The maroon-fronted parrot is a large, macaw-like parrot. It is dark green with a dark red shoulder and a maroon forehead and eye-stripe. Its underside of the wings and tail appear to be black when it is in flight. It makes a high, rolling cr-a ak sound. Groups sound similar to the acorn woodpecker if they are heard from a distance.
Region
Sierra Madre Oriental
Typical Environment
Occurs in montane pine–oak forests and mixed conifer woodlands of northeastern Mexico, primarily in Nuevo León, Coahuila and adjacent Tamaulipas. It favors rugged landscapes with nearby limestone cliffs used for roosting and nesting. Birds range widely to feed, moving along ridges and across canyons to reach productive pine stands. Seasonal and altitudinal movements occur in response to cone and acorn availability.
Altitude Range
2000–3500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Endemic to the high pine–oak mountains of northeastern Mexico, this parrot nests communally in cavities and crevices of limestone cliffs. It commutes long distances daily between roosts and feeding areas, often traveling in noisy flocks. Habitat loss from logging, fires and grazing has driven declines, and the species is legally protected. Its powerful bill is adapted to prying open tough pine cones to reach the seeds inside.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
strong, direct flight with deep wingbeats; capable of soaring over canyons
Social Behavior
Highly gregarious outside the breeding season, forming noisy flocks that travel between feeding areas and communal roosts. Nests colonially on limestone cliffs, using cavities and ledges; pairs are monogamous and defend only the immediate nest area. Roosting is communal year-round, enhancing vigilance and information sharing about food sources.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Vocalizations are loud, rolling, and piercing, often rendered as a high, rolling cra-a-ak. Flocks produce a chorus of chatter and harsh calls that can resemble the distant chattering of acorn woodpeckers.
