Austral Parakeet

About the Austral Parakeet

The austral parakeet, austral conure, cachaña, rawilma or emerald parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus) is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Argentina, Chile, and possibly the Falkland Islands.

The austral parakeet shares genus Enicognathus with the slender-billed parakeet (S. leptorhynchus). Previously it was the sole member of genus Microsittace. It has two subspecies, the nominate E. f. ferrugineus (Müller, 1776) and E. f. minor (Chapman, 1919).

The austral parakeet is 28 to 36 cm (11 to 14 in) long; a specimen of a male E. f. minor weighed 155 g (5.5 oz). The sexes are the same. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a dull reddish forehead and lores in an otherwise yellow-green face. Their upperparts are dull green. Their underparts are yellowish green with a dull reddish patch on the belly; dark feather edges give a scaly appearance. Their tail is also dull reddish; their wings are mostly green with bluish green primaries. Immature birds are similar but the red of the face and belly are even duller. Subspecies E. f. minor is smaller and darker than the nominate.

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