Golden-tailed Parrotlet Touit surdus Scientific name definitions

Endemic to coastal eastern Brazil, this parrotlet is rare and poorly known, and in common with all other Touit is also very infrequently observed when perched; typical views involve singles or small groups flying high overhead, revealing their identity only via their species-specific vocalizations. Golden-tailed Parrotlet is largely bright grass green, with a yellowish area around the face and cheeks, a scaled appearance to the crown and neck, and the brownish scapulars form two bands across the back. The species’ tail is short and square, golden-yellow tipped black, with green central rectrices. The Golden-tailed Parrotlet occurs from Ceará discontinuously south to São Paulo, with its stronghold probably being the northeastern forests of Alagoas and Bahia. Seasonal movements may occur in some areas, but the species is probably usually resident in lowland and lower montane forest, as high as 1000 m in the south of its range. Nests have been reported in arboreal termitaria, but this parrotlet’s breeding biology is still very inadequately known. Extensive deforestation throughout its range, but especially in the far northeast, has left the species highly dependent on the Brazilian protected areas network, and the Golden-tailed Parrotlet is currently considered Vulnerable by BirdLife International.

16 cm. Like other Touit species, most frequently seen in fast flight  high overhead. Green , brighter on underparts, especially belly and undertail-coverts; yellow on forehead  , lores superciliary region and cheeks, rest of head can appear scaly  ; scapulars  and inner tertials olive-brown; rump and uppertail-coverts slightly brighter than mantle and back, more emerald-green; flight-feathers dusky brown with green fringes, primary-coverts dark brown, contrasting with rest of green wing-coverts and blue on carpal region; lateral tail-feathers  greenish yellow very narrowly tipped black (most obvious on upperside  ). Female perhaps duller below, with greener lateral tail-feathers and has green tips and fringes to rectrices (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Bare parts: bill  yellowish horn, iris grey, legs grey (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Immature undescribed. Sympatric T. melanonotus has dark brown to charcoal-grey back and bright red sides of tail, while Pionopsitta pileata is larger and male has obvious red on forehead; Forpus xanthopterygius is smaller and male shows violet-blue on wings and rump, but above all is far commoner and frequents open country, rather than closed forest; Brotogeris tirica has longer pointed tail and blue in flight feathers.

Coastal NE & E Brazil (Ceará; Pernambuco to Alagoas; Bahia to São Paulo).

Lowland evergreen and sand-plain forest, including secondary forest and cacao plantations (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ), as well as adjacent lower montane forest, reaching to 900 m.

Some local or seasonal displacements have been reported: in Rio de Janeiro state, appears at Cabo Frio, Jun–Sept, and at Majé, Mar; in Ilha Bela State Park, only in “summer”.

Very poorly known. Principally fruits  , including unripe fruits of Spondias lutea and ripe fruits of Rapanea schwackeana recorded, also those of a myrtaceous tree and an unidentified Lauraceae (2 Pimentel, L., and F. Olmos (2011). The birds of Reserva Ecológica Guapiaçu (REGUA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Cotinga 33:6–22. Close ). Generally recorded in small flocks, mainly of 6–12 birds (which are suspected to be family parties) (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

Poorly described in literature. Like T. melanonotus, calls most frequently in flight, but compared to latter species the voice is usually considered to be more falsetto, less liquid-sounding, e.g. “kree-kree-kree-kruh  ” or more shrieking “externallink ”. Also a rapid rattling “wi-chi-chi-chi-chi”.

Very few data. Presumed to commence in Sept–Oct at start of rains, like most E Brazil endemics, although a female collected in the first-named month was not in breeding condition (1 Juniper, T., and M. Parr (1998). Parrots: A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Has been observed nesting  in arboreal termitaria  , a pair  building in Dec in Bahia, and another pair at nest (stage unknown) in late Nov in Paraíba.

VULNERABLE. CITES II. Population most recently estimated by BirdLife International at 2500-9999 mature individuals within an overall range of 32,200 km². Generally rare (albeit easily overlooked like congenerics) and likely to have suffered a major and continuing decline with steady clearance of final vestiges of lowland forest outside of protected areas. Recent surveys have proven it to be one of commonest parrot in Atlantic Forest of Alagoas (which has been reduced to < 2% of its former extent), being present at five of 15 sites surveyed, as well as at Murici Ecological Station. Only comparatively recently rediscovered in Pernambuco, where had not been seen for > 40 years (3 Roda, S .A., C. J. Carlos, and R. C. Rodrigues (2003) New and noteworthy records for some endemic and threatened birds of the Atlantic forest of north-eastern Brazil. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 123: 227-236. Close ). Present at 16 of 31 surveyed areas in S Bahia, including private reserves Ecoparque de Una and Estação Veracruz (formerly CVRD Porto Seguro reserve), Una Biological Reserve, and Descobrimento, Pau Brasil and Monte Pascoal National Parks. Recorded from Pedra Talhada Biological Reserves (Alagoas), Córrego Grande, Sooretama and Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserves (Espírito Santo), Desengano State Park, Guapiaçu Ecological Reserve (2 Pimentel, L., and F. Olmos (2011). The birds of Reserva Ecológica Guapiaçu (REGUA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Cotinga 33:6–22. Close ) and Itatiaia National Park (Rio de Janeiro), Boracéia Biological Station, Intervales, Ilha Bela, Jacupiranga and Ilha do Cardoso State Parks (São Paulo). Extensive deforestation throughout species’ range is regarded as principal cause of its rarity, with NE population the most threatened because sugarcane has replaced virtually all lowland forest in Alagoas, leaving just 2% of original forest cover in severely fragmented blocks, averaging 1.5 km² or less. Further S, in Bahia < 10% of forest is intact, and elsewhere suitable habitat has been reduced to < 20% of its original extent. While lowland forests were historically threatened by agricultural conversion and deforestation for mining and plantations, but current key threats arise from urbanization, agricultural expansion, colonization and associated road-building. Trade appears to be very light.