The Grey Cheek: Larger Than Life

Looking for a bird that is affectionate, playful, bold, perky, garrulous, intelligent, inquisitive, fearless, mischievous, feisty, and who thinks that it is as large as a macaw all rolled up in an eight inch long frame? Then look no further, the grey-cheeked parakeet is all of those things and more.

Physical Characteristics

Troll & Radar (photo by Sonja)

Weighing in at 50-65 grams, the grey cheek (Brotogeris pyrrhopterus), also known as a pocket parrot, orange-flanked parakeet or orange-winged parakeet, received its name primarily from its distinctive grey cheeks. Its other distinguishing features are a dusky blue crown, brilliant orange feathers on the underwing, iridescent green feathers on its back, outer wing and tail areas, and a lighter, lime-green shade on its belly. Until 6 months of age, grey cheeks have black or spotty, black beaks and are often not as brightly colored as their parents. As they mature, their beaks become horn-colored (Harris). Grey cheeks are not sexually dimorphic and need DNA testing to determine their sex. According to David Alderton ("You and Your Pet Bird," 1992), the average life span of the grey cheek is 15 years, but some grey cheek owners claim they can live well into their 20s if properly cared for, fed a nutritional, balanced diet, and kept out of mischief.

History/Natural Habitat

According to many sources, the grey cheek was imported into the U.S. in large numbers in the 1970s through the fall of 1992 when importation was halted by a federal bill. Susan Hoss' article, "Hooked on Grey Cheeks," states that grey cheeks were bred by A.R. Hood as early as 1935. Robbie Harris, a California bird breeder and author, is the mostly widely written grey cheek breeder to date with a book (1985) and numerous articles on the grey cheek and the Brotogeris family.

In western Ecuador and northwestern Peru, grey cheeks live in arid scrub lands and deciduous forests, making their nests in old, arboreal, termite nests, decaying wood, or in moss nests in hollow, scrub trees. Their diet consists of petals and seeds of Erythrina trees and the flowers, fruit, and seeds of other native plants (Best, et al.). They also relish the occasional visit to local banana plantations (Worth).

Baby grey cheeks were taken from their nests and hand-fed before leaving their native countries. As a result, they were "tame and sweet" upon arrival in the U.S. or shortly thereafter if the hand feeding or weaning was completed at the quarantine station (Harris and Worth). Because they were so popular and plentiful when they were being imported, Harris mentioned that they sold for as little as $25 - $30. In addition, Harris' prediction of soaring prices is now a reality; they currently range in price from $175 - $400.

Grey cheeks are "near threatened"* in the wild (Collar, et al.), and although they are fairly plentiful within their restricted range in Ecuador, they are now extremely scarce in Peru. Some of the threats to grey cheeks are loss of habitat, local trade, and formerly, the international trade, when they were imported into the U.S. by the thousands, seriously depleting the wild population (Best, et al.). This species is considered the most endangered of the Brotogeris family (Best, et al.). Luckily, four areas inhabited by grey cheeks are protected reserves or national forests, though more areas that they inhabit will need protective status if the grey cheek is going to survive in the wild.

Potential as Pets
It is very difficult to class the grey cheek into any one category, since each bird has its own personality/individuality. Hand-fed grey cheeks are generally affectionate, friendly, have gentle dispositions, and love spending most of their time with their human buddies, forming very strong bonds with their owners. They often beg you for attention and love having their heads and neck scratched, burrowing in your clothes-especially pockets, and will often sleep on their owners. Grey cheeks can be one-person birds or can form attachments to others as well depending on how well socialized they are, the individual bird's personality, and how much time is spent working with them. Grey cheeks are extremely loyal to their owners and are "social" birds that like to be included in household activities as much as possible - especially meals. If in doubt, try taking one to the dinner table with you and watch the little guy dive into your plate, head first!

The intelligence of these birds constantly amazes me. They will figure out ways to get what they want or get to where they want to go by the most outrageous means. For instance, no matter where her cage is located in the room, my clipped, female grey cheek will find a way to get to the cockatiel's cage across the room to raid his food dishes. If I leave the room for a minute or two and then return, even though precautions were taken to insure that the bird could not possibly get to the other cage, there she'll be, happily munching away in the tiel's cage making smug, little clucking noises.

These energetic little birds have 'large' personalities compared to their small size. They are often quite fearless, and their curious nature can get them into scrapes with larger birds, with other household pets, and can even endanger their own lives when out wandering if not properly supervised during "out" time (Harris). My bird often falls asleep in my hand or sidles up to my hand to sleep. A word of warning, however, do not allow your grey cheek to sleep with you. Main causes of death in grey cheeks are suffocation, being crushed when the owner rolls on top of the bird, or by being stepped on when they get under foot. Their adventurous, exploratory nature can cause them to be seriously injured as well, which is why I cannot stress supervision too strongly.

While some grey cheeks are very bold and inquisitive, others are very sensitive, quiet, and shy. Though many grey cheeks have gentle dispositions all the time, not all grey cheeks are sweet. Even the sweetest grey cheek can occasionally have mood swings and go through hormonal changes when sexually mature (Mandis), especially during breeding season (Harris). Being very territorial birds in the wild, and in your home, they may yell when strangers (or friends) come to visit. They have been known to be nippy and feisty in protecting their space and can be very possessive of their owners; "watch bird" or "attack bird" comes to mind. They can even attack their owners when one of their mood swings hits them. Some grey cheeks will throw temper tantrums when overly tired or when they do not get their own way. Parent-raised birds or adult, wild-caught, grey cheeks are generally not as sweet as hand-fed birds but can be tamed and won over with a lot of love and patience.

