Grey-breasted parakeet

Grey-breasted parakeet
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Superfamily: Psittacoidea
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Arinae
Tribe: Arini
Genus: Pyrrhura
Species: P. griseipectus
Binomial name
Pyrrhura griseipectus
Salvadori, 1900
Synonyms
  • Pyrrhura leucotis griseipectus
  • Pyrrhura anaca

The grey-breasted parakeet (Pyrrhura griseipectus) is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is endemic to Ceará in north-eastern Brazil and restricted to a few mountains with relatively humid forest and woodland in a region otherwise dominated by arid Caatinga.

Until recently, it was considered a subspecies of the white-eared parakeet, as Pyrrhura leucotis griseipectus. The split was based on their widely disjunct distributions, differences in measurement of bill, and subtle differences in colour of crown, ear-coverts and chest. A recent study based on mtDNA has failed to confirm the status of the grey-breasted parakeet as a species distinct from the white-eared parakeet, while confirming the species status of Pfrimer's parakeet.

This parrot is classified as critically endangered by BirdLife International. It has an extremely small population and occupies a very small known range. The population is estimated to be less than 250 adult birds.

References


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/8/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.