Blue-headed Pionus

Looks how to spot one

Feathered; stocky, short-tailed medium parrot

A compact, sturdy parrot with a short square tail. The body is green, while the head, neck and upper chest are a rich blue, with a dark patch over the ear. Under the tail the feathers are bright red. The beak is dark with reddish patches at the sides, the eyes are dark brown and there is a pale grey ring of bare skin around each eye. Young birds are mostly green and gain their blue head over their first couple of moults.123

Personality what they are like

A relaxed, even-tempered parrot that tends to be gentler in voice than Amazons, conures or macaws, which makes it a popular choice for people in flats. With kind, consistent handling it becomes an affectionate companion. It is not famed as a talker, though some individuals pick up a fair number of words in a slightly husky voice. Like many parrots it can be protective of its own cage space.32

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate. Offer daily time out of the cage, a roomy cage with plenty of toys, and chewing and foraging activities so the bird stays active and busy.3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Provide a varied range of toys to rotate and chew. Many Pionus make a wheezing or snuffling sound when startled, which is a normal reaction and worth knowing about.3

Home where they are happiest

A spacious cage with room to climb and exercise, several perches and plenty of toys, placed where the bird can see its household.3

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A good-quality pellet or similar formulated food as the base, plus fresh vegetables and fruits, with plenty of vitamin-A-rich options such as orange and dark green produce. In the wild they eat seeds, fruits (including figs), flowers and leaf buds.31

Company who they like around

Enjoys regular one-to-one attention and needs daily interaction with its people. In the wild it lives in flocks and roosts communally.32

The story where it all began

Linnaeus named this species in 1766, and it has since become the best-known member of the Pionus group. It is widespread across tropical Central and South America and is now the Pionus most often seen with breeders and specialist bird shops.23

Recognised by the official bits

Taxonomy

Described by Carl Linnaeus in 1766 as Psittacus menstruus; moved to the genus Pionus (Wagler, 1832). Three subspecies: P. m. menstruus, P. m. rubrigularis and P. m. reichenowi (the last sometimes treated as a separate species).2

IUCN Red List

Least Concern.1

CITES

Appendix II.1

Aviculture

Described as the most commonly available Pionus species in the pet trade.3