Pionus - Red-backed Parrots
Class: Aves ... Order: Psittaciformes ... Family: Psittacidae ... Subfamily: Psittacinae ... Genus: Scientific: Pionus ... English: Red-backed Parrot ... Dutch:Roodstuitpapegaaien ... German: Rotsteißpapageien ... French: Perroquets à croupion rouge ... CITES II: Endangered Species
The Pionus is native to Central and South America.
The most commonly available in the pet trade are:
- Blue-headed Parrot,
- Maximilian's Parrot,
- White-capped Parrot, Dusky Parrot, and
- Bronze-winged Parrot..
- For a more in-depth list, please click here.
Description:
Pionus is a medium-sized parrot with a chunky body, bare eye ring, (which can vary in color) and a short tail. They are similar to Amazon parrots, but smaller. Coloration is generally subdued yet complex; under bright lighting, their feathers shimmer with iridescent brilliance. All species share a bright red patch of feathers under the tail; the scientific name of one species, the Blue-headed Pionus, (P. menstruus), refers to this.
Males and females are similar, and surgical or DNA (blood) sexing is recommendef for all Pionus species if gender needs to be confirmed for breeding purposes. (Source: Wikipedia.org)
Personality:
Contributing author: CTE Partridge
Pionus parrots are not known to be cuddly birds and can be described as reserved. Once they are bonded, however, they like to be preened (their heads and necks scratched). They are not particularly playful, and do not enjoy being wrestled with or flipped on their backs, but they do provide noninvasive companionship and are fascinating companion animals. When excited or frightened, birds of this genus may make a characteristic wheezing or snorting sound that is sometimes mistaken for a sign of distress. Others freeze when scared. They also have a musky or sweet odor that some people find unpleasant, but others enjoy.
They are not the best talkers -- in fact some pionuses may never learn to talk. The clarity of Pionus "speech" ranges from rather clear to words only a mother could understand. This varies greatly with individuals. Most Pionus do love to learn new and interesting sounds. . (Image: Blue-headed Pionus on Wingdow Seat - Enjoying the View)
The Pionus as Pet
Pionus parrots are regarded as excellent pets, although some species are very rare in captivity. Most commonly kept species are the Blue-headed, Maximillian (Scaly-headed) and White-Capped. Others, such as the Dusky and the Bronze-winged have become more common due to captive breeding.
Pionus parrots are known for their quiet (compared to many other parrots) and reserved natures. Unlike some other companion parrots, aviculturists have noted that they are not particularly energetic, and do not generally enjoy hands-on play (for example, being flipped on their backs), but they do provide companionship and are described as gentle and charming pets.
When excited or frightened, birds of this genus emit a characteristic wheezing or snorting sound that is sometimes mistaken for a sign of distress, or a symptom of disease. They also give off a musky or sweet odor that some caretakers find unpleasant, but others enjoy.
Pionus parrots are susceptible to obesity, vitamin A deficiency, and aspergillosis in captivity. These conditions, with the exception of aspergillosis, are easily prevented. (Source: Wikipedia.org)
Biting: The pionus parrots are not known to be biters, but they can break your skin if they are scared or startled; or simply don't want to be handled for some reason (maybe not bonded). The experienced parrot owner will be able to read their parrot's body language to know when he or she does not want to be handled. This all being said, their bites are generally not nearly as fierce as the bites of other birds and, therefore, they do make a good choice for anyone who is intiimidated by parrot beaks.
Attention: The Pionus demand less time than the larger parrots. They can be left alone during the daytime as long as they get a little attention in the morning. In the evening full attention should be given to them, for at least one to two hours, but preferably more. Like other parrots, the Pionus should be allowed to get out of its cage and enjoy out-of-cage activities. If your parrot spends a lot of time confined, please provide a large cage, lots of toys and environmental enhancements, such as leaving the TV or radio on for entertainment.
