Blue-bellied Parrot


blue bellied bird
 The Blue-bellied bird is the sole member of the genus Triclaria and is confined to the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil, where it is an uncommon and comparatively rarely observed species.
 Most modern-day records are from the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and the Rio Grande do Sul, which is undoubtedly the species’ stronghold.
At present, the Blue-bellied Parrot is considered to be Near Threatened by BirdLife International. The Blue-bellied bird is a mid-sized, bright green parrot, in which the male has a large blue belly patch, a rounded tail, and a rather large, horn-colored bill.
Females are generally paler. In-flight, the species makes semi-whistled calls more reminiscent of some parakeets than a large parrot.The Blue-bellied Parrot inhabits lower montane and escarpment forests up to 1,000 m but ranges to lowland forests in the non-breeding season. The Blue-bellied bird has a somewhat varied diet, including palmito palm fruits and occasionally even maize.

Blue-bellied Parrot 28 cm; 110–155 g. Green throughout, except for deep blue patch from lower breast to the abdomen, bluish-green in flight-  and tail -feathers, and whitish bill and periocular region.

blue bellied roller bird

Blue-bellied Parrot

Female lacks blue on the belly. Immature like a female, though male shows some blue on the belly.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

SE Brazil from Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul; old records from Bahia, and two unconfirmed reports from NE Argentina (Misiones).

Habitat

Lower montane and escarpment humid broadleaf Atlantic forest, 300–1000 m, usually being found in the canopy of tall, bromeliad-rich forest along watercourses in valleys, but entering lowland forest and sometimes plantations, orchards, and even suburban woodlands.

Movement

Downslope displacements were reported to occur in winter, but are now known to be year-round residents.

Blue-bellied birds are able to disperse among habitat patches using narrow forest corridors such as strips of second-growth woodland.

Diet and Foraging

In the Rio Grande do Sul, seeds, and pulp of many native plants, notably from Euphorbiaceae, such as Pachys­troma longifoliumActinostemon concolor, and Sebastiana brasiliensis, and, in the understorey, Myrtaceae, mainly Eugenia rostrifolia and Campomanesia xanthocarpa, plus cultivated maize.

blue bellied parrot food

Blue-bellied Parrot

Elsewhere fruits, including epiphytic cacti, seeds of Psidium, araucaria nuts, flowers of Aechmea ornata, nectar, buds, and perhaps insects, birds also venturing into orchards to take oranges and jabuticaba fruit or seeds.

Captive birds were also seen to take bark, leaves, algae growing on wood. Reported penchant for fruits of the palm Euterpe edulis now known to be untrue.

SOURCE: Marco Cruz

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

A variety of rather un parrot-like burry whistles, some rather like the song of thrush (Turdus). Other individuals sometimes respond with a short “chin-chin”.

Also a fast, harsh chattering “che-che-che-che-che”, especially on take-off. Flight call a thin, rather high-pitched “chee .. chee”.

Breeding

Aug–Feb. Nest in a natural hollow in an old large tree, often a palm trunk, often relatively low down (3–5 m in three cases); birds strongly territorial, and nests may be as much as 2 km apart.

SOURCE: Jan Dolphijn

In captivity: 2–4 eggs; incubation timed at 28 days; nestling period unknown, but dependence on parents continuing for three weeks after fledging.

Conservation Status

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened, and previously Endangered. CITES II. “restricted-range” species.

Blue-bellied Parrot

Generally uncommon, apparently being both patchily distributed and at low densities within patches; however, also highly unobtrusive unless the distinctive voice is known, so status is hard to establish.

Judged rare in Paraná, but with a maximum of 10,000 individuals in CE Rio Grande do Sul. Suffering from general habitat clearance in many areas, plus hunting for food (notably in winter when in more populated areas), compounded by a moderate amount of trade.

In Brazil recorded from Sooretama, Augusto Ruschi and Duas Bocas Biological Reserves (Espírito Santo), Desengano State Park and Serra do Tinguá Biological Reserve (Rio de Janeiro), Serra da Bocaína National Park, Boracéia Biological Station, Intervales State Park , and Carlos Botelho,

Alto Ribeira, Juréia, Jacupiranga and Ilha do Cardoso State Parks (São Paulo), and Aparados da Serra National Park (Rio Grande do Sul); in Argentina, has been recorded in Iguazú National Park and Urugua-í Natural Reserve.

The main strongholds are Intervales and Botelho, plus the escarpment forests of Rio Grande do Sul, where protected areas, sustainable forest management programs, and education initiatives are urgently needed.


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Amanda