Scaly-headed Parrot
Encyclopedia
The Scaly-headed Parrot (Pionus maximiliani) is a species of bird
in the Psittacidae family, the true parrots
. It is also called Scaly-headed Pionus, Maximilian Pionus, Maximilian Parrot, Maximilian's Pionus, or Maximilian's Parrot.
It is found in eastern Brazil
, central and eastern Bolivia
, Paraguay
, and northern Argentina
. It is found in a wide range of wooded habitats, from humid subtropical forest to arid Caatinga
. It is remains fairly common throughout a large part of its range. It is typically seen in pairs or small flocks. The scaling to the head for which it is named is typically far less distinct than the bright red undertail coverts
(a feature found in all members of the genus Pionus
).
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Psittacidae family, the true parrots
True parrots
The true parrots are about 330 species of bird belonging to the Psittacidae family, one of the two "traditional" families in the biological order Psittaciformes . The other family is the Cacatuidae which are also parrots, but not classified as true parrots...
. It is also called Scaly-headed Pionus, Maximilian Pionus, Maximilian Parrot, Maximilian's Pionus, or Maximilian's Parrot.
It is found in eastern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, central and eastern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, and northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It is found in a wide range of wooded habitats, from humid subtropical forest to arid Caatinga
Caatinga
Caatinga is a type of vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in the northeastern part of Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation"...
. It is remains fairly common throughout a large part of its range. It is typically seen in pairs or small flocks. The scaling to the head for which it is named is typically far less distinct than the bright red undertail coverts
Covert (feather)
A covert feather on a bird is one of a set of feathers, called coverts, which as the name implies, cover other feathers. The coverts help to smooth airflow over the wings and tail.- Wing-coverts :...
(a feature found in all members of the genus Pionus
Pionus
Pionus is a genus of medium-sized parrots native to Mexico, and Central and South America. Characteristic of the genus are the chunky body, bare eye ring , and short square tail. They are superficially similar to Amazon parrots, but smaller and in flight their wing-strokes are far deeper...
).
External links
- Scaly-headed parrot videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Scaly-headed parrot photo gallery VIREO
- Photo-High Res; Article oiseaux