Longevity: "You & Your Pet Bird" by David Alderton states that Pionus live an average of 25 years. Pionus can live to be over 40 and often they live only 3 or 10 years due to accidents and poor nutrition.
Sub-species:
Columbian Sordid Parrot: Species: Scientific: Pionus sordidus saturatus ... English: Columbian Sordid Parrot ... Dutch: Sierra Nevada Roodsnavelpapegaai ... German: Santa-Marta Korallenschnabelpapagei ... French: Perroquet sordide Magadalena 
Description: as sordidus, but generally darker green; back feathers without olive-brown markings; breast and abdomen virtually uniformly green, without bluish-pink edging. Length: 28 cm (11 ins), wing length 7 - 7.5 ins CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Santa Marta Mountains in northern Columbia. Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 3 - click on link toview photo)
Coral-billed Pionus aka Coral-billed Parrot aka Red-billed Pionus: Species: Scientific: Pionus sordidus corallinus ... English: Coral-billed Parrot, Red-billed Parrot ... Dutch: Koraalsnavelpapegaai ... German: Korallenschnabelpapagei ... French: Perroquet à bec rouge Description: As sordidus, but general plumage without pale edging; head feathers edged with blue; back feathers with grey tinge and dirty blue tips; band to breast violet-blue; upper wing-coverts with dark edging; bigger. Length: 30 cm (12 ins), wing length 187 - 206 mm (7.5 - 8 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Eastern Andes in Colombia, eastern Ecuador, Peru, northern Bolivia Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 5 - click on link to view photo.)
Ecuadorian Sordid Parrots: Species: Scientific: Pionus sordidus mindoensis ... English: Ecuadorian Sordid Parrot ... Dutch: Ecuadoriaanse Roodsnavelpapegaai ... German: Ekuador Korallenschnabelpapagei ... French: Perroquet sordide Chapman Description: Head dull slate-blue; lores area red; ear-coverts black, edged around with whitish feathers; chin feathers edged with dull pink; back and wings dark brown, each feather with pale edging; breast and abdomen brown with dull pink or bluish edging; under wing-coverts violet-blue; tail dark blue, outer feathers with red base; bill blackish, horn-colured on sides; skin to periophthalmic ring grey; iris brown; feet grey. Immatures with greenish-blue head; iris dark. Length: 26 cm (10 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Mountains of western Ecuador Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 6 - click on link to view photo)
Grey-headed Pionus: Species: Scientific: Pionus tumultuosus seniloides aka Pionus seniloides... English: Grey-headed Parrot ... Dutch: Grijskoppapegaai ... German: Greisenkopfpapagei ... French: Perroquet Macena CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: mountains of north-western Venezuela, Central Andes of Colombia, south through western Ecuador, north-western Peru.
Lesser Bronze Winged Parrot aka Lesser Bronze Winged Pionus: Species: Scientific: Pionus chalcopterus cyanescens ... English: Lesser Bronze-winged Parrot ... Dutch: Kleine Bronsvleugelpapegaai ... German: Ekuador Glanzflügelpapagei ... French: Perroquet aux ailes brune Meyer de Schauensee Description: As chalcopterus, but with more bluish edging to breast and abdomen; smaller. Length: 27 cm (10.5 ins)(wing 180 - 190 mm or 7.1 - 7.5 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: North-western Peru, western Ecuador, south-western Colombia Related Web Resources: CentralPets.com ... Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo)
Maximilian's aka Scaly-headed Pionus or Scaly Headed Parrot, Scaly Face Pionus
Paler Blue Headed Parrot / Pionus: Species: Scientific: Pionus menstruus rubrigularis ... English: Paler Blue-headed Parrot ... Dutch: Bleke Zwartoorpapegaai ... German: Blasser Schwarzohrpapagei ... French: Perroquet à tête bleu Cabansis Description: As menstruus, but with much duller blue to head; red to throat more mfarked; green generally darker. Length: 27 cm (10.5 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Southern Costa Rica, Panama, western Colombia, western Ecuador Related Web Resources: CentralPets.com ... Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo)
