Enicognathus leptorhynchus (King, 1831)

Size

The slender-billed parakeet (Enicognathus leptorhynchus) is approximately 40 centimeters (16 inches) long.

Common Name Origin

Its English common name refers to its unusually elongated mandible.

Sexual Dimorphism

Males and females of this species have identical plumage.

Adult Head Coloration

Adult birds have red coloring on the forehead and lores, set against an otherwise yellow-green face.

Adult Body Plumage

Their upperparts are dull green, while their underparts are yellowish green with a distinct reddish patch on the belly.

Adult Tail and Wing Features

The tail is reddish, and the wings are mostly green, with bluish green primary flight feathers.

Immature Plumage

Immature slender-billed parakeets resemble adults, but they have darker green overall plumage and whitish skin surrounding the eye.

Core Distribution Range

This parakeet is endemic to central Chile, where it is found between the Santiago Metropolitan Region and Los Lagos Region.

Secondary Distribution Records

It also occurs, though only rarely, in the Aysén Region of Chile, and has been recorded as a vagrant in Argentina.

Primary Habitat

Its primary habitat is forest made up of southern beech (Nothofagus) and Chilean pine (Araucaria araucana).

Secondary Habitat

It can also be found in adjacent semi-open areas, ranchlands, and cultivated areas, usually during the winter season.

Elevational Range

Its elevational range extends up to 2,000 meters (6,600 feet).