Black-capped parakeet

Description

The black-capped parakeet (Pyrrhura rupicola), also known as the black-capped conure or rock conure in aviculture, is a parrot native to the south-western Amazon Basin and adjacent east Andean slopes in Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. It has a total length of approximately 25 cm. It is mostly green with off white scalloping on the hindneck and breast and red primary coverts. It lives in humid forests, ranging from the Amazonian lowlands up to an altitude of 1000 m on the east Andean slopes. It is designated as Least Concern despite deforestation in the Amazon Basin. Flock size is up to 30 birds with smaller groups forming during breeding season. In aviculture, these birds are known as black capped conures. As the quietest of the conure birds they are popular as household pets. They can reproduce in captivity and can also mate with the green cheeked parakeet to produce hybrid offspring. They have large personalities and are highly social, making great companion animals. Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob von Tschudi described the species in 1844. There are two subspecies of Pyrrhura rupicola: P. r. rupicola P. r. sandiae P. r. rupicola can be found in western South America and is common in Peru. P. r. sandiae can be found in the extreme west of Brazil, south-east Peru, and northern Bolivia. Commonly called the Sandia conure in aviculture, it features narrower scalloped feathers on the neck and breast and a lack of scalloped feathers on the hindneck. The black capped parakeet may breed with the green cheeked parakeet in the wild. "Black-capped parakeet" has been designated the official name by the International Ornithologists' Union (IOC). It is also known in the pet trade as black-capped conure or rock conure. Black capped parakeets are highly social birds and communal roosters. In the wild, they flock with up to 30 birds at a time. During breeding season smaller groups of families can be found. Black capped parakeets enjoy bathing. In the wild black capped parakeets are canopy feeders. The black capped parakeet lives up to 30 years in captivity. Black capped parakeets reach sexual maturity between 1 and 3 years old. They roost in small groups during breeding season. A clutch generally has 4 to 7 eggs. They have a 24-day incubation period, followed by 7 to 8 weeks of parental care. Black capped parakeets have a breeding season from February to March.