Grey cheeks can also be very opinionated and have their definite likes and dislikes. Grey cheek dislikes range from rustling plastic bags to resenting their owners talking on the phone. My bird will burrow between my neck and the phone and push the phone away from my face when I am talking! Though some grey cheeks are not afraid of anything, some can be afraid of things like rubber gloves, brooms, vacuum cleaners, garden hoses, brooms, dust mops, and spiders to name a few. The owner of a grey cheek named Sherlock told me that her bird seems to see invisible ants crawling on the bed and dives in terror! Their likes can range from spending quality time with their owners to splashing in their bath water.

Diet
The grey cheek's diet should consist of pellets, a good cockatiel seed mixture, fresh water daily, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. If a grey cheek consistently refuses a pelleted diet, then a powdered, avian vitamin supplement should be sprinkled on their fruits and vegetables. (I do not recommend the liquid form in drinking water due to the potential for bacterial growth). Some foods that grey cheeks love to eat or will try are: apples, papaya, cut-up oranges, carrots, melon (not the rind), corn, plums, broccoli, pears, bananas, peaches, brown rice, plain cooked pasta, squash, peas, grapes, cherries, fresh sprouted seeds, cooked beans, cheese, spray millet, green beans, red or green peppers, greens (like spinach, etc.), sweet potatoes, yams or potatoes (peeled & cooked), beets, and multi-grain cereals that are low in sodium, sugar, and fat. There is a lot to choose from. Grey cheeks are notorious fruit hounds and will often ignore other foodstuff when fruit is mixed in with it. I suggest offering them vegetables, grains or starches first and then giving them their fruit treats after they have eaten the other items. As an occasional treat, try air-popped popcorn (no salt or butter), a piece of shredded hard cheese, or a little wheat bread (keep these items to a minimum as they can cause yeast problems in your birds according to my avian vet). A cuttlebone or a mineral block should also be included in their cages at all times. (A note of warning: do not feed fruit pits or seeds as they are toxic).

Housing
A grey cheek can be housed in a medium-sized cage, 16 - 20 inches wide (or square), with bar spacing similar to a cockatiel cage (1/2" - 3/4"). Use a combination of perches (the same diameter as the bar spacing): natural branch perches, wooden dowels or comfort perches, Booda or rope perches, and a cement perch to keep the nails and beak trim. Playpens on the cage tops are often enjoyed by grey cheeks as are a wide variety of toys such as wooden toys, acrylic toys, bells, etc. to keep them entertained. Most grey cheeks--quite the little acrobats--are very playful, will hang from and swing on rope toys, and have the climbing agility of monkeys! They need time out of their cages every day as long as it is supervised. A good variety of toys and leaving a radio on during the day can help to pass the time and relieve boredom when you are at work or school. Bathing is another important part of a grey cheek's life; they love splashing around in a shallow bowl of water. I use a 2"H x 5"W round, plastic bowl which can be found at most pet stores.

Trainability
Sources, including Robbie Harris, indicate that grey cheeks can learn to perform tricks. Some grey cheek owners that I correspond with have also successfully potty-trained their birds. Mine will defecate on a newspaper that I keep handy when I tell her to "go potty" and position her above the paper. However, if I am lax about watching for the potty signals, then she will go wherever she feels like it. When she goes of her own accord to the newspaper and 'goes potty' without a reminder from me, then she will be truly potty trained!

As for their talking ability, Robbie Harris' experience with grey cheeks indicates that they can learn to speak, though she does not rate them in the top percentile of best talkers. A grey cheek breeder from Washington state, Smiles Germeau, says that grey cheeks "[do] have some ability for mimicry but are not known for the speech clarity of their larger [parrot] cousins." A booklet called "The Grey-cheeked Parakeet" (author unknown) states that they "can learn to talk and whistle with ease" and that they can be "avid talkers." Many of my e-mail correspondents have told me that their birds are good talkers as well. Grey cheeks tend to mumble and talk when covered up for the evening or just before they get up in the morning. My bird will say "peek-a-boo" anywhere from 5 - 20 times after she is covered up at night. Any kind of training will take time and patience on the owner's part.

Loudness
When compared to the vocal volume of cockatoos, macaws or some members of the conure family, the grey cheek's squawk is relatively mild. Some grey cheeks are very quiet and can be kept in apartments, though a house would be preferable. According to Harris, when two or more grey cheeks are housed in your home, their "chattering voices can be annoying at times"; however, one grey cheek is not nearly as noisy. Some grey cheek owners are probably muttering to themselves now saying, "what do you mean one grey cheek is relatively quiet? Are you crazy?" 


 
Grey cheeks definitely do know how to scream when they do not get their way, when they crave attention, or when they hear the sound of running water, rattling plastic or paper bags, etc. Visitors to your home can trigger bouts of screaming as well. Dr. Walter J. Rosskopf and other sources state that grey cheeks are "very prone to nuisance screaming." One owner describes this yelling as the "grey cheek war cry." I happen to have a grey cheek who is a screamer and who is the 'queen' of the mood swing. Grey cheeks who are "nuisance screamers," biters, or have other behavioral problems need special handling, but they are definitely worth the effort. There are a number of good articles available on the web and in avian publications that can assist with problem behaviors. It is important to be patient with grey cheeks that do exhibit these tendencies and work on correcting the problem instead of punishing them for their behavior.

