124 



BIRDS OF AMERICA 



THICK-BILLED PARROT 

 Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha {Szvainson) 



A. O. U. Number 38J.1 



General Description. — Length, 16 inches. Color, 

 green with red on head, bend of wing, and thigh. 



Color. — Forehead, front of crown, space over eye, 

 and front lesser wing-coverts, deep poppy red or dull 

 carmine; lower portion of thighs, light poppy red; a 

 spot of dark reddish-brown or blackish-brown imme- 

 diately in front of bare eye space, this dark color 

 extending, narrowly, along the upper margin of the 

 naked eye space ; under primary coverts, clear chrome- 

 yellow, forming a conspicuous patch on under side of 

 wing; under surface of wing-feathers and tail-feathers, 

 plain brownish-slate color, tinged with olive in cer- 



tain lights ; rest of plumage, yellowish parrot green or 

 bright oil green, brighter on sides of head, slightly 

 lighter (sometimes duller) on under parts, bend of 

 wing sometimes (in older individuals?) partly red; 

 bill, dull black; iris, brownish-red; legs and feet, dull 

 black. 



Nest and Eggs. — Nesting unknown, but probably 

 similar to the rest of the genus — nest in a hollow tree, 

 and eggs white. 



Distribution. — Mountains bordering the Mexican 

 tableland, northward casually to the Chiricahua Moun- 

 tains, .Arizona. 



The Thick-billed Parrot appears to be either 

 very stupid or very curious — excessive curiosity 

 is likely to convey the impression of stupidity — 

 for it has an exasj^erating habit of following 

 travelers in flocks which keep up such an uproar 

 that every other bird and beast is likely to be- 

 come alarmed and either make off or conceal 

 itself. This is nowise pleasing to the traveler 

 who happens to be a naturalist or an ornithol- 

 ogist, and therefore intent upon observing the 



wild-life forms, many of which would remain in 

 sight long enough to be looked at but for the 

 racket made by the Parrots. 



The birds are most likely to be encountered in 

 the pihon pine forests, where they feed freely 

 upon the seeds which they extract with their 

 beaks from the tough cones. In the United 

 States they are found chiefly in the cai'ions of the 

 Cliiricahua Mountains, in Arizona. 



George Gl.-vdden. 



f hoto by C. William Beebe (copyrighted) 



THICK-BILLED PARROT 

 The only species of its order which finds it way across the Rio Grande 



