Brotogeris
Class: Aves ... Order: Psittaciformes ... Family: Psittacidae ... Subfamily: Psittacinae ... Genus: Scientific: Brotogeris ... English: Thin-mouth Parakeets ... Dutch: Dunbekparkieten ... German: Schmalschnabelsittiche ... French: Perruche à bec mince ... CITES II: Endangered Species
Brotogeris Parakeets
By: Gloria Balaban -
Shady Pines Aviary
Broto, Pocket Parrot, BeeBee Parrot, Tovi Parakeet - these are but a few of the names given to the charming family of birds otherwise known as Brotogeris Parakeets or Brotos for short.
Brotogeris parakeets make excellent companion birds. They are intelligent and curious, playful and clownish, affectionate and charming. Smaller than a Cockatiel, they are about 7-9" from head to tail, with predominantly green feathers. Depending on the species, they also have varying markings of yellow, white, blue, orange, and grey on their wings and head.
The most commonly recognized member of the Brotogeris genus are the Grey-cheeked parakeets. Grey-cheeked parakeets have been the most common of the Broto species kept as pets. They were imported by the thousands until the late 1980's. Because they were so plentiful and inexpensive, very few were set up to breed. As serious Broto breeders have discovered in the past 5-10 years, Grey-cheeks are inconsistent and problematic breeders, and very few young are being produced - not nearly enough to replace the older imported birds who are now dying at an increasing rate. Sadly, owners who were devoted to their now-deceased Grey-cheeks are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to find another one.
Many of these former grey-cheek owners are now discovering the similarly charming and intelligent Canary-winged parakeet, another of the Brotogeris species. Canary-winged parakeets are similar in size to grey-cheeks, and share the same endearing qualities. Their feathers are a lighter and brighter lime green, with yellow wing feathers as their species-specific identifier. Another unique identifier Canary-wings possess are big, bright eyes. Canary-winged parakeets make wonderful pets, and some think that many individuals are better talkers and have a more analytical aspect to their intelligence than the Grey-cheeks.
At Shady Pines Aviary we have had great success breeding Canary-winged parakeets, and many are available each Spring.
Other Brotogeris species whose numbers are now slowly increasing, but who are not yet plentiful in American aviculture, are the orange-chinned parakeet, white-winged parakeet, golden-winged parakeet, and cobalt-winged parakeet. We are fortunate to have bred each of these species in 2005. The remaining two Brotogeris species, the Tui parakeet and the plain parakeet, are practically non-existent in this country.
Training and Behavioral Guidance:
- Pet parrots generally present challenges, such as excessive chewing - especially at certain stages in their life. They do discover their beaks as method of "disciplining us" once they are out of the "baby stage" and they can generally be somewhat naughty, and it really is important to learn to understand them and to guide their behavior before an undesirable behavior has been established. Undisciplined parrots will chew on electric wiring potentially causing house fires. They regard anything in your home as a "toy" that can be explored and chewed on; destroying items that you may hold dear or are simply valuable. Even a young bird that has not been neglected and abused requires proper guidance; this becomes even more challenging when it involves a rescued bird that may require rehabilitation.
- Web Resources: I put together web resources for you to help you understand your pet bird and properly direct him. Please visit this website for valuable tips on parrot behavior and training.
- If you are, as I am, a visual learner and prefer step-by-step instructions to train your pet, I recommend:
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
- Stop Biting
- Perform Tricks &
- Tame ANY SIZE bird you could possibly own
- and/or try the "Teach Your Parrot to Talk" Training Course.
- the Parrot Training Course to teach your parrot to:
If you are considering one of these magnificent parrots as pets, please visit the following websites for information:
- Procuring your Parrot
- Breeders:
- Florida: Shady Pines Aviary, Photos & Pricing & Availability
- Do you breed this species and would like to be listed? Click here to see your options.
- Housing Your Bird
- Bird Nutrition
- Parrot Products
Related Websites: Genus Brotogeris ... Howard Voren: Protogeris: The International Diplomat, The Masters of Adaptation ... Brotogeries Society International
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with the AvianWeb visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the AvianWeb Webmaster.
Photo contributions and articles are welcome!
