The yellow-eared parrot is a vulnerable parrot found in the Andes of Colombia. It was thought to be extinct up until April 1999, when a group of researchers that were sponsored by ABC and Fundación Loro Parque, discovered a total of 81 individuals in the Colombian Andes. It is currently enlisted as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Its current population trend is increasing, in part due to conservation measures implemented to protect the existing populations of the species. It is closely associated with the wax palm.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs in montane cloud forests of the Central and parts of the Western Andes in Colombia, especially where stands of wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) remain. It uses forest edges, secondary forests, and agricultural mosaics that retain mature wax palms. The species nests in cavities of dead or senescent wax palms and roosts communally. Habitat fragmentation limits movement between subpopulations, making connectivity of palm-rich valleys crucial.
Altitude Range
1200–3400 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Once feared extinct, the yellow-eared parrot was rediscovered in 1999 in the Colombian Andes and has since rebounded thanks to intensive conservation. It is tightly linked to the Andean wax palm, using old palms for nesting cavities and roosts. Community outreach and protection of wax palms (now Colombia’s national tree) have been pivotal to its recovery.
Panorama of the Cocora valley with wax palms
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
strong flier with rapid wingbeats and direct flights between valleys
Social Behavior
Typically found in small to medium flocks that roost communally in wax palms. Pairs are monogamous and nest in natural cavities of mature or dead wax palms. Breeding colonies may contain several pairs using nearby palms within the same grove.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are loud, ringing screeches and rolling, nasal notes that carry across valleys. Contact calls are given frequently in flight, while perched birds exchange excited chatter within the flock.
Plumage
Predominantly green with a distinctive bright yellow patch on the ear coverts and cheeks; underparts slightly lighter green. Flight feathers show bluish tones and the tail is long and tapered. The plumage is sleek, with a subtle contrast between darker upperparts and paler underparts.
Diet
Feeds mainly on fruits, seeds, and pulp of various Andean trees, with a strong preference for wax palm fruits when available. It also takes buds and flowers seasonally. Flocks travel between fruiting trees and may spend long periods foraging quietly in the canopy.
Preferred Environment
Primarily forages in the mid- to upper canopy of cloud forests and in palm-rich forest edges. Uses remnant palms in pastures and secondary growth when continuous forest is scarce.
