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Red-fronted Parrotlet

 (Touit costaricensis)

Also known as: Red-winged Parrotlet, Costa Rican Parrotlet

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Did You Know?

The Touit genus of parrotlets nests in arboreal termitaria, or termite nests in trees.

Academic Research

Related publications: Touit costaricensis

Species Profile

Genus: Touit | Species: costaricensis

Size:

17cm (6.6 in)

Weight:

65g (2.3 oz)

Subspecies including nominate:

one

Colour Adult:

Male-mainly green in colour; red forehead, crown, lores and band below eye; blue line below red line under eye; green/yellow chin and throat; red bend of wing, lesser, outer median and inner primary coverts; red forewing; yellow underwing coverts; black central tail feathers with green towards bases; lateral tail feathers green/yellow tipped with black. Bill olive/yellow with grey at base. Eye ring bare and grey. Eye brown/yellow. Female-red on lesser and outer median wing coverts minimal or absent; black inner primary coverts.

Colour Juvenile:

As in adult female but with red forecrown mixed with green.

Call:

Calls are like those of the Blue-fronted Parrotlet T. dillectissima: in flight a soft, high-pitched series of notes repeated several times between pauses. When taking flight calls more loudly.

More Information:

Avibase

Content Sources:

Click photo to visit gallery

If you have a photo of this species you would like to contribute, please email us at mailto:[email protected]

Did You Know?

The Touit genus of parrotlets nests in arboreal termitaria, or termite nests in trees.

Academic Research

Related publications: Touit costaricensis

Species Care

Captive Status:

Not seen in captivity.

Longevity:

Not recorded.

Housing:

Not recorded.

Diet:

Not recorded.

Enrichment:

Not recorded.

Nest Box Size:

Not recorded.

Clutch Size:

2-3

Incubation Time:

Not recorded.

Fledging Age:

Not recorded.

Hatch Weight:

Not recorded.

Peak Weight:

Not recorded.

Weaning Weight:

Not recorded.

Click photo to visit gallery

If you have a photo of this species you would like to contribute, please email us at mailto:[email protected]

Did You Know?

The Touit genus of parrotlets nests in arboreal termitaria, or termite nests in trees.

Academic Research

Related publications: Touit costaricensis

Species Wild Status

World Population:

4500-18,000, decreasing.

IUCN Red List Status:

Near Threatened

CITES Listing:

Appendix II

Threat Summary:

A BirdLife “restricted-range” species. Found in Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Costa Rica. Uncommon to rare, although may be overlooked in general. Apparently not traded. The species appears to be able to tolerate some habitat degradation, therefore, population declines caused by this is likely to be low.

Range:

Costa Rica, south from Caribbean slope of Cordillera Central at Puerto Limon and Volcan Turrialba and W Panama, in Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, and W Cocle.

Habitat:

Found from 500-1000m (1640-3280 ft), seasonally up to 3000m (9840 ft) in cool, wet forest, forest edge and occasionally over clearings.

Wild Diet:

Feeds on fruits from trees and epiphytes, including melastomes, and ericads like Cavendishia and Clusia.

Ecology and Behaviour:

Seen generally in pairs or small family flocks. Keeps to middle and upper storeys of canopy. Roosts communally in larger groups, then flies to feeding areas at dawn. Wary and difficult to approach.

Clutch and Egg Size:

2-3 eggs

Breeding Season:

Probably breeds during the dry season.

Related Links:

Wikipedia

Click photo to visit gallery

If you have a photo of this species you would like to contribute, please email us at mailto:[email protected]

Did You Know?

The Touit genus of parrotlets nests in arboreal termitaria, or termite nests in trees.

Academic Research

Related publications: Touit costaricensis

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