Scaly-headed Parrot

Scaly-headed Parrot

Pionus maximiliani

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
at Serra dos Órgãos National Park
355 Verified sightings at Serra dos Órgãos National Park From 2019 to 2026
5,325 Verified sightings across all 12 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Scaly-headed Parrot

The scaly-headed parrot (Pionus maximiliani) is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is also called scaly-headed pionus, Maximilian pionus, Maximilian parrot, Maximilian's pionus, or Maximilian's parrot. It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay.

The scaly-headed parrot has these four subspecies: P. m. maximiliani (Kuhl, 1820) P. m. siy Souancé, 1856 P. m. lacerus Heine, 1884 P. m. melanoblepharus Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920 The scaly-headed parrot and the red-billed parrot (P. sordidus) are sister species. The species' specific epithet is a reference to Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied, a nobleman and naturalist who explored the hinterlands of southeastern Brazil in the early 19th century.

In Brazil, the scaly-headed parrot is called cocotas or maritacas (from mbaé'taka, tupi for "noisy bird"). The scaly-headed parrot is 25 to 29 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long and weighs 233 to 293 g (8.2 to 10 oz). Adults of the nominate subspecies P. m. maximiliani have a blackish brown forehead and mid-crown. Their rest of their head, their nape, and their upper back are dark greenish... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~60%
2 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~50%
3 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~40%
4 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~40%
5 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
6 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
7 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
8 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
9 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
10 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
11 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
12 Iberá National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Scaly-headed Parrot in Serra dos Órgãos National Park?

About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Scaly-headed Parrot sighting in Serra dos Órgãos National Park, based on 355 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Scaly-headed Parrot in Serra dos Órgãos National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Scaly-headed Parrot in Serra dos Órgãos National Park in our monthly data.

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