Gene, these parakeets are definitely confusing, as there are several rather
similar-looking species, and the subspecific variation within some of them
confuses the issue even more. I've been going by the descriptions in both
Forshaw's Parrots of the World and the recent volume on same by Juniper and
Parr, also checking with some of the Neotropical guides. Scarlet-fronted is
my best guess, although some individuals within the flock have just about
the right amount of red for Crimson-fronted, and it was this type that I
photographed years ago and made me think they were Crimson-fronted. But
immature Scarlet-fronted have less red, and there is variation in that
species depending on what subspecies it is, so it's kind of a mess, and it's
not absolutely certain that all the birds are the same species. But
definitely some of them have too much red to be Crimson-fronted. When I
looked at a flock last winter, I saw quite a bit of variation in the amount
of red on the head - proof of breeding?

The two species are also different in size, and the largest subsp. of
Scarlet-fronted (the one with red on the wings) is supposed to be 40 cm in
length, while Crimson-fronted is supposed to be 26-28, and we should be able
to see that difference. Although it's been a couple of decades since I've
seen wild individuals of either species, so I don't have a good feeling for
size, the birds I've seen around here look closer to 40 cm.

Scarlet-fronted is more likely to have red on the thighs (not always easy to
see), but apparently some Crimson-fronted are similarly colored.
Crimson-fronted has yellow greater underwing coverts as well as red median
and lesser underwing coverts, while Scarlet-fronted (the subspecies in
question) has only red under the wing; in both species the red shows at the
bend of the wing. I haven't seen any yellow on the birds around here, but
I'll admit some times I was looking at them I wasn't thinking of this. I
would say more careful observations would still be of value, but I
definitely don't think they can be called Crimson-fronted at this time. The
color under the wing might be the only positive mark for individual birds
with less red on the forehead.

Dennis
--
Netta Smith and Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115

----------
>From: "Eugene Hunn" <enhunn at attbi.com>
>To: <nettasmith at attbi.com>, <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Subject: Re: Seattle CBC parakeets
>Date: Wed, Jan 2, 2002, 4:57 PM
>

> Dennis,
>
> Thanks for the clarification. I called them Crimson-fronted (and so reported
> them last year) on the basis of your earlier identification. I had called
> them Green Parakeets on first encounter, but didn't get great looks. I will
> so advise the computer at Cornell. Could you provide us with a brief account
> of the possibilities and how one might distinguish a given individual?
>
> Gene.