Psilopsiagon aymara
The Grey-hooded Parakeet (*Psilopsiagon aymara*), also known as the Aymara Parakeet, is a distinctive psittacid native to the high-altitude Andes of South America. Measuring approximately 17-20 cm (7-8 inches) in length and weighing 40-60 grams, its most striking feature is the pale ash-grey hood covering its head, neck, and upper chest, contrasting sharply with its bright yellowish-green underparts and grass-green back. Key field marks include this unique grey hood, the yellowish belly, a ho...
Inhabits arid and semi-arid high-altitude montane valleys, dry scrubland, and rocky slopes with scattered bushes, primarily between 1,500 and 4,000 meters elevation, occasionally higher.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on a variety of seeds from grasses, shrubs (e.g., *Acacia*), and cultivated plants, supplemented with fruits (including cacti), berries, flowers, buds, and leaves. Forages mainly on the ground and in low vegetation.
Highly social birds, Grey-hooded Parakeets are typically observed in small to medium-sized flocks of 5-20 individuals, though larger congregations of up to 100 can form, especially outside the breeding season. They are diurnal, spending their days foraging actively on the ground or in low bushes ...
The Grey-hooded Parakeet is endemic to the high-altitude Andes of southern Bolivia, northwestern Argentina, and extreme northern Chile. In Bolivia, its range extends through the departments of La Paz, Cochabamba, PotosÃ, Chuquisaca, and Tarija. In Argentina, it is found across the provinces of Ju...
Least Concern
- The Grey-hooded Parakeet is one of the highest-dwelling parakeets in the world, regularly found at elevations up to 4,000 meters in the Andes. - Its distinctive pale ash-grey "hood" makes it easily identifiable and unique among South American parakeets. - Despite its name, it's sometimes known ...