Order
Psittaciformes
Family
Psittacidae
Genus
Psittacara
 
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Version 1.0

This is a historic version of this account.  Current version

SPECIES

Cuban Parakeet Psittacara euops

Maikel Cañizares Morera and Eduardo E. Iñigo-Elias
Version: 1.0 — Published August 23, 2014

Appearance

Distinguishing Characteristics

Cuban Parakeet has highly lustrous yellow green plumage, less intense in the underparts. There are small, scattered spots of red on the head, neck, and less abundantly, on the breast. These spots generally appear after the first year and can be very abundant in individuals of some populations of eastern Cuba and on older individuals. The undersides of the tail and wing feathers are dirty yellow. The underwing coverts are bright red, which also shows as a red mark along the leading edge of the wing. The area around the eye is completely bare with light pink to reddish white exposed skin. The bill also is light pink.

Similar Species

There are no similar species within the range of Cuban Parakeet, in the Cuban Archipelago.

Detailed Description

Adult male: Upperparts highly lustrous yellow green plumage; underparts similar but less intense. Small, scattered red spots on the head, neck, and less abundantly, on the breast. These spots usually appear after the first year of age and may be more abundant in older individuals and in some populations of eastern Cuba (Cañizares personal observations). The undersides of the tail and wings feathers are pale green to olive, with red underwing coverts, and a bright red patch along the leading edge of the wing (Orbigny 1839, Ridgway 1916, Forshaw 1989). Adults from the population at the karst area in the Guamuhaya region in the central part of the island of Cuba have dark brown to black feathers on the face and neck (Cañizares personal observations, see image).

Adult female: Similar to male, but with fewer red or orange marks on the head, neck and breast.

Immature: Young birds do not have the red spot on the covert feathers in the neck and face areas. The red spots in neck and head appear after the first year.

Molts

Molting in adult birds is initiated immediately after breeding (August to December) (Cañizares personal observations).

Bare Parts

Iris: light yellow

Bill: ivory white to light pink

Toes: pink to ivory

Periophthalmic ring: naked without feathers and ivory white skin to clear. In juveniles may be pinkish.

Measurements

Total length: One individual 260 mm, sex and age unstated (Orbigny 1839, Forshaw 2006). Male range 280 - 292 mm, n = 2; and female range 273 - 290, n = 2 (Gundlach 1876). Male mean 253 mm (range 237 - 264 mm, n = 10) and female mean 247 mm (range 220 - 265 mm, n = 10) (Ridgway 1916). The total length on fresh specimens is reported on the labels of two male and two female specimens oat the American Museum of Natural History ornithological collection are: 275 - 276 mm and 280 - 284 mm respectively (specimens reviewed by Iñigo-Elias).

Linear measurements (Ridgway 1916):

male (n = 10)

wing length, mean 142.4 mm (range 139 - 145 mm)

tarsus length, mean 14.5 mm (range 14 - 15 mm)

tail length (central rectrices), mean 133.7 mm (range 126 - 139.5 mm)

bill length (exposed culmen), mean 19.9 mm (range 19 - 20 mm)

female (n = 10)

wing length, mean 139.9 mm (range 134.5 - 143.5 mm)

tarsus length, mean 14.2 mm (range 13.5 - 15 mm)

tail length (central rectrices), mean 127.3 mm (range 118 - 141.5 mm)

bill length (exposed culmen), mean 18.6 mm (range 17.5 - 19.5 mm)

Linear measurements (Cañizares, unpublished data from unsexed live specimens, measured and release at Delta del Cauto and Banao regions in central Cuba, n = 13):

wing length: mean 136.84 ± 4.16 mm (range 130 - 143 mm)

tail length: mean 123.23 ± 7.37 mm (range 102 - 133 mm)

bill length (exposed culmen): mean 19.28 ± 0.44 mm (range 18.52 - 19.92 mm)

Mass: 90 g (sex, age nor sample sizes not stated; Forshaw 2006).

mean 86.69 ± 5.26 g (range 78 - 96 g) (Cañizares, unpublished data from unsexed live specimens, measured and release at Delta Cauto and Banao regions in central Cuba, n = 13).

Recommended Citation

Cañizares Morera, M. and E. E. Iñigo-Elias (2014). Cuban Parakeet (Psittacara euops), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.cubpar2.01