In a nutshell, a grey cheek can be the best pet you ever own (or are owned by) even if you happen to have one that is a "mood swinger." Just ask anyone who owns one or has owned one in the past; most all are fiercely loyal to the breed, nearly as loyal as the birds are to them. In my opinion, grey cheeks, though not always predictable, sure are a barrel of fun, keep you on your toes, and bring a lot of joy into your life.

*Update by author: Grey cheeks are considered threatened in the wild and are no longer widely available as pets. There are a few breeders left mostly in Florida or California. Personally, I believe that there should be a cooperative breeding program for these birds so that they don't end up extinct like the Carolina Parakeet (a conure species that was endemic to the eastern United States) that was, among other things, slaughtered to extinction because they foraged on crops). I would recommend another member of the Brotogeris family like the white-wing parakeet or yellow-chevroned (both were formerly called canary-winged parakeets). Small conures like green-cheeked conures or maroon-bellied conures also make good pets and have similar personalities to the grey cheek.

Reprinted from Winged Wisdom with the author's permission.
Copyright © 1998 B.A. Marsh and Winged Wisdom. All rights reserved.

• Alderton, David. You and Your Pet Bird, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1992: 90.
• Best, Brinley J. and Michael Kessler. Biodiversity and Conservation in Tumbesian Ecuador and Peru, Cambridge, UK: Birdlife International, 1995: 49,124,130-131,151,154,163-172,175,187,201. Available full-text online: pages 1-113 | pages 114-218.
• Best, Brinley J., Christopher T. Clarke, Matthew Checker, Amanda L. Broom, Richard M. Thewlis, Will Duckworth and Angus McNab. "Distributional records, natural history notes, and conservation of some poorly known birds from southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru," (Part I) Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club 113, 1993:108-119.
• Best, Brinley J., Niels Krabbe, Christopher T. Clarke, and Amanda L. Best. "Red-masked Parakeet (Aratinga erythrogenys) and Grey-cheeked Parakeet (Brotogeris Pyrrhopterus): Two threatened parrots from Tumbesian Ecuador and Peru?" in Bird Conservation International 5, 1995: 233-250.
• Best, Brinley and Ecuadorian Dry Forest Project. The Threatened Forests of South-West Ecuador: The Final Report of the Ecuadorian Dry Forest Project, 1991, Biosphere Publications.
• Brightsmith, D.J. "Wild Science: Nest Sites of Wild Parrots," Bird Talk, 18 (Feb. 2000): 34-35 (mentions grey cheeks).
• Brightsmith, D.J. "The Wild Side of Brotogeris Parakeets," Bird Breeder On-line, June 1999.
• Brightsmith, D.J. "Nest site shifts from tree cavities to termite mounds I", 2005. Competition, predation and nest niche shifts among tropical cavity nesters: ecological evidence. Journal of Avian Biology 36:74-83.
• Brightsmith, D.J. "Nest site shifts from tree cavities to termite mounds II," 2005. Competition, predation and nest niche shifts among tropical cavity nesters: phylogeny and natural history evolution of parrots (Psittaciformes) and trogons (Trogoniformes). Journal of Avian Biology 36:64-73.
• Brightsmith, D.J. "Nest sites of termitarium nesting birds." 2004. Nest sites of termitarium nesting birds in SE Peru. Neotropical Ornithology 15:319-330.
• Brightsmith, D.J. "Use of arboreal termitaria by nesting birds in the Peruvian Amazon." Condor 102:529-538. 2000.
• Brightsmith, D.J. and Pautrat, L. "Termites y la Coexistencia con Aves Tropicales. Parque Nacional del Manu. En: Xilema. Revista de los Estudiantes de la Facultad de Ciencias Forestales. UNALM. Año 1, No. 1. 1998.
• Brightsmith, D.J. "The roles of predation and competition in nest niche differentiation: evidence from termitarium nesting parrots and trogons." PhD Dissertation. Department of Zoology. Duke University, Durham, NC. 1999. Abstract.
• Clubb, Susan L. "Private Aviculture in Conservation of Neotropical Psittacines" in New World Parrots in Crisis: Solutions from Conservation Biology, ed. Steven R. Beissinger and Noel F.R. Snyder, Washington and London: Smithsonian Institute Press, 1988: 124-127 (portion of article pertains to grey cheeks).
• Collar, N.J. and P. Andrew. Birds to Watch: The ICBP World Checklist of Threatened Birds, Technical Publication No. 8, Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988: 76.
• Collar, N.J. and A.T. Juniper. "Dimensions and Causes of the Parrot Conservation Crisis" in New World Parrots in Crisis: Solutions from Conservation Biology, ed. Steven R. Beissinger and Noel F.R. Snyder, Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1988: 3-21 (portion of article pertains to grey cheeks).
• Harris, Robbie. "Grey-cheeked Parakeets and Other Brotogeris," Neptune City, NJ: T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1985.
• Hoss, Susan. "Hooked on Grey Cheeks," SPBE Journal, (OND 1996): 22-26.
• Mandis, Kathleen. "The Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde Syndrome," The Grey-cheeked Parakeet.
• Meyer de Schauensee, Rodolphe. The Species of Birds of South America and Their Distribution, Norberth, PA: Academy of Natural Sciences, 1966: 129-130 (small section on Brotogeris).
• Parker, Theodore A., III, Thomas S. Schulenberg, Michael Kessler, and Walter H. Wust. "Natural history and conservation of the endemic avifauna in north-west Peru," Bird Conservation International, 5 (1995): 201-231.
• Worth, Gail. "Grey-cheeked Parakeet," ASA Avicultural Bulletin, (June 1993): 10.

