Austral Parakeet Enicognathus ferrugineus Scientific name definitions

A long-tailed, green conure, the Austral Parakeet is found further south than any other species of parrot in the Americas. Found at a variable range of altitudes, this species stays near sea level in the extreme southern portion of its range, but can be found up to 2000 meters in elevation at more northerly portions of its range. A very social species, this bird may join single or mixed-species feeding flocks numbering 100 birds or more. Mainly a seed-eating bird, this species is very tame and often lives in close association with humans, where it has been known to cause significant damage to local grain crops. They will also east nuts, fruits, berries, and leaf buds when available. Very common within its range in proper habitat, this species is very scarcely kept as a cage-bird. The Austral Parakeet is a cavity-nester and usually lays 4-8 eggs in a deep, hollow, tree cavity.

28–36 cm; 155 g (one male, minor) (1 Pagano, L. G., and S. A. Salvador (2017). Datos de pesos de aves Argentinas. Parte 4. Historia Natural 7:21–43. Close ). Dull green , yellower on underparts, with light scaled effect given by dark feather edging; forehead and lores , belly patch and tail dull reddish; primaries with bluish green. Immature has duller reddish on head and belly. Race minor smaller and darker.

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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.

Southern temperate beech Notho­fagus forest, Quercus-­Drymis woodlands, and adjacent semi-open areas, including ranchland and at times cultivations; to sea-level in S of range, up to 1200 or even 2000 m in N.

Seeds of grasses and the bamboo Chusquea quila, seeds of <em>Araucaria araucana</em> , acorns, leaf buds of Nothofagus and poplars, fruits, berries and bulbous roots. Reported feeding on insect larvae in the northern part of its distribution area in Argentina (2 Díaz, S. and Peris, S. (2011). Consumption of larvae by the Austral Parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus). Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 123(1): 168–171. Close ).

Commonest call is a nasal grating note, typically repeated in long series, e.g. “grrreh-grrreh-grrreh...” (very similar to E. leptorhynchus). A more drawn-out higher-pitched “kreeh” is often mixed in.

Dec. Nest in hole in tree , commonly large dead oaks; reportedly also makes own nest of twigs or grass stems in Chusquea. Eggs 4–8; incubation in captivity timed at c. 26 days.