Paler Red-billed Parrot: Species: Scientific: Pionus sordidus antelius ... English: Paler Red-billed Parrot ... Dutch: Bleke Roodsnavelpapegaai ... German: Blasser Dunenkopfpapagei ... French: Perroquet sordide Anzoategui Description: as sordidus, but with much paler plumage; breast without bluish-pink tinge; abdomen olive-yellow, all feathers with pale yellowish edging; smaller. Length: 26 cm (10 ins), wing length 155 - 168 mm (6 - 6.5 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Mountains of north-eastern Venezuela Paler Red-billed Parrot Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo)
Perijá Red-billed Parrot: Species: Scientific: Pionus sordidus ponsi ... English: Perijá Red-billed Parrot ... Dutch: Ponsi Roodsnavelpapegaai ... German: Perijá Korallenschnabelpapagei ... French: Perroquet sordide Zulia Description: as sordidus, but generally darker green; back feathers without olive-brown markings; breast and abdomen almost totally green without bluish-pink edging; lesser wing-coverts and upper tail-coverts less yellowish-green; abdomen and flanks olive-green. Length: 28 cm (11 ins), wing length 180 - 188 mm (7 - 7.5 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Sierra de Perijá, mountain chain forming border between northwest Venezuela and northern Columbia. Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 4 - click on link to view photo)
Plum-crowned Pionus (Tumultuosus): Species: Scientific: Pionus tumultuosus tumultuosus ... English: Plum-crowned Parrot, Restless-, Tschudi's Parrot ... Dutch: Pruimekoppapegaai, Rozekoppapegaai ... German: Rosenkopfpapagei, Purperstirnpapagei ... French: Perroquet de Tschudi Description: General plumage green; abdomen and sides of body yellowish-green; forehead, lores and sides of head wine-red, all feathers whitish at the base; crown and back of head dark red; nape, side of neck, ear-coverts and breast purple-red becoming brownish grey-blue on breast; under tail-coverts red with yellowish-green edging to the tips; primary-coverts and flight-feathers green; under wing-coverts and underside of flight-feathers dull green; middle tail-feathers green, outer tail-feathers with dull violet-blue tips and red base; bill olive-yellow; periophthalmic ring grey; iris brown; feet grey. Immatures with green nape and back of crown, chin, cheeks and breast green; under tail-coverts yellowish-green with pink edging; iris dark. Length: 29 cm (11.5 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: From La Paz and Cochabamba in northern Bolivia northeast to eastern Cajamarca and southwest Amazonas, northwest Peru. Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots... Pionus Tumultuosus Pionus tumultuosus (Tschudi 1844)
Red-billed Parrots: Species: Scientific: Pionus sordidus sordidus ... English: Red-billed Parrot, Sordid-, Coral-billed Parrot ... Dutch: Roodsnavelpapegaai, Olijfbruine Papegaai ... German: Dunenkopfpapagei ... French: Perroquet sordide Description: Generally olive-green; head olive-green; feathers to crown and back of head broadly edged with dark-blue; cheeks olive with blue tips; blue band across throat and upper breast; breast and abdomen dull olive, each feather with duller edging tinged bluish-pink; under tail-coverts red; back dull olive-green, each feather with olive-brown marking; middle tail-feathers green, outers blue with red at base; bill red with paler base; periophthalmic ring grey; iris dark brown; feet grey. Most immatures have reddish; head pale green; under tail-coverts yellowish-green with a few red feathers. Length: 28 cm (11 ins), wing length 175 - 185 mm (6.75 - 7.25 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Venezuela in Lara and Falcón Provinces. Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots
Reichenow's Blue-Headed Parrot: Species: Scientific: Pionus menstruus reichenowi ... English: Reichenow's Blue-headed Parrot ... Dutch: Reichenows Zwartoorpapegaai ... German: Reichenows Schwarzohrpapagei ... French: Perroquet à tête bleu Espirito Santo Description: As menstruus, but generally with deeper blue coloration; all green feathers marked with blue so this sub-species looks like blue version of nominate species; bill horn-colored without reddish tinge. Length: 26 cm (10 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Coastral north-eastern Brazil Related Web Resources: CentralPets.com ... Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 3 - click on link to view photo.)
