Subject: Seward Park Parrots
Date: Jul 09 13:17:46 1997
From: "Hamish G. Spencer" - h.spencer at otago.ac.nz
Dear Tweeters,
Apologies if this is the wrong sort of enquiry to send you your list, but I
haven't been able to get help anywhere else.
I was recently in Seattle, and in Seward Park saw several (at least
20) noisy parrots which I have not been able to identify. They were
apparently breeding, going in and out of holes high up in trees.
Basically they were green with a red forehead and a prominent white eye
ring. Compared to the species in the National Geographic Guide, they were
most like the Red-crowned Parrot, but there was less red on the crown (the
red
was only above and in front of the eye) and I saw no red on the wing, except
at the top (as in the Thick-billed Parrot). There were possibly flecks of
red
on the throat. The bill was pale and the under-tail yellowish green (and
possibly longer than the Red-crowned Parrot). I never had close views and
the
light was awful (an overcast Seattle spring morning).
Can anyone tell me what species I saw. Are they considered to be
established?
Thanks, Hamish Spencer
Hamish G. Spencer Phone: +64-3-479 7981
Department of Zoology Fax: +64-3-479 7584
University of Otago Email: h.spencer at otago.ac.nz
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand