Family: Psittacidae

Aratinga cactorum;
Cactus Parakeet;
Periquito-da-Caatinga.

Psittacus cactorum KUHL 1820
Aratinga caixana SPIX 1824

Local subspecies: Aratinga cactorum caixana. See Hellmayr 1929, Pinto 1978. This Parakeet is often considered endemic of the Caatinga, but, according to Pinto 1978, it occurs also in Pará.

For nest and egg description, see Naka 1997.

Cactus Parakeet (Aratinga cactorum)
31/01/2006; Fazenda Canaã, Pentecoste, Ceará, Brazil. 200 mm f2.8 lens.
Figure 1. The Cactus Parakeet is quite common in rural Ceará, and can often be seen around fruit trees. The bird on the photo is eating cirigüelas, the fruits of Spondias purpurea.

For a photo of a Cactus Parakeet in flight, see this link of Arthur Grosset's site.

To top of page