The Story
I made this photo of a Scarlet-fronted Parakeet (Psittacara wagleri) at Tuluní in Chaparral, Tolima, Colombia. It lives between about 350 and 2,500 meters. It travels in large flocks and usually forages in the canopy. In northern Colombia it nests from December to June. The main threats to it are trapping, persecution and habitat loss. It breeds in colonies, usually in fissures in cliff faces. It is very vocal, especially in flight. It also turns up in fields, orchards and parks in built-up areas. The Tuluní caves and the Charco El Tambor on the Tuluní River are among Chaparral’s best-known sights.
I used a Pentax K-1 with the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 for this one, at 1/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400, +2 EV. IUCN lists the Scarlet-fronted Parakeet as Near Threatened, with a decreasing population.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Scarlet-fronted Parakeet (Psittacara wagleri) belongs to the family Psittacidae (New World and African Parrots) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2021), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List