The orange-cheeked parrot (Pyrrhura barrabandi), also known as Barraband’s parrot, is a striking bird known for its vivid mix of green, red, blue, and orange, complemented by its signature orange-yellow cheeks.
This parrot measures about 10 inches (25 cm) from head to tail. While predominantly green, its vibrant appearance is enhanced by orange-yellow cheeks, an olive-yellow breast, and yellow thighs.
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The shoulders and lesser wing coverts display shades of orange-yellow and red. Its wings feature mostly black feathers, and the middle tail feathers are tipped with blue, while other tail feathers have yellow patterns on their inner sides.
The parrot’s distinct look is completed by a black hood on its head, a black bill, and a white ring around its eyes.
Female orange-cheeked parrots reach sexual maturity at one year old, while males mature at two years. Juveniles have paler coloring, with olive green mixed with brown on their foreheads, nape, cheeks, and chin.
These birds are primarily found in the Amazonian Andes, thriving in humid lowland forests in the northwestern, southwestern, and south-central regions of the Amazon Basin.
Their range extends across Brazil, southern Venezuela, southern Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and eastern Colombia, with a preference for upland forested areas.
In the wild, orange-cheeked parrots feed on seeds, fruits, and wasp larvae, often foraging in the forest canopy or just below it.
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