Dusky-headed Conure (Aratinga weddellii)

You spot a flash of bright blue and green up in the trees as you hike through the dry forests of central Brazil. Peering up, you see a small parrot with a maroon-colored head hopping through the branches. This colorful bird is known as the Dusky-headed Conure (Aratinga weddellii), one of Brazil’s most stunningly beautiful parrots.

These parrots live in the arid, thorny scrublands and savannas of central and eastern Brazil. You may catch sight of them foraging in small flocks on cactus fruits or pitted, hardy palm nuts. At 11 inches (28 cm) from beak to tail tip, the Dusky-headed Conure is a small-sized parrot. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in vibrant plumage of green, blue, maroon, and orange.

Sadly, despite its beauty, this Brazilian native faces threats from habitat destruction and trafficking for the illegal pet trade. Its numbers have declined enough in recent decades to be classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In this article, you’ll learn all about the unique traits of the Dusky-headed Conure:

Where it finds food and nesting sites in its arid habitat
The intricate green, blue and red colors of its feathers
How it forms large flocks that –– like avian cities –– travel, forage, and roost together
Why this species faces the threat of extinction in the coming decades
What’s being done to preserve populations and protect critical corridors between isolated patches of remaining dry forest habitat

Whether you hope to one day see this Brazilian beauty in the wild, want to better understand its role in local habitats, or wish to support responsible conservation efforts –– this article will give you key facts about the Dusky-headed Conure.

History and Taxonomy

The Dusky-headed Conure has a relatively short written history, as it wasn’t formally described by scientists until the 1800s. But as a colorful Brazilian native, it likely played a role in native folklore and traditions for centuries beforehand.

First Discovery

The first scientific documentation of the Dusky-headed Conure came in 1837, when French naturalist Alcide d’Orbigny collected a specimen in the interior of central Brazil during an South American expedition. D’Orbigny named the new parrot Psittacara weddellii, after Scottish botanist Hugh Algernon Weddell who had traveled extensively documenting plants in Brazil in the 1820s.

Scientific Classification

Today, the Dusky-headed Conure belongs to the genus Aratinga, a group of small to medium-sized parrots in the family Psittacidae. Its closest relatives are other small parrots native to South America’s interiors, forests and savannas, like the Peach-fronted Conure.

Recent genetic analysis has found enough evidence for the Dusky-headed Conure to be classified as its own unique species, Aratinga weddellii. In the past, it was sometimes classified as a subspecies of other Aratinga conures.

Meaning Behind the Name

The current binomial scientific name breaks down as:

Aratinga: The genus name for a group of slender, long-tailed conures. Comes from a Brazilian native Tupi word meaning “brightly colored”.
weddellii: Honors Scottish explorer Hugh Algernon Weddell, with the -ii signifying the species is named after a person.

Two Distinct Subspecies

The Dusky-headed Conure has two recognized subspecies across its native range in Brazil:

A. w. weddellii: The nominate subspecies found across central Brazil in Goiás, western Bahia, and nearby interior states.
A. w. cactorum: Also called the Cactus Conure. Named for its association with cactus scrublands and found solely in eastern coastal Brazil. Displays more yellow-orange hues in its plumage.

Physical Appearance

The Dusky-headed Conure is a striking bird, with vivid green plumage accented by bright patches of blue, maroon, and orange. Its namesake maroon-colored head and nape give way to a paler orange-brown breast and belly. Standing at 11 inches (28 cm) tall, it’s a moderately sized parrot, though still far smaller than a macaw.

Size and Weight

Length (bill to tail tip): approximately 11 inches (28 cm)
Wingspan: around 13 inches (33 cm)
Weight: 3.5-4 ounces (100-110 grams)

So while not the largest parrot, the Dusky-headed Conure makes up for its petite build with very bright, contrasting plumage.

Plumage Colors and Markings

Starting from the head, this little parrot has:

Dark maroon crown and nape
Pale beige eye rings
Maroon-brown upper breast
Bright green back and wings with some vivid blue patches on the wing bend
Maroon-scaled pattern on its back and wings that appears almost like fish scales against the green
Yellow-green abdomen

The two subspecies differ slightly, with A. w. cactorum having more yellow-orange plumage on the head and wings.