Ribeiro's Scaly-headed Parrots: Species: Scientific: Pionus maximiliani melanoblepharus ... English: Ribeiro's Scaly-headed Parrot ... Dutch: Ribeiro Maximiliaan Papegaai ... German: Misiones Maximilianpapagei ... French: Perroquet de Maximiliani Ribeiro Description: As maximiliani, but with much darker green on lower breast, abdomen and back; breast band slightly darker, larger. Length: 31 cm (12 ins), wing length 182 - 205 mm (7 - 8 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Central Brazil, south-eastern Paraguay, north-eastern Argentina Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 2 - click on link to view photo.)
Scaly-headed Pionus or Scaly Headed Parrot, Scaly Face Pionus
Siy Parrots: Species: Scientific: Pionus maximiliani siy ... English: Siy Parrot ... Dutch: Boliviaanse Maximiliaan Papegaai ... German: Bolivien Maximilianpapagei ... French: Perroquet de Maximiliani Mato Grosso Description: As maximiliani, but lower breast, abdomen, back and flight feathers with strong bronze-colored tinge; breast band with slight reddish-violet tinge; somewhat larger. Length: 30 cm (12 ins), wing length 170 - 200 mm (7 - 8 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Mato Grosso, Brazil, central and eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 3 - click on link to view photo.)
Tucumán Parrots: Species: Scientific: Pionus maximiliani lacerus ... English: Tucumán Parrot ... Dutch: Tucumán Maximiliaan Papegaai ... German: Tucumán Maximilianpapagei ... French: Perroquet de Maximiliani Heine Description: As siy, but fainter bronze-colored tinge; breast band more blue and extensive, but generally retaining reddish-violet tinge; larger. Length: 31 cm (12 ins), wing length 193 - 210 mm (7.5 - 8 ins) CITES II - Endangered Species Distribution: Provinces of Tucumán and Salta, northwest Argentina. Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots (Please scroll down to no. 4 - click on link to view photo.)
White-capped Pionus aka White Crowned Pionus, White Cap
White-headed Pionus aka White-headed Parrot: Species: Scientific: Pionus seniloides ... English: White-headed Parrot ... German: Greisenkopfpapagei Description: General plumage green; forehead and crown whitish-grey with salmon-colored edging; back of head, nape and side of neck greyish-blue with white base and violet-black edging; ear-coverts dark grey with whitish-pink centre; cheeks and chin whitish with broad brownish-grey edging; pink band across throat merging with brownish grey-blue of breast; abdomen greyish brown-green with each feather edged rust color; under tail-coverts red; primary-coverts and wings green; under wing-coverts and underside of flight-feathers dull green; middle tail-feathers green, outer tail-feathers with dull reddish-blue tips and red base; bill pale horn-color; periophthalmic ring grey; iris brown; feet grey. Immatures with green edging to head feathers; chin, breast and abdomen green; red under tail-coverts with green edging; iris dark. Length: 30 cm (12 ins) Distribution: From Tachira in temperate zone, western Venezuela in southwesterly direction across Colombian Andes and western Ecuador to northwest Peru. Related Web Resources: Lexicon of Parrots ... Pionus Seniloides
To learn more about the different species and about their pet potential, check out the following websites: Winged Wisdom: The Perfect Pionus ... Exotic Tropicals ... The Genus Pionus ... Guide for Keeping & Breeding Pionus ... Mary's Pionus Page ... Les' Pionus Page ... Avalon Aviary (A breeder in Colorado -- I bought a delightful mini-macaw from them -- it was a very good experience. She was healthy, well cared for and was well socialized. She was shipped with well organized papers.)
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