Black-hooded Parakeet

Overview

Black-hooded Parakeet: Medium parakeet, green overall, black head, chin, yellow eye-ring. Blue wash on throat and breast, deep blue outer webs on flight feathers and tips of tail feathers. Flight, tail feathers are gray underneath. Cheeks and underwing linings are pale yellow-green. Rump is yellow.

Range and Habitat

Black-hooded Parakeet: Native of southeastern Bolivia, southern Mato Grosso, Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina in the provinces of Formosa, Chaco, and occasionally Santa Fe; introduced to California, Florida, Hawaii, Texas, New York, and Puerto Rico. Preferred habitats include savannahs, palm forests, deciduous canyons, and agricultural areas.

INTERESTING FACTS

A prehistoric relative, Nandayus vorohuensis, was described from Late Pliocene fossils found in Argentina.
Fearing the birds may escape and become feral agricultural pests, the state of Tennessee bans the keeping of Black-hooded as well as Monk Parakeets.
The Black-hooded Parakeet is also known as the Nanday Parakeet or Nanday Conure. They are probably the next exotic species that will become widely established in Florida.
A group of parakeets is collectively known as a "chatter" and a "flock" of parakeets.

The Black-hooded Parakeet, though mostly green, is considered a pest in areas where wild forms of the species frequent open pastures and stockyards. Their native land is South America, including southeastern Bolivia, southwest Brazil, central Paraguay and northern Argentina. They feed on seeds, fruit, palm nuts, berries, flowers and plant buds. Some colonies have been released in certain areas of California and Florida, and are self-sustaining. They craft their nesting area in holes of trees, and frequent wooded areas for this purpose. An intelligent species, the Black-hooded Parakeet is also a popular pet when well-taken care of. Currently, its conservation status is Least Concern.