Bill, Eyes, Legs and Feet

In addition to its bright plumage, the Dusky-headed Conure has:

Horn-colored grey bill suited to cracking hard nuts and seeds
Brown irises of the eyes
Flesh-colored legs and feet with zygodactyl toes (two forward, two back) for gripping branches

Habitat and Distribution

The Dusky-headed Conure is endemic to northeastern and central interior regions of Brazil. It inhabits very dry ecosystems, including caatinga scrublands and cerrado savannas.

Native Range and Habitat

This Brazilian parrot is found across the interior of Brazil’s Bahia, Piauí, Maranhão, Tocantins, Goiás, and Minas Gerais states.

Its arid native habitats include:

Caatinga – Thorn scrub forests with cacti and hardy bushes
Cerrado – Tropical savannas with scattered trees
Palm groves – Stands of Copernicia palms

Within these habitats it seeks out palm nuts, cacti, fruits from scrubby trees, and cultivated crops.

Elevation Range

The Dusky-headed Conure resides primarily in lowland, hot areas below 1,000 m (3,280 ft) elevation near the coast and inland from northeastern to central Brazil.

Introduced Populations

While endemic to Brazil, feral Dusky-headed Conure populations have been introduced to broward county in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Oahu, Hawaii through the exotic pet trade. But these introduced populations are very small and isolated.

Diet and Feeding

The Dusky-headed Conure utilizes an omnivorous diet consisting of seeds, nuts, fruits, blossoms, and some insects when available. It forages for food either in small flocks or breeding pairs.

Overview of Diet

As an omnivore, the Dusky-headed Conure eats both plant and animal matter. The majority of its intake comes from various seeds, nuts, berries, and fruits. It supplements this with nectar, flowers, cactus pulp, and protein-rich insects and larvae when available.

Types of Foods Consumed

Specific wild foods consumed include:

Seeds and nuts from palms, cacti, woody shrubs
Fruits including figs, mangoes when available
Cactus flowers and flesh
Insect larvae, ants, termites
Cultivated crops like corn, sorghum and melons

Its varied diet allows the species to thrive in harsh, arid habitats where food can be scarce.

Feeding Behaviors

Forages for food in small flocks or mated pairs, often arriving in groups at fruiting trees.
Uses its sturdy grey beak to open hard nuts and crack into figs or cactus flesh.
Will gorge itself when finding abundant sources to store some fat reserves.
Always perches while eating and is vigilant for overhead predators.
Has a fast metabolism and must eat frequently when active during the day.

The Dusky-headed Conure is a voracious eater for its small size! Its social nature leads it to forage and feed in fast-moving flocks that chatter noisily when descending on fruiting trees or crops.

Breeding and Reproduction

The breeding season for Dusky-headed Conures lasts from August to December across their native range in Brazil. They form monogamous pairs during this time and nest in tree cavities.

Nesting Sites

Dusky-headed Conures nest in natural tree hollows and old woodpecker holes located high up in palm trees and tree branches. Nest hollows are usually 16-39 feet (5-12 meters) above ground to deter predators.

Both the male and female work together to prepare the nest cavity by chewing wood to enlarge and shape the hollow. They also line the bottom with wood chips.

Clutch Size

The female Dusky-headed Conure lays a clutch of 3-5 small white eggs, which she incubates for about 24 days while being fed by her mate. The chicks hatch out naked and helpless.

Incubation and Fledging

Only the female incubates the eggs, keeping them warm underneath her body while the male guards and brings food. After 24 days, the young hatch blind with little to no down feathers.

Both parents feed and care for the rapidly growing chicks. Nestlings develop dark feather pinpoints in about 2 weeks, and fully fledge at 8 weeks old. They remain dependent on their parents during the first year.

Behavior and Ecology

The Dusky-headed Conure exhibits very social behaviors, foraging and traveling in noisy flocks most months out of the year. Pairs break away only for the breeding season before rejoining flocks after.

Flock Sizes

Form foraging flocks of 6 to 30 individuals outside breeding season.
Flocks may include other parrot species like peach-fronted conures.
Break into breeding pairs during August-December nesting period.

Roosting Patterns

Spend nights roosting communally in palm stands or tree cavities.
May travel between five and twelve miles (8-19 km) daily between roosting and feeding sites.
Roosts provide safety from nocturnal predators.

