Black-capped parakeet

Swiss naturalist Johann Jakob von Tschudi described the species in 1844. There are two subspecies of Pyrrhura rupicola: • P. r. rupicola • P. r. sandiae P. r. rupicola can be found in western South America and is common in Peru. P. r. sandiae can be found in the extreme west of Brazil, south-east Peru, and northern Bolivia. The black capped parakeet may breed with the green cheeked parakeet in the wild. It is also known in the pet trade as black-capped conure or rock conure. == Behavior ==

Black capped parakeets are highly social birds and communal roosters. In the wild, they flock with up to 30 birds at a time. During breeding season smaller groups of families can be found. In the wild black capped parakeets are canopy feeders. They roost in small groups during breeding season. Additionally, black capped parakeets have also been noted to subsist off a diet partially consisting off nectar and insects when other food sources are difficult to obtain. Conservation Black capped parakeets are listed as near-threatened in the wild on Appendix II. The primary cause of their habitat loss is the deforestation of the Amazon Basin. It is estimated that there will be a 13.7% to 15.5% loss of habitable land over 18 years. A decrease in forest buffers alongside streams, amnesty for land owners guilty of illegal deforestation before 2008, and a reduction in the amount of private land that must be kept as forest contribute to this problem. == Aviculture ==

Known as the black capped conure in aviculture, it is known as the quietest of the conures. They are sociable birds who require a lot of attention. They may be shy around new people, but their highly inquisitive nature often negates any shyness. They start breeding around 18 months old, although the exact time varies for each bird. The females should be introduced to their nesting cage first, and given time to acclimate to the change before introducing the males. Pairings should take place at the end of December. There are rarely problems with mate acceptance. Eggs are laid in February, and hatching occurs 23 days later in March. Nest boxes should be left alone unless the parents are not taking care of their young. This can be determined by listening to the babies' cries: interrupted cries that eventually stop indicate the babies are being fed. The babies are ready to leave the parents at around eight or nine weeks. == References ==