Brotogeris: The International Diplomat

by Howard Voren

For the Indian cultures of Central and South America, having a pet bird for the children to enjoy is almost as easy as plucking fruit from a tree. With such vast resources, the choices are endless. One would tend to believe that the choice would vary according to locality or tribal custom. The interesting thing is that regardless of the country or the tribe, the choice for a starter bird is almost always the same: a parakeet.

Here in the United States, the word "parakeet" conjures a completely different image than in the jungles to our south. Here, one immediately envisions the budgie. There, when someone says the word parakeet, he is talking about one of the representatives of the group of small parrots known as Brotogeris. Measuring about 7 inches from the tops of their heads to the tips of their tails, these little Latin diplomats are loved and cherished as pets throughout their range.

Although they are small, they have great presence and can always steal the show with their clown-like antics. Regardless of which type you choose, when hand-raised, they have the perfect personality to charm anyone into realizing the joys of having a bird as a companion.

Housing and Diet

The Brotogeris' small size and relatively wide bodies allows the use of some of the smaller parrot cages that are available. This is assuming that the bird will be spending quite a bit of time sitting on top of and climbing around its domicile.

Its diet should consist of a high-quality cockatiel seed mix or one of the pelleted diets as the mainstay. This should be supplemented on a daily basis with a variety of freshly diced fruits and veggies (don't forget the greens). It's worthwhile learning which foods they like best. These clever characters can easily be taught all types of tricks for treats.

Species

Depending on the book you consult, Brotogeris come in about eight different varieties. Most carry names describing the coloration differences that allow them to be differentiated from their fellow ambassadors in neighboring countries.

The most widely distributed form, and the one that was imported in the greatest numbers in the early days of mass importation, was the canary wing (Brotogeris versicolorus chiriri). This little bundle of joy is bright green and flashes a bright canary-yellow patch of color on the upperside of its wings. This type has the largest range, including the vast majority of South American countries.

Literally thousands of these were imported from Paraguay, where the indigenous Guarani Indians call them "chi-ri-ri." This name comes from the call that they make as the flocks fly through the trees. In accordance with this, the subspecific scientific name chosen by the Scientist who first described them to the rest of the world is chiriri. Although they were all wild-caught, once they were separated from their "buddies" and had their wings clipped, they quickly became tame and affectionate pets.

During the same time period, small quantities of the canary wing's closest look-alike were also imported. This was the white wing (B. versicolorus) from Eastern Peru and Ecuador. With its wings closed, it shows a yellow patch that is just like the canary wing's. The bird is an overall duller shade of green but flashes a big surprise when it opens its wings: The yellow on the wing is replaced by pure white as the colored wing patch moves toward the tip of the wing. White is a very rare color in New World parrots. This bird was always relatively rare in aviculture but is now beginning to gain a small foothold. This is due to the introduction of new bloodlines into aviculture from a wild flock in South Florida. Like the canary wing, it was also released from imported shipments but in much smaller numbers.

The second type of Brotogeris to be imported in large numbers was the grey cheek (B. pyrrhopterus) from the Pacific coast of western Peru and Ecuador. This bird's overall pastel greens, blues and grays make it look a world apart from its cousins.

Grey cheeks were not only the most divergent in coloration, but were also the first Brotogeris in modern times to be imported exclusively as hand-raised babies. These birds were harvested seasonally from the nests of their wild parents and hand-fed until they were old enough to export. Due to this, the grey cheek is the bird that is responsible for the vast popularity that the entire family enjoys in the pet trade today. Unfortunately, grey cheeks have not proven to be reliable breeders, and since importation has ended, they have become difficult to find.

The next best-known member of the group is the orange chin (B. jugularis). This bird is the family representative throughout Central America. These highly intelligent and gregarious clowns have bright-green body feathers with a bronze-brown patch of color on the sides of their wings. True to their name, they sport a bright-orange patch of feathers under the lower mandible.

Those that were imported came in from Honduras and were all hand-raised. Unfortunately, most importers were only interested in the highly valuable yellow-naped Amazons that were being collected from the same areas. They chose not to take the health risk of bringing in these relatively inexpensive birds with the yellow napes. Due to this, only a few shipments of several hundred birds each were imported during this short time period. Fortunately, several breeding facilities, including my own, are producing them regularly on a yearly basis.

Quite similar in appearance to the orange chin is its Bolivian cousin, the cobalt wing (B. cyanoptera). They do not have the same rich green coloration on the body, but this is more than made up for with the cobalt-blue coloration displayed when they open their wings. Imported in very small numbers during the early 1980s, most of the birds wound up in the hands of bird breeders. Although this bird has a foothold in several breeding facilities, it will be a while before there are sufficient numbers to reroute them from the breeders to the pet trade.

