Cactus Parakeet Eupsittula cactorum Scientific name definitions

Cactus Parakeet is a resident of northeastern and north-central Brazil. Primarily green, Cactus Parakeet has brown across its forecrown, lores, neck throat and breast, bluish flight feathers and dull orange on the belly. This bird inhabits arid thorny caatinga vegetation, open woodland as well as pasture and less arid woodland. Although not considered threatened, much of the range of Cactus Parakeet is unprotected and is being steadily degraded.

25 cm. Forecrown, lores, throat, sides of neck and breast pale brown  ; bare orbital ring  whitish; ear-coverts, nape and upperparts green; flight-feathers bluish; belly to vent dull orange. Immature has green crown, underparts duller. Race caixana paler.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Arid thorny caatinga vegetation dominated by shrubs and succulents  , open woodland (angical) with Anadenanthera macrocarpa, and second-growth caatinga following cultivation or burning; also degraded pasture and less arid woodland.

No information, but some local movements in response to food availability seem likely.

Few specific data; flower buds reported, and recorded feeding on a variety of fruits  , including those of figs  and cactus  , as well as Bauhinia, Croton and Cereus jamacaru (1 Olmos, F., and C. Albano (2012). As aves da região do Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara (Piauí, Brasil). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 20(3):173–187. Close ); also occasional damage to crops such as rice, maize and sorghum  .

Flight calls include high-pitched screeching “scraart scraart” cries , as well as a softer, shorter and bisyllabic “tchit tchit” and loud “cherr-chee”. When perched, similar calls and chattering notes. Vocabulary quite similar to allopatric E. pertinax.

Nest  -holes in arboreal termitaria  . Four nests in N Bahia were at 1·7–2·7 m above the ground, with nestlings and eggs lodged in a chamber built by the parents inside the termitaria, without lining; three of the nests contained eggs in Jan: six, five and five eggs respectively, and the fourth contained three nestlings and one addled egg in early Mar; eggs slightly ovoidal, with a dull white tone, measuring 24·9 mm × 20·4 mm on average (n = 14) (2 Naka, L.N. (1997). Nest and egg description of an endemism of the Brazilian northeast: the Cactus Parakeet, Aratinga cactorum. Ararajuba. 5(2): 182–185. Close ). Another study in Bahia found 15 nests during Aug–Mar, with an average clutch of three eggs (3 Mariano, P.N. and Barreto, P.C.N. (2016). Notas sobre a biologia reprodutiva de Eupsittula cactorum na região de Gentio do Ouro - Bahia, Brasil. Atualidades Ornitológicas. 190: 22–23. Close ). In captivity: up to six eggs laid; incubation period as short as 16 days between last egg being laid and first hatching; nestling period c. 6 weeks.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Generally common, often commonest psittacid, with little trade pressure. However, caatinga is poorly protected (0·1% of original area inside reserves) and being steadily degraded. The species occurs in Serra da Capivara National Park .