| Brown-backed Parrotlet | |
|---|---|
| In Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Psittaciformes |
| Family: | Psittacidae |
| Genus: | Touit |
| Species: | T. melanonotus |
| Binomial name | |
| Touit melanonotus (Wied, 1820) |
|
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) green parrot found in SE Brazil from Bahia to southern Sao 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 - 1,000m (occasionally down to sea level), and are mostly found in small flocks of 3-20 birds.
It is mostly known from lower montane evergreen forest at 500-1,200m, but also up to 1,400m in the Itatiaia National Park. In addition it is found in near sea-level in Bahia and São Paulo.[1][2] 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.[3] Breeding is suspected to occur from September to October.[4]
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 to Ilha do Cardoso.[2] They were resighted in Bahia after a century long absence.[3][5] 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.[3]