The scarlet-shouldered parrotlet, also known as the red-winged parrotlet or Huet's parrotlet, is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela, possibly in Suriname, and as a vagrant to Trinidad and Tobago.
Region
Amazon Basin and Guiana Shield
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Venezuela and the Guianas through Amazonian Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia into northern and central Brazil, with possible presence in Suriname and occasional vagrants to Trinidad and Tobago. It inhabits lowland tropical rainforest, including terra firme and seasonally flooded várzea, and frequents forest edges and clearings with fruiting trees. The species primarily uses the mid- to upper canopy and can be locally nomadic following food resources.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the red-winged parrotlet or Huet's parrotlet, this small canopy parrot is often detected by its sharp calls as it zips over the forest. The scarlet shoulder patch can be hidden when perched but flashes vividly in flight. It is elusive and often nomadic in response to fruiting trees, which makes it sporadically recorded even where it occurs.
Temperament
wary and fast-moving
Flight Pattern
swift, direct flight with rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in small, tight flocks or pairs moving through or above the canopy. Nests in tree cavities and is believed to use arboreal termite mounds in some areas. Local movements track fruit availability, leading to irregular presence at any given site.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are sharp, high-pitched whistles and thin, ringing notes, often given in rapid series during flight. Vocalizations carry well over the canopy and are key to detection.
Plumage
Compact, predominantly green parrotlet with a bright scarlet patch on the lesser wing-coverts that is often concealed when perched. Primaries show bluish tones with darker tips; underwings can show yellowish to olive hues. Bill is pale horn to grayish, and overall plumage is smooth and unbarred.
Diet
Feeds mainly on small fruits, berries, and seeds, including figs and fruits of melastomes and Cecropia. Also takes flower buds and blossoms when available. Foraging is typically rapid and mobile, with birds pausing briefly to pluck fruit before moving on.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the mid- to upper canopy of mature rainforest, forest edges, and semi-open areas with fruiting trees. It may descend to secondary growth and clearings when certain trees are in fruit.