The rarest of the "available" members of this clan is the golden wing (B. chrysopterus) from Surinam, South America. These birds have an unusual deep dark-green body coloration that is different than the green seen on any other New World parrot. They are highlighted by a bright-orange patch of color on their wings when in flight. As with all the other members of the family, they are incredibly entertaining and affectionate pets. Although this bird has proved to be difficult to breed in most aviaries, we at the Institute have been lucky enough to have several pairs that produce regularly every year.

The remaining two members of this group are the plain color (B. tircia) and the tui (B. sanctithomae). The plain color is a bird from Brazil that was never imported. As its name implies, it lacks the flash of color that all the other members of the group have somewhere on their bodies. The tui, on the other hand, was imported many years ago from Colombia. This bird looks like a miniature yellow-fronted Amazon and makes a marvelous pet. It is probably the most highly sought-after bird of the group. Unfortunately, during the time that they were imported, there was very little interest in captive-breeding. Due to this, they have all but disappeared. There are still a few pairs in competent hands, and we are all hoping for the best.

Howard Voren in the founder and director of the Voren Research Institute for Psittacultural Science and has bred several species of Brotogeris. Article originally appeared in the 1996/97 Birds USA. This is copyrighted material, reprinted with the author's permission. This article may not be reprinted without written consent from the author.

Brotogeris: The Masters of Adaptation

by Howard Voren

If any New World parrots could be called the "masters of adaptation," it would be those of the genus Brotogeris. Whenever you travel through Central or South America, the representatives of the parrot family that you are almost guaranteed to experience are those from this unique group. Their high visibility stems from the fact that they enjoy flying in large flocks and soar as a group through any areas that have stands of large trees.

"Not so unusual," you say. Well, it is if the stands of large trees are in parks in large cities. These are the only parrots that seem to pay no attention as to whether the trees in which they play and feed are in the city or in the jungle.

As long as there is still a supply of seeds, fruits, berries or blossoms, they will continue to return to their favorite feeding sites, day after day. The general rule that "if people move in, the parrots move out" has been largely ignored by these little wonders.

Flock Behavior

Although individually they are small enough that they could never attain the description of being noisy. As a group of 100 or 200 they can more than attract your attention with their excited chattering.

I will never forget that during one of my trips to Central America I spent 10 minutes staring incessantly upward into the foliage of a 100-foot-tall ficus tree. I could hear the chatter two blocks away, but I couldn't see them. All of a sudden, like a huge green cloud, they burst out of the canopy all at once and flew off to another large tree a few blocks away. They chattered as rapidly as they flew. They were oblivious to the fact that they were in a major metropolitan area. After all, at the 100-foot level, there was little concern regarding us humans.

Habitat

Brotogeris have found a niche and held on successfully in almost every Central and South American country. A group of escapees have even "colonized" in and around a metropolitan area of South Florida, called Coconut Grove. As well as they get along in the presence of humans, they do as well or better in uninhabited areas. All seven species of this small green parrot are common throughout most of their range.

Brotogeris have also shown their talent for versatility in the fact that they are one of the only members of the parrot family that has adapted to more than one type of nesting habitat. They not only test in tree hollows, as do most all other psittacines, but they will also create their own nests as an alternative when other hollows are not available. The most common place for this alternative nest is an arboreal termitarium (a termite's nest in a tree).

In Central and South America, there are termites that will build nests in trees. These appear as large brown mounds of paper mâché, sitting in the crook of a tree limb. The birds will excavate tunnels and make nesting chambers in the center of the termite mounds. They will lay their eggs in their "custom-built" nesting chambers. The Brotogeris are also the only parrot-type birds I know of that have been rumored to, on rare occasions, have females sharing their nests with one another.

Size, Color And Availability

Brotogeris are all quite similar in body size. Although their length ranges from 6½ to 9 inches, the bulk of the differences are in the length of the tail.

Plain parakeet. The longest species, the plain parakeet (Brotogeris tirica), has the longest tail; it measures one half of the bird's body length. As far as I know, this bird is either quite rare or nonexistent in American aviculture.

Unlike all of its cousins, it lacks a highly colored area on its body. This highly colored area is what has lead to most of the common names given to members of this group. Because of this the bird is called the plain parakeet. It is very common is eastern Brazil where, in true Brotogeris fashion, it not only populates the open country but also the large parks and botanical gardens in the big cities.

Orange-chinned parakeet. The species that has the most northerly range is called the orange-chinned parakeet (B. jugularis). The small bright-orange patch of feathers on its upper mandible is what has given this member its name. Orange chins also have a stronger yellowish tinge to the green feathers of the breast than other members of the group. Their range extends from southern Mexico, south through Central America into the South American countries of Colombia and Venezuela.

Although they have a very long range, the majority of those that were imported into the United States were from Honduras. They were never imported in large quantities. Those that were imported were taken from their nests as babies and hand-fed until independence. Because of this, they made such wonderful pets that most of them never resurfaced into the breeder trade. The few that were set up for breeding are producing well, but their production falls very short of the large demand. They are an old favorite that has now become quite difficult to obtain.

Grey-cheeked parakeet. The one member of this group that was hand-raised in the greatest quantity for export to the U.S. was the grey-cheeked parakeet (B. pyrrhopterus) from Ecuador and Peru. A large area of light gray on the cheeks is set off by a beautiful blue-green coloration on its head.

