El Oro Parakeet Pyrrhura orcesi Scientific name definitions

The El Oro Parakeet is an extremely rare parakeet, unknown to science until it was discovered on the pacific slope of southern Ecuador in 1980 and described in 1988.  This species' range is very small,  and it is only known to occur at a few isolated localities between 600m and 1100m elevation in the Azuay and El Oro provinces.  The sole protected site within the range is the Buenaventura reserve, owned by the Jocotoco foundation, the impetus of the creation of which was to save this species from potential extinction due to habitat loss is this area. The Jocotoco foundation currently provides artificial nest boxes for this species, which have amplified breeding opportunities, and allowed scientists to study the breeding biology of the largest known population of this endangered species.  While the Buenaventura reserve currently protects upwards of 120 birds, the large home range (1-3 sq. km.) of this species make it difficult to protect, though this species seems at least partially tolerant of pastureland, nesting in boxes placed on solitary trees over open pasture near humid evergreen forest.  While similar to the Maroon-tailed (Pyrrhura melanura), the El Oro Parakeet is the the only Pyrrhura within its range, and is therefore easily identifiable by its small size, long, maroon-tipped tail, and dark green body plumage.  Distinctively from other members of its genus, this species shows a red forecrown and lacks any scaling on the underparts.

22 cm; 65–75 g. Close to P. melanura but lores and forehead red, scaled pattern of breast and sides of neck reduced to broad but indistinct greyish buff bars on green, belly variably marked dull reddish, bend of wing red , more blue in primaries , tail green basally, and undertail appears redder (tone similar in P. melanura chapmani). Female has red on head reduced to narrow band on forehead. Immature has less red on head and bend of wing, no belly mark.

Pacific slope of Andes in SW Ecuador from Manta Real (Azuay) to Buenaventura Reserve (El Oro).

Most common call  is a series of grating notes with a rather hoarse quality, e.g. “crreeet crreeet crreeet”, both in flight and perched. When perched, also gives single calls with a similar tonal quality, e.g. “chuk or “krrrr”. In flight, individuals of a group call frequently and simultaneously, producing a noisy chattering. However, perched birds can be silent for prolonged periods.

Fledged young being fed Jun and Aug, so breeding may extend from Mar to Jul.

ENDANGERED. CITES II. Previously listed as Vulnerable. A BirdLife “restricted-range” species. Population estimated to lie between 2000 and 20,000 birds, under pressure from continuing habitat clearance for ranchland. No protected area holds a population of this bird; the type locality at Hacienda Buenaventura possesses some 1000 ha of forest whose formal protection is still being negotiated.