Fun Spectacled Parrotlet Facts For Kids

Spectacled parrotlet is a species of parrot bird that belongs to the genus Forpas and the family Psittacidae. There are three subspecies under this species; the spectacled parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus conspicillatus), which is the nominate subspecies, the Cauca spectacled parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus caucae), and Venezuelan spectacled parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus metae).

These birds are found in the lowland and tropical forests of Central and South American countries of Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, and Mexico.

These tiny birds are also quite popular in aviculture due to their social and friendly behavior. Their colorful body parts including their tail, eyes, wings, and rump make them a striking creature. Additionally, they can mimic human sounds and the calls of other birds! This tiny species can make a variety of sounds, which makes them even more endearing.

They were not available widely before 1992. However, after 1992, they were successfully imported and bred cooperatively with the sponsorship of the International Parrotlet Society.

Keep reading for more fascinating facts about the Spectacled Parrotlet!

If this article about the spectacled parrotlet interests you, also check out the other articles with amazing facts about South Philippine dwarf kingfisher facts and blue-eared kingfisher facts.
 

Spectacled Parrotlet Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a spectacled parrotlet?

The spectacled parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus) is a species of Parrot bird.

What class of animal does a spectacled parrotlet belong to?

The spectacled parrotlet (Forpus conspicillatus) belongs to the Aves class of animals.

How many spectacled parrotlets are there in the world?

The exact number of spectacled parrotlets (Forpus conspicillatus) has not yet been calculated.

Where does a spectacled parrotlet live?

In the wild, the spectacled parrotlet range of distribution can be found in Central and South America in the countries of Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, and Colombia.

What is a spectacled parrotlet's habitat?

The spectacled parrotlet habitat includes tropical dry forests and humid lowland forests. Their plumage helps them blend in well with the dense Amazon surroundings.

Who do spectacled parrotlets live with?

In the wild forests of Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, and Mexico, these parrotlets can be quite social as they live and fly together in flocks. These flocks consist of 5-40 birds, but can also have up to 100 birds. They form lifelong pair bonds and are often kept together when they are kept as pets.

How long does a spectacled parrotlet live?

A spectacled parrotlet usually lives for 20-25 years, but their lifespan depends on their bloodline and breeding.

How do they reproduce?

The mating season for this species extends from January to March. The male birds search for and attract the female with their bright green and blue plumage and use unique mating sounds. The monogamous pair searches for cavities of tree trunks to nest in. The pair of birds may also use nests previously built by other birds.

Female parrot birds incubate eggs for about 18 days and the male parrot bird protects its family and feeds the female and the chicks. Females lay eggs once every two days until the clutch has 4-6 eggs.

The chicks start to fledge around five weeks after birth. They communicate with each other using specific sounds. They also play and feed together till they attain maturity.

What is their conservation status?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the species spectacled parrotlets (Forpus conspicillatus) and their subspecies as Least Concern.

Spectacled Parrotlet Fun Facts

What do spectacled parrotlets look like?

Spectacled parrots have a green-colored body with pink a beak and feet. They have bright green wings and plumage. They have light blue circles around the eyes as well as on their wings and the tips of their tail. Their underbelly and rump are lighter in color than the rest of their body.

Males have a yellow-green forehead, cheeks, and throat while the rest of their body is slightly dull. Their lower back, rump, and wing-coverts are dark blue in color.

The female birds of this parrot species are comparatively duller and are uniformly green in color. Their underparts, rump, and wing-coverts are yellow-green in color while the circle around their eyes are emerald green in color.

These parrotlets are sexually dimorphic in nature; males are slightly larger than females.

Young female parrots look similar to the adults. Young male parrots do not have blue marks around their eyes. Their wing-coverts are green in color. Their rump and lower back are dark green and blue-colored.

How cute are they?

Spectacled parrotlets found in Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Mexico are extremely cute! They are very colorful and their small size combined with their fun, courageous, and curious personality, which reminds of the bird, Fischer's lovebirds.

How do they communicate?

These green and blue birds are quite verbal and can easily mimic the sounds made by other birds. They have specific calls for each bird which varies from tweeting to chirping based on the nature of the communication.

A spectacled parrotlet pet may even learn to talk like its owners. Males are better at imitating human words than the female birds.

How big is a spectacled parrotlet?

The green and blue spectacled parrotlet bird is quite tiny and its length is approximately 5 in (12.7 cm) or even lesser than that.

A snares penguin is almost four to five times the size of a spectacled parrotlet, as these penguins grow up to 19-27 in (50-70 cm) in size.

How fast can a spectacled parrotlet move?

There is insufficient information about how fast spectacled parrotlets move or fly. They are mostly found perched in their cages or branches of trees.

How much does a spectacled parrotlet weigh?

Spectacled parrotlets are small in length and weigh approximately 1 oz (28 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Following the standard terminology, male spectacled parrotlets are referred to as cocks and the females of this species are referred to as hens.

What would you call a baby spectacled parrotlet?

A baby spectacled parrotlet is referred to as a chick.

What do they eat?

In their wild, natural habitat, this species has a diet consisting of seeds, nuts, berries, leaves, and other fruits. They are also sometimes seen to prey on small insects for food. At times, they also lick clay because it is rich in calcium.

Pet birds can be fed a diet of commercial seed mix which includes oats, seeds, and white millet. They may also have fresh fruits and vegetables along with cooked rice.

Are they dangerous?

The spectacled parrotlet is not dangerous and can be kept as a pet due to its friendly personality. However, they require a firm hand with disciplining as they can get quite nippy.

Would they make a good pet?

Like the Budgerigar and cockatiel, spectacled parrotlets make a very good pet because of their friendly personality. They are small birds with loveable traits, which makes them really popular with adults and children. They are perfect for people who do not have a very spacious home as they can easily fit in smaller cages as well.

These parrotlets have easygoing behavior and they love to cuddle and pet with their owners. They can even fit into your pockets! This bird has an affectionate personality and loves to get cozy with their owners.

The owners of these parrotlets should flip their flight feathers and do regular nail filing and foot exercises.

Did you know...

Due to their extremely small size, the spectacled parrotlets are often called 'Pocket Parrots' or 'Tea Cup Parrots'!

What is special about spectacled parrotlets?

Spectacled parrotlets are quite smart and sociable, which is why they are also preferred as pets. They are not very noisy, but can easily learn how to talk.

If trained properly, they may even be able to vocalize some words accurately. They also need at least 12 hours of sleep per day so their owners have to ensure that their cages are covered at night to help them fall asleep faster.

Comparisons with other parrotlets

The spectacled parrotlet is harder to acquire as pets because they are not imported from Central and South America in large numbers. The Pacific parrotlet and the green-rumped parrotlet are more commonly available to keep as pets.

All the parrotlet species have color mutations which range from green, pastel, yellow and more. A spectacled parrotlet, nominate or the other subspecies, costs around $900 in the market, significantly more expensive than other types of parrotlets.

For more relatable content, check out these Giant Cowbird and giant ibis pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable spectacled parrotlet coloring pages.