Literally tens of thousands of these birds were imported from Peru. In fact, during the "heyday" of their importation, they were commonly called Peruvian grey cheeks. It was not uncommon for shipments of up to 1,000 birds to land in Miami, Florida, from Lima, Peru, to be quarantined in USDA-run facilities. As with all legally imported birds, they were quarantined for 30 days before they were released to the pet trade.

Because they were hand-raised before they were exported from Peru, they made excellent pets. At one point in time, they were, by far, the most popular pet bird in America next to the budgie and the cockatiel.

For a few years before their importation was ended, waiting for the Peruvian grey cheek season became a yearly tradition for pet-bird retailers. Unfortunately, this species has failed to maintain itself in captive-breeding programs. As the importation era slips further and further into the past, they are becoming more and more difficult to find.

Canary-winged parakeet. The bird most commonly thought of when one thinks of this group is called the canary-winged parakeet (B. versicolurus chiriri). The scientific name of this subspecies, chiri, comes from the name that the indigenous Amazonians gave to the bird. "Chi-ri-ri, chi ri, chi-ri-ri" is a very accurate rendition of their chattering call as they fly through the jungles. Having a range that involves the majority of South America, they were by far one of the most commonly imported birds into the U.S.

Its outstanding color characteristic is the canary-yellow patch of color that it sports on its wings. This bird carried several different popular names in the U.S. pet trade. Among them were "bee bee" and "pocket parrot."

Although it was imported in the largest numbers, most of these numbers were brought in before there was an interest in captive propagation. In short, when they were available, no one cared to set them up for breeding. Because they were wild-caught rather than taken from the nest and hand-raised, they never developed the reputation for pet quality that the grey cheek and the orange chin maintained. Now that the entire group is more fully appreciated, there is a new demand for them as pets. Until recently, it was very difficult to obtain good specimens for breeding purposes. Almost no one was breeding them, and those who were still around were too old to be used in a breeding program. In a unique turn of events, the birds that are now being used to populate American breeding farms so hand-raised babies can be had for the pet trade are captured from wild flocks that have established themselves in Florida. This is also true of the well-known but relatively rare white-winged parakeet.

White-winged parakeet. Very similar to the canary wing, the white wing subspecies (B. v. versicolurus) differs in having the majority of the large colored area of its wing white instead of yellow. They are duller green in body coloration than chiriri and still show yellow as their patch of wing color when their wings are closed. When they open their wings for flight, however, a large impressive area of white is displayed. This was a bird that was always very rare in American aviculture until recently. There is now an established wild flock of these in South Florida. Thanks to this, American aviculturists are getting a second chance at establishing this unusually colored bird.

Cobalt-winged parakeet. This one member of the family that is the most commonly misidentified is the cobalt-winged parakeet (B. cyanoptera). Although it is named for the extensive area of blue coloration on its wings, it also has the orange "chin" coloration of the orange-chinned parakeet.

Although its range extends from southern Colombia and Venezuela, south to northern Bolivia, those that were imported into the U.S. were from Bolivia. This bird was never imported in large numbers. The greatest percentage of those that came into the U.S. were sold to those who wished to breed them; however, some did go to the pet trade. Those who are lucky enough to have them in their homes as pets are usually under the misconception that they have orange chins, not cobalt wings. One easy method for determining the difference is the coloration on the head. Only cobalt wings will have yellow feathers around the nostrils.

Golden-winged parakeet. The rarest from the standpoint of numbers imported, is the golden-winged parakeet (B. chrysopterus). Although they are commonly from the area of Brazil, in and around the Amazon River, the ones that are here in the U.S. were imported from Surinam.

Their name stems from the bright, golden orange patch of feathers on their wings. This brilliant color is highly visible when they are in flight. Their overall body coloration is a very unusual shade of dark green. This shade of green is never seen on any other Central or South American parrots. At the Voren Research Institute, we have made a concerted effort to establish this uniquely colored bird. We now have 20 pairs that include the offspring of our original group of 15 unrelated birds.

Tui parakeet. By far, the most highly sought after by connoisseurs of the group is the tui parakeet (B. sanctithomae sanctithomae). These delightful, little birds look like miniature yellow-fronted Amazon parrots. They are a beautiful bright green in body coloration and have a large patch of yellow that covers the forehead. The tui is distributed along the entire length of the Amazon River as well as its tributaries. This bird is the favorite childhood pet of the tribal peoples that live along the Amazon. In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, before there was the requirement of quarantine in the U.S., these birds were imported in fair numbers. Unfortunately, this was a time in history, when there was no interest in breeding Brotogeris in captivity. Shortly after this, the countries that were permitting their export banned all exportation of birds. At present, the bird is almost nonexistent in the U.S.

Master aviculturist Robbie Harris from California has been lucky enough to obtain a few birds and is making a valiant effort to re-establish them in captivity.

The entire family does well on a seed-based diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. We feed sprouted beans along with a "cockatiel" seed mixture. They also get diced carrots, apple and corn. We dust these items with wheat grass powder (green food supplement) and an all-inclusive vitamin and mineral supplement. This diet has kept them strong, healthy and productive for many years.

Pellets can also be considered if you don't have the time to feed them a varied diet. They are not only very hardy birds, they also have the ability to be quite long-lived for their size. I was personally acquainted with one that lived to the ripe old age of 35 years.

Whether you would like to have them as a lifetime companion or as a breeding investment, sharing your home with members of the Brotogeris family is a rewarding experience.

Reprinted with permission.

