Spectacled Parrotlets
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Distribution:
The Spectacled Parrotlets naturally occur in Eastern Panama, Northern Colombia and Central Colombia . They are considered an endangered species in the wild (CITES II).
Description:
The male has a yellowish green forehead, extending to the cheeks and throat. The underparts are slightly duller in coloration, with a bluish gray suffusion on the breast. The area encircling the eyes is cobalt-blue. The wings and upper back are dark green, with the lower back and rump being violet-blue, of a darker shade over the rump itself. The primary and secondary coverts are also violet-blue, as are the under wing coverts, axillaries and the carpal edge of the wing. The primaries are green, with violet-blue restricted to their bases, while the secondaries are entirely violet-blue. The lower surface of the flight feathers are bluish green. The upper tail coverts and the tail are green, with the tail feathers being of a more dusky shade on their lower surface. Beak pinkish white; legs pinkish; irides dark brown.
Hens are duller in terms of overall coloration, with the blue areas of the cock being green in this instance. Their upperparts are brighter, with the area around the eye being emerald-green, as is the lower back and rump. The underparts are more yellowish green.
Immature cocks have no blue encircling the eyes, with this area being emerald-green, while their under wing coverts are yellowish green. They can still be recognized however, because of the greenish blue coloration on their lower back and rump, as well as over the wing coverts. Hens in contrast are similar in appearance to adults.
Sub-species:
Cauca Spectacled Parrotlets: Genus: Scientific: Forpus ... English: Parrotlets ... Dutch: Muspapegaaien ... German: Sperlingspapageien ... French: Perruche moineau 
Species: Scientific: Forpus conspicillatus caucae ... English: Cauca Spectacled Parrotlet ... Dutch: Cauca Gebrilde Muspapegaai ... German: Cauca Augenring Sperlingspapagei ... French: Perruche moineau à lunettes Cauca
Description: The males are similar to those of the nominate race, but can be distinguished, at least in some cases, by the depth of their blue coloration. This is paler and less violet in the vicinity of the upper back and rump in this race, as with both upper and under wing coverts. The beak is somewhat bigger as well. Hens appear identical to those of F. c. conspicillatus, except for this difference in the relative size of their beaks. Known as the Cauca Spectacled Parrotlet. (The race formerly described as F. c. pallescens, recognized from the vicinity of the upper Patia Valley, is now considered to be conspecific with this form, as set out here.) [The Atlas of Parrots, Dr. David Alderton (1991)]
Distribution: Found to the west of the Western Andes, in the upper Patia Valley and in the Dagua Valley, as well as in the middle and upper part of the Cauca Valley, being present in both Narino and Cauca, southwestern Colombia. CITES II - Endangered Species
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Meta Spectacled Parrotlets: Genus: Scientific: Forpus ... English: Parrotlets ... Dutch: Muspapegaaien ... German: Sperlingspapageien ... French: Perruche moineau
Species: Scientific: Forpus conspicillatus metae ... English: Meta Spectacled Parrotlet ... Dutch: Meta Gebrilde Muspapegaai ... German: Meta Augenring Sperlingspapagei ... French: Perruche moineau à lunettes Cundinamarca
Description: The males have brighter, more yellowish green underparts. The throat and cheeks are also more yellowish, with the plumage of the head being a brighter shade of green. The area of blue plumage around the eye is significantly reduced in size, being confined mainly to the rear of the eye. The bend of the wing is also yellower than in the case of the nominate race.
Distribution: The Spectacled Parrotlets can be found on the eastern slopes of the Eastern Andes, being present in Boyaca, Cundinamarca and Meta in the central part of Colombia, ranging eastwards in the vicinity of the Meta River into western Venezuela. CITES II - Endangered Species
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Genus: Scientific: Forpus ... English: Parrotlets ... Dutch: Muspapegaaien ... German: Sperlingspapageien ... French: Perruche moineau Species: Scientific: Forpus conspicillatus conspicillatus ... English: Spectacled Parrotlet ... Dutch: Gebrilde Muspapegaai ... German: Augenring Sperlingspapagei ... French: Perruche moineau à lunettes Sub-species: conspicillatus, matae, caucae
Related Websites: Lexicon of Parrots
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