Yellow-faced Parrotlet Forpus xanthops Scientific name definitions

The Yellow-faced is endemic to the upper Maranon Valley in central Peru. This valley cuts a deep gorge longitudinally through the center of the central Andes and due to the large eastern cordillera, very little moisture reaches it, resulting in what is termed a rain-shadow valley. It is the most restricted of any member of its genus and occurs in small inconspicuous flocks in cactus-scrub montane desert, dry deciduous scrub and riparian thickets which feed on the fruits or seeds of leguminous trees, cactuses and flowers. It is also the most distinctive member of this predominantly green-bodied genus with, as per its common name, a striking yellow face bordered with pale blue.

15 cm. Yellow crown and face with bluish postocular stripe merging into bluish grey of hindcrown and nape , this in turn merging into olive grey on sides of neck, back and wings; lower back, rump , uppertail-coverts and large patch on wing dark blue, paler on secondary coverts; underparts greenish yellow ; underwing-coverts dark blue; tail green. Female has back and rump pale blue, less blue in wing. Immature undescribed.

Upper Marañón Valley (S Amazonas, SE Cajamarca and E La Libertad), in NC Peru.

Cactus-<em>Prosopis</em> montane desert scrub , dry deciduous forest and riparian thickets at 600–1800 m; a roost was in Ginerium canebrake.

Fruits or seeds of a leguminous tree Cercidium praecox, cactus fruits and seeds, flowers of Bombax discolor; observed on the ground where doubtless feeding on grass seed, and will feed on ripe wheat.

Call is a passerine-like “zit” or bisyllabic “zidit”, given given both in flight and perched. Groups in flight call continuously, producing a relatively loud tinkling twittering. When perched, calls are more subdued.

VULNERABLE. CITES II. A BirdLife “restricted-range” species. Until relatively recently (c. 1980) considered common to abundant, but heavily traded internally apparently since 1963, with around 600 birds reportedly captured every week in the period 1981–1984, after which legal protection was introduced. Moreover, steady deterioration of habitat in the face of cultivation and goat damage may pose serious problems in parts of its highly restricted range. It occurs in no protected area, but is still considered a pest in two localities.