Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Scaly-headed Parrot

Pionus maximiliani

The Scaly-headed Parrot, also known as the Maximilian Pionus, is a medium-sized bird with a robust build, measuring between 25 to 29 centimeters in length and weighing between 233 to 293 grams. It is adorned with a distinctive scaly pattern on its head, which gives rise to its common name.

Identification Tips

Adults of the nominate subspecies, Pionus maximiliani, are characterized by a blackish-brown forehead and mid-crown, with the rest of the head, nape, and upper back displaying a dark greenish-bronze hue. The feathers here are edged darker, contributing to the scaly appearance. The eye is framed by arcs of bare white skin. The lower back and wings are a dull green with lighter scaling, while the throat and upper breast transition from dull blue to a yellowish-green belly. Red undertail coverts and a base of the tail, along with green inner tail feathers and blue outer ones, complete the palette. Juveniles exhibit a paler green head and less blue on the breast.

Habitat

The Scaly-headed Parrot occupies a range of environments, from deciduous and gallery forests in drier regions to humid evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, including those dominated by Araucaria trees. It can be found at elevations up to 1,600 meters in Brazil and 2,000 meters in Argentina.

Distribution

This species is distributed across Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay. It has four recognized subspecies, each with a specific range within these countries.

Behaviour

Scaly-headed Parrots are sedentary birds, remaining in their range throughout the year. They have been observed breeding in the wild as far as Malaga, Spain, where they have established a feral population.

Song & Calls

The vocal repertoire of the Scaly-headed Parrot includes a high, shrill "teer-teer-teer" call and a primary flight call described as a bisyllabic "cra-cheh". When perched, they emit a variety of 'conversational' calls, some with a nasal quality.

Breeding

The breeding season of the Scaly-headed Parrot varies geographically and is not fully defined. They nest in tree cavities, and in captivity, they lay clutches of four to five eggs, with the young fledging after nine weeks.

Similar Species

The Scaly-headed Parrot is closely related to the Red-billed Parrot, with which it shares a sister species relationship.

Diet and Feeding

These parrots feed on a diverse diet that includes seeds, flowers, and fruits from a wide array of plants.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the Scaly-headed Parrot as Least Concern, noting its extensive range. However, the population size is unknown and suspected to be decreasing, primarily due to the illegal pet trade. It remains common in southern Brazil and is found in varying densities throughout its range.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Scaly-headed Parrots on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Chris Bell
Chris Bell
26 Jul 2024 - 9:52am
Brazil

More African & New World Parrots

A photo of a Yellow-faced Parrot (Alipiopsitta xanthops)

Yellow-faced Parrot

Alipiopsitta xanthops
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Patricia L
Very encouraging birding app
Easy to use, fun to see progress and encouraging to receive feedback from other users.
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
Dan R
Great app for bird fanatics
Great app for bird fanatics - very user friendly and a perfect place to share sightings.
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Marlster24
Very Wholesome App
Joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😄
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.