Species Profile

On this page you will find basic descriptions and habitats of the main five Pionus Species often kept as pets.

Blue Headed Pionus:-

Description: generally green; head and upper breast deep blue, red base to feathers of neck, which show through partially; black patch to ear-coverts; under tail-coverts red; bill blackish, reddish on sides; skin to periophthalmic ring grey; iris dark brown; feet grey.

Off Springs: with reddish frontal band, head greenish-blue.

Carlos - Blue Headed Pionus

Length: 28 cm (11 ins)

Distribution: Colombia (east of Andes), eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru south to central Brazil and northern Bolivia; Trinidad.

Habitat: forest and terrain with trees of tropical zone to 600 m (2,000 ft), occasionally up to 1,500 m (5,000 ft); only sighted in open country and cultivated areas when foraging.

Habits: in small groups or noisy flocks of up to 100 individuals outside breeding season; mostly remains in canopy of tall trees or palms

Maximillian Pionus:-

Description: green; forehead and lores blackish; feathers on crown and back of head broadly edged with dark grey; cheeks green with narrow bluish-grey tips; violet-blue band across throat and upper breast; breast and abdomen pale green; under tail-coverts red; back and upper wing-coverts dull olive-brown; middle tail feathers green, outer blue with red base; bill horn-coloured with black base; skin to periophthalmic ring grey; iris dark brown; feet grey.

Off Springs: mostly with reddish frontal band; head pale greenwith narrow edging; pale violet-blue band to throat and upper breast.

Widget - Maximillian Pionus

Length: 29 cm (11.5 ins)

Distribution: northeast Brazil from Espírito Santo north to Piauí and Ceará.

Habits: pairs, small groups or flocks of up to 50 birds outside breeding season; occasionally flocks of several hundred birds when sufficient food available; mostly seen flying as difficult to detect in trees; plumage provides excellent camouflage; very noisy when flying to and from roosting trees; audible for considerable distance; quiet when feeding; shy and unapproachable; call high-pitched and disyllabic; alarm call rapidly repeated cries.

White-Capped Pionus:-

Description: generally green; lores, forehead, forecrown and patch on chin white; remaining head feathers green edged with blue; ear-coverts dark blue; breast olive-brown, feathers edged with lilac-blue, becoming green on abdomen; under tail-coverts red with green edging; lesser and median wing-coverts gold-brown with green base; primary-coverts and primaries violet-blue; under wing-coverts greenish-blue; tail green with blue tips, outer feathers blue with red base; bill horn-coloured: skin to periophthalmic ring whitish-pink; iris brown; feet grey flesh-coloured.

Off Springs: with green head; forehead white; chin, breast and abdomen green; under tail-coverts lighter; iris dark.

Boo Boo - White-Capped Pionus

Length: 24 cm (9.5 ins)

Distribution: from west Panama north to south-east Mexico in San Luis Potosi and southern Tamaulipas, mainly along Pacific slopes.

Habitat: forests and coastal areas with woodland in tropical and sub-tropical zone up to 2,500 m (7,500 ft); occurs occasionally in cultivated areas.

Habits: from small groups to flocks of several hundred birds outside breeding season; seasonal migrations to and from higher altitudes; quiet during feeding; then difficult to detect in foliage; cautious and shy; does not come down to ground; if alarmed flies away screeching loudly; flight swift and noisy; flock flies and also changes direction suddenly in unison; call often incessant shrill screeching.

Bronze-Winged Pionus:-

Description: violet-blue; head and nape bronze-brown, feathers broadly edged dark violet-grey; chin white; throat dull pink; back, rump and shoulder feathers dark bronze-green with blue edging; breast and abdomen dark green broadly edged with dark violet-blue; under tail-coverts red; wing-coverts bronze-brown; primary-coverts and primaries purple-blue; tail dark blue, outer feathers with red base; bill yellowish horn-coluor; skin to periophthalmic ring dull to dark pink; iris brown; feet flesh-coloured.

Off Springs: with greenish head and back, breast and abdomen feathers with dark green edging.

Elle - Bronze-Wing Pionus

Length: 29 cm (11.5 ins)

Distribution: Andes of Colombia (except Nariño) and furthest northwest Venezuela.

Habitat: forest of tropical and sub-tropical zones between 500 m (1,500 ft) and 2000 m (6,000 ft); occasionally higher or lower; regular visitor to cleared and partially deforested areas.

Habits: in pairs or small groups outside breeding season; flies swiftly and often for great distances; noisy during flight; call shrill.

Dusky Pionus:-

Description: head dull slate-blue; lores area red; ear-coverts black, edged around with whitish feathers; chin feathers edged with dull pink; back and wings dark brown, each feather with pale edging; breast and abdomen brown with dull pink or bluish edging; under wing-coverts violet-blue; tail dark blue, outer feathers with red base; bill blackish, horn-coloured on sides; skin to periophthalmic ring grey; iris brown; feet grey.

Offsprings:with greenish-blue head; iris dark.

Raptor - Dusky Pionus

Length: 26 cm (10 ins)

Distribution: Sierra de Perijá , along Venezuelan-Colombian border; southern Venezuela north of Orinoco, Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana and northern Brazil.

Habitat: forest; coastal areas with woodland, savanna woodland to 600 m (1,800 ft), Sierra de Perijá to 1200 m (3,600 ft); occasionally occurs in cultivated areas.

Habits: in pairs or small groups outside breeding season; often noisy, but can be very quiet, even during flight; seasonally determined migrations.