Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet Touit purpuratus Scientific name definitions

The Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet probably overlaps reasonably extensively over its reasonably broad northern and central Amazonian range with the Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet (Touit huetii). The present species occurs from southern Venezuela and the Guianas in the north south to the northeast Brazilian state of Maranhão, and west to southeast Colombia and northeast Peru. The Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet is principally green with a brown cap and scapulars, a blue wing bend and rump, and red outer tail feathers. It is found largely in tropical lowland forest, including seasonally flooded areas and savannas, although the species also occurs to 1400 m in southern Venezuela, and the Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet has been observed feeding on a handful of different fruit species, but in general there are very few data concerning its biology.

17–18 cm; 54–66 g. Crown  olive brown, rest of head and underparts green  ; back and wings slightly darker green, with dusky brown scapulars forming V on folded wings; carpal edge violet blue; lower back and rump blue; central tail feathers green, rest red, all tipped blackish. Female has paler scapulars and green subterminal band on outer tail. Immature like female but duller with olive rump. Race viridiceps has crown green.

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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.

Recorded feeding on fruit of Ficus, Clusia grandiflora, Pouroma guianensis, Astrocaryum aculeatum   and <em>Mauritia flexuosa</em> , and trees of Sapotaceae and Myrtaceae. In NE Peru recorded feeding on leaves, shoots and bark of Terminalia catappa (Combretaceae) as well as on dead wood (1 Díaz Alván, J. and Álvarez Alonso, J. (2014). Registros del Periquito de Lomo Zafiro Touit purpuratus y notas sobre su alimentación en Loreto, Perú. Cotinga. 36: 103–106. Close ).

Most common calls  are nasal and almost goose-like, e.g., “ah-ney” or “nyaah-eh”, given both perched and in flight. In flight, individuals of (typically fairly large) groups call simultaneously, resulting in a continuous nasal chattering sound. When perched, also a rapid rattling “che-che-che”. Vocalizations misleadingly suggest a larger parrot.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Uncommon, never in large numbers, but inconspicuous and therefore perhaps underrecorded. Recorded since 1991 in NE Peru, where apparently rare (1 Díaz Alván, J. and Álvarez Alonso, J. (2014). Registros del Periquito de Lomo Zafiro Touit purpuratus y notas sobre su alimentación en Loreto, Perú. Cotinga. 36: 103–106. Close ). Several important reserves exist within its range, notably in Brazil, and the species appears never to have been traded. Some habitat loss may have affected numbers, although birds persist in partially cleared land.