Bald Parrot Pyrilia aurantiocephala Scientific name definitions

The Bald Parrot has an interesting history of discovery. In the eastern Amazon, the closely related Vulturine Parrot is a common species and is so named for the bare skin and low density feathering of its head. As recently as 1997 its immature plumage was described as similar to the adults, but lacking all feathering on the head. The authors also noted that the immatures would form separate flocks. Not until the putative immatures were collected in 1999 was it evident that these ‘immature’ birds had well developed gonads and completely ossified skulls, both unequivocal signs of maturity. Subsequent inspection of museum holdings confirmed that this bare headed form was representative of a distinct species, recently described as the Bald Parrot.

c. 23 cm. Head and nape completely bare but for some bristles, skin intensely orange or orange-pink, diffusely paler and yellower around eye; pale complete collar of light yellow feathers with small blackish tips on upper neck, becoming similar but more greenish and darker on lower neck, body plumage  mostly green, tinged with blue on lower breast and belly; upperwing-coverts green  except for a conspicuous orange-yellow or orange patch on marginal and lesser coverts next to carpal joint, some median and greater coverts, especially the outermost ones, partly tinged with ultramarine blue, lesser upperwing-coverts with some red, alula, greater primary-coverts and primaries black with indigo-blue tinge on outer webs; underwing-coverts red, often visible as narrow line on bend of folded wing, remiges blackish with greenish tinge on inner webs; tail feathers blue and green except for broad yellow bases over most of inner webs; iris orange-yellow to orange-brown; bill black, orange to horn-yellow patch at base of both mandibles; legs orange-yellow to pinkish. Easily distinguished from other species in this group by wholly bare orange head and hindneck, very different from black head and yellow-and-black hind-collar of P. vuturina; also, slightly larger but with relatively shorter tail than latter. Sexes similar. Juvenile may have feathered green head, although some uncertainty about this.

Lower R Madeira and upper R Tapajós and R Teles Pires, in C Brazil.

Observed in gallery forest  and in campinarana (white-sand) forest in humid tropical lowlands.

Flight calls  include a rolling slightly nasal “chow-chow-chow” and higher-pitched “skee-skee-skee”. When perched, utters a wider variety of calls, ranging from nasal yelps to more melodious whistles, as well as more typically parrot-like calls, e.g. a rising “kweet”, and a short nasal “onk”.