Bird Guide

Dusky Parrot vs Red-billed Parrot

Dusky Parrot (Pionus fuscus)

Dusky Parrot

Pionus fuscus

Medium206 gForest

The dusky parrot is approximately 24 cm (9.4 in) long. It has a medium-wide gray eye-ring (often fades to white in captivity), a splay of cream-white feathers on its upper neck, a pinkish-red tinge to the belly, and red undertail coverts. The remiges and tail are blue, with the latter red at the base. Overall, the dusky parrot is a dark brownish-gray (tending towards black in poor light) bird.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jean-Paul Boerekamps · CC0
Red-billed Parrot (Pionus sordidus)

Red-billed Parrot

Pionus sordidus

Medium266 gForest

The red-billed parrot is 27 to 29 cm (11 to 11 in) long and weighs about 272 g (9.6 oz). All of the subspecies have the eponymous red bill. Adults of the nominate subspecies P. s. sordidus have a dull green head whose feathers have dull blue edges; their eye is surrounded by bare grayish skin. Their back, wings, and inner tail feathers are olive green; their outer tail feathers are blue. Their upper breast is dull blue that becomes buff-olive with a pink tinge on the belly. Their undertail coverts are red. Immature birds have a green head and breast and yellowish green undertail coverts. Voice: The red-billed parrot's flight calls appear to be different among the subspecies. P. s. sordidus and P. s. antelius make "a strident "kee!-yak" ". P. s. corallinus and P. s. mindoensis make "an upslurred "crree!" and a more mellow "crrah" ".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Red-billed Parrot
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Flight call · Zamora-Chinchipe: near Panguri, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: William Stephens · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Dusky Parrot and Red-billed Parrot.