Howard Voren in the founder and director of the Voren Research Institute for Psittacultural Science and has bred several species of Brotogeris for the last 10 years. Article originally appeared in the May 1997 issue of Bird Talk. This is copyrighted material, reprinted with the author's permission. This article may not be reprinted without written consent from the author.

The Grey-Cheeked Parakeet and Its Family

by Robbie Harris

The ever popular grey-cheeked parakeet is part of a genus of birds called Brotogeris. This group has seven species, with the grey cheek now being the most popular.

More than 30 years ago, the bee-bee parrot (also known as the orange-chinned parakeet) was the member of the Brotogeris genus that most people sought out as a pet. Bee bees were offered for sale in most pet shops, and even today, people over the age of 70 are still calling me looking for bee-bee parrots. This bird was a very popular little pet back in its time. The orange-chinned parakeet also goes by the name of the Tovi parakeet, but the bee bee nickname is the most common name used for this bird.

Many years later, over a decade ago, a new little bird was imported here into the United States. These cute little birds stole the hearts of almost everyone who came into contact with them. The birds would beg for human attention, practically screaming, "Hold me, hug me, love me!" For years, the import stations would sell out quickly--many times in just a couple of days. The name of this charming import was the Grey-cheeked parakeet.

The grey cheek imports were hand-reared babies, and that is the only reason they came into the country so tame. Grey cheeks are far from naturally tame birds. A wild-caught adult bird can be just as nippy and feisty as a wild lovebird imported grey cheeks were very young babies that were hand-reared in Ecuador and Peru. For years, the chicks were hand-fed right here in U.S. quarantine stations by employed hand-feeders. Babies were hand-fed a baby food formula two to three times a day until they were able to eat solid foods on their own.

The general care and breeding of all Brotogeris is the same. All the birds in this family make excellent pets when purchased as very young hand-fed babies. The most commonly available is the grey cheek, followed by the canary wing, the Tovi, the cobalt wing, and the golden wing. Until very recently, these were the only Brotogeris being bred in the United States. Now, the Tui parakeet--the most beautiful to me--is being bred here, too (by me). These birds will not be available as pets for many years; aviculturists must establish pairs of them for future breeding. Establishing breeding pairs first and selling pets second is very important for all uncommon species.

Some of the young and adult Brotogeris will tame with much patience and time, but nothing can compare to a hand-reared baby. These by far make the best pets. Grey cheeks and their relatives are highly intelligent, which has contributed to their popularity as house pets. They are very bold, and even though they are only 7 to 8 inches long with a weight of 50 to 60 grams, they will challenge a parrot three times their size.

Members of the Brotogeris genus often become very attached to their owners. Their chattering voices can become loud at times (this happens more frequently with grey cheeks than with the other species). A single bird kept as a pet, however, is usually not very noisy. Most birds learn to vocalize because their new owners run to pick them up or remove them from their cages at the first sound of a peep, thinking, "How cute, he's calling me." Soon, the bird learns to expect attention when it calls. If the bird is ignored, it just continues to scream louder and longer, hoping someone will hear and come to play with it like they used to do. Remember, birds, like all animals and people, learn by association. Take your pet out to play when it is being quiet, never when it is being noisy. Don't teach your bird to call you, and you could end up with a quieter pet.

When purchasing a young, weaned bird, try to be sure of its age. Once the babies of most Brotogeris are fully feathered and weaned, they resemble their adult parents. If you are a novice with birds, you may find it difficult to determine the true age of your fully feathered pet; many young and older birds look very much the same. Healthy baby Brotogeris are feathered by the time they are 7 weeks of age. The most important thing is to buy your bird from a reliable source, whether it's a breeder or pet shop.


Grey-cheeked Parakeet (Brotogeris pyrrhopterus)

The most common of all Brotogeris, the grey cheek has also been referred to as the pocket parrot, the orange-flanked and the orange-winged parakeet. This brightly colored green bird is paler on its underparts. The gray chin, forehead and cheeks are what give this bird its name. The primary coverts are blue, and the crown is bluish. The grey cheek is the only Brotogeris with a bright-orange patch on its underwing coverts, which sometimes can just be seen as a touch of orange on the shoulder tips. When a grey cheek lifts its wing, the large orange area can clearly be seen.

Very young chicks are easy to identify by their prominent black beaks. The black-colored beak will soon turn to the horn color of an adult, usually by the time the chick reaches 6 months of age. Range: Western Ecuador and northwestern Peru


Canary-winged Parakeet (B. versicolurus chiriri)

This is a bright apple-green-colored bird, lighter colored on its underparts. A large band of bright canary-yellow color appears on the secondary coverts. This, of course, gives this bird its common name. There is a slight tinge of blue to the flight feathers. I often see canary wings offered for sale as domestic babies. Range: Parts of Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina


White-winged Parakeet (B. v. versicolurus)

This bird, the nominate race of its species, differs from the canary wing in many ways, almost so much that it seems hard to believe they are just different subspecies rather than entirely different species. First of all, the white wing's green color is darker and slightly more olive-colored. The white-winged parakeet also has a canary-yellow color on the wing and a large patch of white as well. With this bird's wings folded, the white often does not show. White wings also have less facial feathering around the beak and eye areas.

