63 

 Order PSITTACIFORMES 



Family PSITTACIDAE : Macaws, Parrots, and Parakeets ; 

 Guacamayos, Loros, y Pericos 



The parrot family primarily is a group of the tropics since it is in 

 the warmer regions of the earth that it is most abundant. Only a few 

 hardy kinds range in high mountain areas, or reside where winter 

 seasons are severely cold. There are none native to Europe or north- 

 ern Asia, and only one, the Carolina parakeet, now extinct, was found 

 in eastern North America. In spite of this, several species are widely 

 known as household pets, kept for their amusing ways, and for the 

 imitative ability of a number of kinds through which they learn to 

 copy human speech and other common sounds. Their normal calls in 

 the main are harsh and strident. 



The 21 species found in Panama almost equal the number of kinds 

 of pigeons. As individuals only one, the orange-chinned parakeet, is 

 widely common. The larger kinds, particularly the macaws, disappear 

 as forests are cleared, the countryside cultivated, and human occupancy 

 grows. The species found in Panama all nest in tree cavities. All 

 members of the family lay white eggs. 



KEY TO SPECIES OF PSITTACIDAE 



1. Very small (sparrow size); wing less than 90 mm.; outer primary with 



inner web abruptly narrowed at tip. 



Spectacled parrotlet, Forpus conspicillatus conspicillatus, p. 84 



Larger; wing 100 mm. or more (in most much longer) ; outer primary with 



inner web normal, not narrowed at tip 2 



2. Tail graduated ; feathers narrowed and pointed 3 



Tail even across the end, or nearly so; feathers broad throughout with 



rounded ends, or, if pointed at the tip, with all nearly equal in length. . 12 



3. Side of head bare, or with scattered feathers arranged in narrow, curving, 



separated lines ; larger, wing 225 mm. or more (genus Ara) 4 



Cheeks feathered, only the space around the eye bare ; smaller, wing less than 

 175 mm 7 



4. Under surface of body green 



Darker green on lower surface; under side of tail red; smaller, wing less 

 than 250 mm. Chestnut-fronted macaw, Ara scvera, p. 72 



Yellowish green on lower surface ; under side of tail greenish yellow ; larger, 

 wing more than 350 mm Green macaw, Ara ambigua ambigua, p. 66 



Undersurface of body yellow or red 5 



5. Undersurface of body yellow. . . Blue-and-yellow macaw, Ara ararauna, p. 65 

 Undersurface of body red 6 



6. Wing coverts and scapulars banded broadly with yellow ; central tail feathers 



bright red Scarlet macaw, Ara macao, p. 68 



