Grey-cheeked Parakeet

The Grey-cheeked Parakeet is a small, mostly green parrot restricted to the dry Tumbesian forests of southwestern Ecuador and adjacent northwestern Peru. It belongs to the genus Brotogeris, a group of small, fast-flying Neotropical parakeets.

It is bright green overall with a pale grayish wash across the face and throat that gives the species its name. In flight, orange patches on the underwing coverts and bend of the wing become visible, contrasting with the otherwise green plumage.

Plumage

• Body bright green
• Face and throat washed pale gray
• Underwing coverts and wing-bend orange
• Short, pointed tail typical of Brotogeris parakeets

Key field marks

• Small, compact green parakeet with a grayish face
• Orange patch at the bend of the wing and on underwing coverts, most visible in flight
• Fast, direct flight with rapid wingbeats, often in noisy small flocks

Similar species

Other Brotogeris parakeets, such as the Orange-chinned Parakeet, lack the gray facial wash and have a different underwing pattern; the Grey-cheeked Parakeet's restricted dry-forest range in the Tumbesian region also helps confirm identification, as few other small green parakeets overlap there.

Range

The Grey-cheeked Parakeet is endemic to the Tumbesian dry forest region, found only in southwestern Ecuador and immediately adjacent northwestern Peru.

Habitat

It inhabits deciduous dry forest, scrub, and semi-arid woodland, including degraded and secondary growth areas, often near remaining patches of taller forest. Much of its habitat has been cleared for agriculture, contributing to its threatened status. It is largely sedentary within its limited range.

Behavior

Grey-cheeked Parakeets are social, usually encountered in small, fast-moving, vocal flocks that forage together in fruiting or flowering trees.

Voice

Calls are sharp, high-pitched chattering notes given frequently in flight, typical of small Brotogeris parakeets.

Feeding

They feed on fruit, seeds, and blossoms gathered in the forest canopy, moving between feeding sites in flocks.

Nesting

They nest in cavities, sometimes in old woodpecker holes or in arboreal termite mounds, laying small clutches typical of the genus.