Under Threat – The Green-Cheeked Parrot

Written by Lex Basu
Updated: September 27, 2022
Share on:

Advertisement


The Green-Cheeked Parrot (also known as the Green-Cheeked Parakeet and the Green-Cheeked Conure) is a small species of long-tailed parrot that is found inhabiting the jungles of South America. They are strikingly coloured birds with green cheeks and body, a dark head, white rings around their eyes, blue wings and an extraordinary maroon tail that is long and straight.

A Green-Cheeked Parrot perched on a small tree branch with foliage in the background.

The Green-Cheeked Parrot has a green body and cheeks, a dark head, white rings around their eyes, blue wings, and a long, straight maroon tail.

©Jordan Tan/Shutterstock.com

Natively found in the forests of Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina, the Green-Cheeked Parrot is an incredibly sociable bird that inhabits it’s woodland home in a flock that usually contains between 10 and 20 members. However, unlike numerous other South American tropical birds, the Green-Cheeked Parrot rarely participates in mixed species feeding, tending to remain with their flock instead.

A tagged Green-Cheeked Parrot perched on a small tree branch with tropical foliage in the background.

Green-Cheeked Parrots are sociable birds that inhabit woodlands in flocks consisting of up to 20 members.

©boyphare/Shutterstock.com

Although not actually considered as an endangered animal by the IUCN (the Green-Cheeked Parrot is in fact listed as being of Least Concern), this species has seen drastic declines in their wild population numbers due to both loss of their natural habitat from deforestation, and also the high demand for these beautiful birds as exotic pets, mainly from the USA.

Although the capture and sale of the Green-Cheeked Parrot is now prohibited, the trade still continues with populations in certain areas almost having completely disappeared. The majority of these birds today found in homes in North America however, are generally thought to have come from captive individuals.

Due to the incredibly sociable nature of these plucky little parrots, the demand for them as pets increased dramatically and with the added novelty that (along with a number of other parrot species) the Green-Cheeked Parrot is able to effectively mimic both Human sounds and other noises that occur in day to day life. Both their population numbers and their habitat range are shrinking fast.

A tagged Green-Cheeked Parrot perched on a tree branch with trees in the background.

Due to their sociable nature and their ability to mimic human sounds and other day-to-day noises, the demand to keep Green-Cheeked Parrots as pets has increased.

©Tracy Starr/Shutterstock.com

Up Next…

The photo featured at the top of this post is © boyphare/Shutterstock.com


Share on:
About the Author

Lex is a green-living, tree-hugging, animal-lover, who at one time was the mother to twenty one felines and one doggo. Now she helps pet owners around the globe be the best caretakers for their most trusting companions by sharing her experience and spreading love.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.

Sources
  1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife
  2. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals
  3. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia
  4. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species
  5. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals
  6. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals