moineau aux ailes blues … CITES II – Endangered Species
Sub-Species / Races Including Nominate: spengeli, crassirostris, olallae, flavissimus, flavescens, xanthopterygius
Sub-species:
Distribution: Integrates with the nominate race in northern Bahia, extending northwards to Ceara, Maranhao and Paraiba in the northeast of Brazil.
This race is known both as the Blue-rumped Parrotlet and as the Ceara Blue-winged Parrotlet.
This sub-species has been described as much calmer and less nervous than the other subspecies.
Description: Can be distinguished by its paler, yellower green plumage, in the case of cocks. The forehead, cheeks and throat are a pronounced shade of lemon-yellow. The blue plumage over the rump and wings is a lighter shade of cobalt. Hens can also be recognized on the basis of their yellower coloration overall.
Taxonomy: Genus: Scientific: Forpus … English: Parrotlets … Dutch: Muspapegaaien … German: Sperlingspapageien … French: Perruche moineau aux ailes blues Ceara … Species: Scientific: Forpus xanthopterygius flavissimus aka Forpus passerinus flavissimus … English: Ceara Blue-winged Parrotlet … Dutch: Bleke Blauwvleugelmuspapegaai … German: Blaßgelber Blauflügel Sper … CITES II – Endangered Species
Olalla’s Blue-winged Parrotlets:
Distribution: Recorded just from two areas in Brazil, on the north bank of the River Amazon. Found here in the vicinity of Itacoatiara and Codajas, in eastern Amazonas, northwest Brazil.
Description: Similar to F. x. crassirostris, and may actually be conspecific (of, or belonging to, the same species). Cocks are said to differ however, because in the case of F. x. olallae, the lower back and rump are a darker shade of violet-blue, like the area on the wings. In contrast however, the under wing-coverts (please refer to Wing Anatomy) are paler, whereas the green of the upperparts is darker in coloration.
Taxonomy: Genus: Scientific: Forpus … English: Parrotlets … Dutch: Muspapegaaien … German: Sperlingspapageien … French: Perruche moineau … Species: Scientific: Forpus xanthopterygius olallae aka Forpus passerinus olallae … English: Olalla’s Blue-winged Parrotlet … Dutch: Olalla’s Blauwvleugelmuspapegaai … German: Olalla Blauflügel Sperlingspapagei … French: Perruche moineau aux ailes blues Codajas … CITES II– Endangered Species
Salvadori’s Blue-winged Parrotlets:
Distribution: Found in central-eastern and southeastern parts of Peru, as well as in the eastern Bolivian provinces of Beni and Santa Cruz.
Description: Males resemble those of the nominate race, but are identifiable by their paler and more yellowish green plumage. In this instance, the underparts, as well as the forehead and cheeks, are greenish yellow. The blue coloration over the lower back and rump is significantly paler.
Hens in contrast are also more yellowish, especially on the head. The green of the underparts is also paler than in F. x. xanthopterygius. This race is often described as Salvadori’s Parrotlet. [The Atlas of Parrots, Dr. David Alderton (1991)]
Taxonomy: Genus: Scientific: Forpus … English: Parrotlets … Dutch: Muspapegaaien … German: Sperlingspapageien … French: Perruche moineau … Species: Scientific: Forpus xanthopterygius flavescens aka Forpus passerinus flavescens … English: Salvadori’s Blue-winged Parrotlet … Dutch: Salvadori’s Blauwvleugelmuspapegaai … German: Santa-Cruz Sperlingspapagei … French: Perruche moineau aux ailes blues Beni … CITES II – Endangered Species
This subspecies is known both as Spengel’s Parrotlet and the Barranquilla Parrotlet.
Distribution: This isolated race is restricted to northern Colombia, whereat is found in the Caribbean coastal area, both southwest and west of the Santa Marta Mountains. Also extends along the Magdalena Valley, reaching northern Bolivar.
Description: Similar to the nominate race, but recognizable by the pale turquoise-blue coloration of the lower back and rump. Upper tail coverts turquoise-blue near the rump, becoming green at the base of the tail feathers. The under wing-coverts and axillaries (feathers under the wing – the “armpit” or “wingpit” of a bird) are a combination of turquoise and violet blues, with the secondary coverts being turquoise-blue. The inner primary coverts are violet-blue. The tail feathers are yellowish green. The forehead and crown, as well as the ear coverts (feathers covering the ears) are emerald-green, with the feathers of the throat being bright green. Beak is horn in color, and relatively large in size, with these parrotlets appearing quite stocky. Hens can be recognized by their bright green plumage, most noticeable over the back and rump. The forehead, front of the crown and most of the cheeks are yellowish.
Taxonomy: Genus: Scientific: Forpus … English: Parrotlets … Dutch: Muspapegaaien … German: Sperlingspapageien … French: Perruche moineau … Species: Scientific: Forpus xanthopterygius spengeli aka Forpus spengeli … English: Turquoise-rumped Parrotlet, Spengel’s Parrotlet … Dutch: Colombiaanse Muspapegaai … German: Kolumbianischer Sperlingspapagei … French: Perruche moineau aux ailes blues Atlantico … CITES II – Endangered Species
Thick-billed Blue-winged Parrotlets aka as the Large-billed Parrotlets:
Distribution: Extends from the far southeast of Colombia and the neighboring northeast of Peru via the Amazon and its tributaries westwards to the vicinity of central Amazonas in the northwest of Brazil.
Description: Smaller in size than the nominate race, with the blue markings of cocks being noticeably paler. The primary coverts are a pale grayish shade of violet-blue, with the secondary coverts being darker (please refer to Wing Anatomy). The beak in this case is noticeably larger, and the irides (= plural of iris) are reputedly yellow. Hens can be distinguished from those of other races again by the size of the beak, and by the green coloration on both the forehead and cheeks, which has less of a yellowish tinge.
Taxonomy: Genus: Scientific: Forpus … English: Parrotlets … Dutch: Muspapegaaien … German: Sperlingspapageien … French: Perruche moineau … Species: Scientific: Forpus xanthopterygius crassirostris aka Forpus passerinus crassirostris … English: Thick-billed Blue-winged Parrotlet … Dutch: Diksnavel Blauwvleugelmuspapegaai … German: Dickschnabel Sperlingspapagei … French: Perruche moineau aux ailes blues Taczanowski … CITES II – Endangered Species
