Dusky-billed Parrotlet illustration
Birdsong field guide

Dusky-billed Parrotlet

Forpus modestus

A small, social Neotropical parrot characterized by its dark upper mandible and sexual dimorphism. It is primarily found in the canopy and edges of humid lowland forests throughout the Amazon Basin.

What it sounds like

A series of high-pitched, metallic 'tsit' notes and rapid, shrill twittering delivered during flight.

Reference call, compare with what you heard
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Rec. JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA · BrazilCC BY-NC-SAXeno-canto

Field notes

  • Distinguished from most other parrotlets by its dark gray to brownish-black upper mandible rather than a pale one.
  • The species is sexually dimorphic; males possess striking cobalt-blue markings on the rump and wings, while females are almost entirely green.
  • Highly gregarious in nature, they are often observed in noisy, fast-moving flocks of 20 to 50 individuals.
  • They are known to visit 'cly licks' or mineral licks to ingest soil, which may help neutralize toxins in their seed-based diet.
  • Nesting occurs in tree cavities, often utilizing old woodpecker holes or hollows within arboreal termite mounds.
Habitat
Lowland tropical rainforest, forest edges, and seasonally flooded várzea forests.
Range
Amazon Basin, encompassing parts of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela.

Similar & commonly confused birds

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