(Photo: Carlos Henrique Luz Nunes de Almeida, CC BY 3.0)
FAMILY
Psittacidae, one of the three true parrot families
NATIVE RANGE
Central South America
INTRODUCED RANGE
California and Florida
Important Environmental Factors
High variation in seasonal rainfall
Any level of paved or compacted ground below 90%
Low levels of shrub or scrub vegetation
Species Description
The yellow-chevroned parakeet is a medium-sized bird, mostly green in color, but with yellow underparts and outer secondary wing covers.
Habitat and Behavior
The parakeets are very sociable and are almost always seen with another individual. They inhabit open woodland and gallery forests. In the U.S., they have been observed making nesting cavities in palm trees and feeding on fruits, seeds, and flowers.
Impact in California
The parakeets were popular pets in the late twentieth century. Between 1977 and 1990, more than 74,000 birds were imported to the U.S. [1], and feral populations can now be found in California and Florida. The parakeets are considered agricultural pests in their native range, but luckily, they do not yet seem to pose any notable threats in California.
Data source:
Species records provided by eBird.
Acknowledgements:
We would like to thank Ashley Campfield for her research assistance.
References:
- Brightsmith et al. (2017). In The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). [link]