Pionites
| Caiques | |
|---|---|
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|
| Black-headed parrot, Pionites melanocephalus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Superfamily: | Psittacoidea |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Subfamily: | Arinae |
| Genus: |
Pionites Heine, 1890 |
| Species | |
 |
|
| Ranges of black-headed parrot (green) and white-bellied parrot complex overlap | |
The caiques (/kaɪˈiːk/ or /kɑːˈiːk/) are species of parrots in the genus Pionites. They are relatively small and stocky, with a short, square tail and very bright colors. Their typical weight is 150–170 grams. They can live up to 40 years. They are endemic in the Amazon Basin in South America, with the black-headed north of the Amazon River, and the white-bellied south. They are listed on Appendix 2 of CITES as a species of least concern. They generally prefer forested areas and subsist on fruit and seeds. Caiques are generally canopy dwellers, spending most of their time in the tops of trees, foraging and playing. Caique wing feathers produce a distinctive whirring sound in flight. They are highly vocal.
Originally Pionites had two species, the black-headed parrot and white-bellied parrot. However, recent morphological work has indicated that the white-bellied parrot should be split into three species based on plumage and leg coloration. In the past these parrots were often allied with the conures or other South American parakeets, recent mitochondrial and nuclear DNA work has found Pionites being the sister taxon to the Deroptyus (the genus that contains the red-fan parrot); the two genera occupy a basal position in the tribe Arini.
(Pionites leucogaster)
Endangered
(Pionites xanthurus)
Vulnerable
...
Wikipedia