Foraging and Feeding

Forage actively throughout daylight hours in noisy, swift-flying flocks.
Call loudly with squawking vocalizations to coordinate flock and advertise food sources.
Flock movement and feeding activity peaks in early morning and late afternoon.
May clashes with other parrot flocks over prime food trees.

Interactions with Other Species

Nests are often usurped by larger Miller’s Conures who compete for tree hollows.
Sometimes flocks with other small parrots like peach-fronted conures.
Raided by birds of prey like aplomado falcons.
Seed-based diet overlaps with many other seed-eaters.

Overall the Dusky-headed Conure is a highly social, flocking species well-adapted to the environments of central Brazil through its communal behaviors.

Conservation Status

The Dusky-headed Conure is classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its population is estimated to be declining due to ongoing habitat destruction and pressure from illegal capture for the pet trade.

IUCN Red List Category

Currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It meets endangered status criteria due to:

Habitat loss across much of its native range
Trapping pressure for illegal national and international exotic pet trade
Small overall population size

Population Estimates and Trends

Current population size is uncertain but likely consists of less than 10,000 mature individuals in scattered pockets across Brazil. The total number continues to decrease.

Main threats all relate to human pressures – burning, grazing, infrastructure expansion, plus trapping for trade. Few robust population surveys have been done.

Major Threats

Primary threats contributing to its population decline:

Habitat loss: Clearing of caatinga and cerrado for logging, cattle pastures, and farming
Capture: Trapping of juveniles and adults for illegal pet trade
Climate change: Potential decline in rainfall stresses arid adapted habitats

Protection Efforts and Conservation Recommendations

Conservation groups recommend actions including:

Preserve corridors between fragmented caatinga habitats
Limit land clearing permits
Monitor trade and enforce laws prohibiting capture or export
Promote public education about responsible ecotourism over collection

Targeted conservation management will be critical to prevent extinction of this beautiful Brazilian parrot within the next century. Protecting pockets of arid forest and scrubland habitat will allow wild populations to hopefully stabilize and recover over time.

Cultural Significance

The beauty of the Dusky-headed Conure has made it culturally symbolic, both as a native Brazilian species and popular pet abroad. But its significance goes beyond physical appearance.

Role in Folklore

While not well documented, the brightly colored Dusky-headed Conure likely played a role in indigenous Brazilian legends. Other Aratinga conures symbolize the sun in folk stories. Further research is needed on the specific cultural importance of this species.

Popularity in the Pet Trade

Dusky-headed conures are highly sought after in the international pet trade for their stunning colors, playfulness, and ability to mimic speech. This popularity fuels trapping pressure despite their threatened conservation status. Captive breeding programs may help satisfy market demand while protecting wild populations.

Flagship Species

In Brazil’s interior, the friendly Dusky-headed Conure has potential to be a regional flagship species. It could represent urgent habitat conservation campaigns for caatinga and cerrado ecosystems which are being rapidly converted for agriculture. Eco-tourism relying on sightings of the wild parrot may also boost local economies.

Losing the Dusky-headed Conure would carry heavy cultural implications in Brazil and abroad. Conservationists must emphasize its value as a thriving contributor to local heritage. Protecting its habitat preserves so much more.

Conclusion

The vibrant green, blue, and maroon plumage of the Dusky-headed Conure perfectly camouflages this Brazilian species among foliage and flowers in its arid forest home. Yet while the parrot blends into its surroundings, the rapid destruction of those surroundings risks making this species far more visible as it slides closer to extinction.

Habitat loss poses the gravest threat to the survival of the Dusky-headed Conure in the coming decades. As logging, infrastructure projects, cattle ranching and agriculture expand across central and northeastern Brazil, they chip away at what little intact caatinga and cerrado ecosystem remains. This leaves small, fragmented populations isolated. Dwindling food sources and nesting sites, coupled with ongoing trapping pressure, causes numbers to steadily decline year after year.

Targeted conservation action focused on preserving corridors between remaining patches of protected public lands and private reserves represents the best hope for the species. Ecotourism may also provide economic incentives for locals to value intact habitat that in turn supports thriving wildlife populations.

Lose these Brazilian arid forests and the Dusky-headed Conure disappears along with them. Yet saving them protects an array of plant and animal species, preserves watersheds, fights climate change through CO2 storage, and ultimately upholds immeasurable cultural heritage. The fate of the Dusky-headed Conure reflects the urgency needed to conserve irreplaceable ecosystems across the globe.