Pyrrhura caeruleiceps
The diminutive yet striking Perija Parakeet (*Pyrrhura caeruleiceps*) is a jewel of the Perijá Mountains, endemic to the remote border region of Colombia and Venezuela. Measuring approximately 23 cm (9 inches) in length and weighing around 75-85 grams, this social parrot is predominantly emerald green, elegantly contrasted by a distinctive blue-purple crown and nape, which gives it its scientific name, meaning "blue-headed." Further field marks include reddish-brown ear-coverts, a prominent w...
Inhabits humid montane and cloud forests, often at forest edges or in degraded areas with scattered trees, typically found at elevations between 1,600 and 3,400 meters.
Feeds primarily on a variety of fruits, seeds, and flowers gleaned from the forest canopy and mid-story.
Highly social and gregarious, Perija Parakeets typically forage and travel in active flocks of 10-20 individuals, occasionally gathering in larger groups of 50 or more, particularly around abundant food sources or roosting sites. They are diurnal, spending their days foraging actively within the ...
The Perija Parakeet's distribution is remarkably narrow, confined entirely to the Perijá Mountains, an isolated range that forms part of the eastern cordillera of the Andes, straddling the border between northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela. In Colombia, its range extends through the depa...
Endangered
- The Perija Parakeet is endemic to a single, isolated mountain range, the Perijá Mountains, making it one of the most geographically restricted parrot species. - Its scientific name, *caeruleiceps*, means "blue-headed" in Latin, referring to its striking blue-purple crown. - This parakeet is a h...