Photo: Peter Tan / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Parrots

Black-headed Parrot

Pionites melanocephalus

Black-headed Parrot (Pionites melanocephalus) — Parrots & Cockatoos of South America.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Brazil Birds of Colombia Birds of Ecuador Birds of the United Kingdom Birds of Peru Birds of the United States Birds of New South Wales Birds of England Birds of Lancashire

By family

Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Australia Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Brazil Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Colombia Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Ecuador Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of the United Kingdom Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of Peru Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of the United States Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of New South Wales Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of England

See what's near you right now

The Black-headed Parrot (Pionites melanocephalus) is a member of the Psittacidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 149 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Psittaciformes
Family Psittacidae African & New World Parrots
Genus Pionites
Species melanocephalus

Where it lives

Northern Amazonia

South America

Quick facts

Weight: 149 g
Diet: Seed-eaters
Family: Psittacidae
Order: Psittaciformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Black-headed Parrot is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Black-headed Parrot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Black-headed Parrot (Pionites melanocephalus) is a species of bird in the Psittacidae family, part of the order Psittaciformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA n Amazonia.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 149 g, with a wing length of about 13.5 cm and a tail of around 6.9 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.9 million km².

Songs & calls

Black-headed Parrot — Flight call

Recorded by Tristan Guillebot de Nerville Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Black-headed Parrot?

The Black-headed Parrot is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 149 g.

Where does the Black-headed Parrot live?

The Black-headed Parrot is found across South America with a range covering SA n Amazonia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Black-headed Parrot belong to?

The Black-headed Parrot (Pionites melanocephalus) belongs to the Psittacidae family, in the order Psittaciformes.

What does the Black-headed Parrot eat?

The Black-headed Parrot is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Does the Black-headed Parrot migrate?

The Black-headed Parrot is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Black-headed Parrot endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Black-headed Parrot make?

1 real field recording of the Black-headed Parrot — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Black-headed Parrot's range?

The Black-headed Parrot has a mapped global range of about 2.9 million km².