Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Psittaciformes
Superfamily:
Psittacoidea
Family:
Psittacidae
Subfamily:
Arinae
Genus:
Touit
Species:
T. melanonotus
Binomial name
Touit melanonotus
About
The Brown-backed
Parrotlet (Touit melanonotus) also known as the Black-backed
Parrotlet, the Black-eared Parrotlet, and Wied's Parrotlet, is a
small (15 cm or 6 in) green parrot found
in south-eastern Brazil from Bahia to
southern São Paulo. It has a dark brown mantle and back,
brown ear coverts, and red outer tail with back tips. They frequent humid
forest from 500–1,000 m (1,600–3,300 ft) (occasionally down to sea
level), and are mostly found in small flocks of 3–20 birds.
Ecology
It is mostly known from lower
montane evergreen forest at 500–1,200 metres (1,600–3,900 ft), but also up
to 1,400 m (4,600 ft) in the Itatiaia National Park. In addition it is
found in near sea-level in Bahia and São Paulo. Seasonal migration or
dispersal is suspected, though this may amount to little more than short
altitudinal movements. Food items are poorly studied but include large leguminous seeds,
fruit of Rapanea acuminata,Clusia sp.
and mistletoes. Observed
feeding on Clusia criuva where presumed adults pluck the fruit from
the tree snipping the stalk with their bills and carry the fruit to a more
secure location on a firmer branch where they open the fruitwith their bill
wedging it against the branch prising the seeds out with their tongue; they do
not use their feet at any time in the feeding process as some
other psittacids do. Some individuals that were presumed to be young
birds were seen to eat the fruits in situ and did not pluck
them. Breeding is suspected to occur from September to October. Well
grown young birds were observed being fed by adults in Ubatuba, São Paulo
state, January 2010. Young birds can be differentiated by their paler orbital
ring and their cere being flesh coloured as opposed to dark grey in adults.
Range and Population
The Brown-backed Parrotlet is
confined to south-eastern Brazil (Bahia, Espírito
Santo, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), but is a
vagrant to Rio de Janeiro, and from São Paulo to south toIlha
do Cardoso. They were resighted in Bahia after a century long
absence. They were never deemed common, but seen as rather rare, even in
the 19th century. Their inconspicuous nature and naturally low densities may
contribute to the paucity of records. A resurgence in sightings since the
mid-1980s, and their discovery at Espírito Santo, was due to knowledge of their
calls.