My son Larry has a domestic white wing for a pet, which I raised. This little bird just adores him and will fly to him when he calls her. Larry plays with her as if she were a toy. She'll lie on her back and stand on her head, and stay in that position until he stands her back upright. She has complete trust in him. She also speaks a few words that were not taught to her, things she heard and picked up. Her favorite word is "Larry," which she yells when he is not around. Range: Parts of Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru


Orange-chinned Parakeet (B. jugularis)

Back in the 1950s, 1960s and even the 1970s, it seemed like anyone who knew anything about a bird knew what a bee-bee parrot (also known as the Tovi parakeet) was; these birds were commonly kept as pets. Many were brought in the country and tamed for pets. They are mainly a bright-green color with lighter shades of green on the underparts. A bright-orange spot can be seen right under the lower mandible, which gives this bird its common name. A large yellow patch can be found on the underwing coverts. There is a blue tinge to the crown, lower back, rump, thighs, and under the tail and flight feathers. Range: Areas of Mexico, Columbia, and Venezuela


Cobalt-winged Parakeet (B. cyanoptera cyanoptera)

Like the orange-chinned parakeet, this bird has an orange chin spot. The forehead is yellow, and the crown is a bluish color. This birds earns its common name from the wing flights and primary coverts, which are a bright cobalt blue. The central tail feathers also have blue, and the underside of the tail is a yellowish green. The overall color is a dark, almost olive, green.

Back in 1983, I received the first U.S. breeding award from the American Federation of Aviculture for breeding the cobalt-winged parakeet. Since then, I've bred large numbers of these beautiful birds, with my third generation now producing young. Range: Part of Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia


Golden-winged Parakeet (B. chrysopterus chrysopterus)

This bird gets its name from the small orange patch on its outer primary wing coverts. A brownish-orange chin spot is present just under the lower mandible. The forehead has a band of dark brown. The main color of this bird is a very dark shade of green. The crown has a blue tinge, as do the cheeks and flights. This is the shortest Brotogeris, at about 6 1/2 to 7 inches, and the stoutest. Range: Areas of Venezuela, Guiana, and Brazil


Tui Parakeet (B. sanctithomae sanctithomae)

This beautiful bright-green bird has a forehead that is yellow, and this yellow extends to the crown. It looks very much like a small 7-inch version of the yellow-crowned Amazon parrot.

Most Brotogeris have a light-colored beak when mature, but the Tui has a very distinctive chestnut-colored beak. The wing flights are a bluish green, brighter blue on the primary coverts. A tinge of blue can be found on the nape, cheeks and undersides of the wing flights.

My young chicks, when just feathered, had dark eyes. As they grew, now more than 6 months of age, their eyes have lightened. When mature, the iris is a glowing golden color. All other Brotogeris have very dark eyes.

Most books state that there is no breeding of this species in captivity. I am breeding these birds and hope to get breeding pairs well established. The adorable chicks are a real challenge to retain for breeding stock; they would have made beautiful pets. I am resisting this temptation, however, to create and establish large numbers of breeding pairs before I ever consider them suitable for the pet market. Range: Areas of Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia


Plain Parakeet (B. tirica)

This bird is also known as the all-green parakeet, with this title describing the bird's basic overall color. The plain parakeet lacks the color of other Brotogeris. A bluish tinge is on the hind neck, mantle and underside of the tail. The upper back and wing coverts have a brownish tinge. This bird is not available in the United States. A blue mutation is part of a bird collection in Brazil. Range: Brazil

Brotogeris Diet

A good diet with a variety of foods is very important for these birds to help them maintain excellent health. An improper diet can result in vitamin deficiencies that lower birds' immunities toward diseases.

A well-balanced diet for Brotogeris must contain a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many diets on the pet market today are called complete diets--such as pellet-type diets. As nutritious as these foods might be, Brotogeris need fresh fruits and vegetable in their daily diet. Even if the manufacturers of pelleted diets insist their foods are complete, please offer fruits and vegetables along with the pellets. My birds have done very well on their diet for 20 years now. The following is what I feed my breeding birds as well as my pets.

As a staple food, I offer a seed mix containing a medium-size sunflower seed, safflower seed and a parakeet mix (containing 42-percent canary seed). This food is available to my birds at all times. A good cockatiel seed mix should work just fine for pet grey cheeks or other Brotogeris. Included in their dietary needs is fresh clean water and a mineral block. The mineral block I use is the all-in-one mineral block that contains grit, oyster shell and minerals. Each day, various fruits and vegetables can be offered to your birds. Keep in mind different individual birds prefer different things. The various foods I offer are apples, oranges, peas (fresh or frozen), corn (fresh or frozen), beets, carrots, and greens (spinach, collards or Swiss chard). These can usually be found year round at your grocery store. Additional foods, when in season, are also good to include. These foods include grapes, cherries, plums, pears, bananas, peaches, squash, papaya, and sweet potato (baked and cooled). Other nutritious items include multi-grain wheat bread and breakfast cereals.

Never feed avocado. I know of many birds that have died after eating this fruit. Never use spoiled or overripe produce. To ensure that no insecticides remain, make certain all fruits and vegetables are thoroughly washed before you offer them to your birds. Also purchase a good bird vitamin and lightly dust it on fruits and vegetables at each feeding.


Housing

A simple, safe cage--like one for a budgie or cockatiel--will do just fine for a single pet grey cheek or any other Brotogeris. If using a cockatiel cage, make sure the bars are spaced close enough together so that the bird cannot get its head between them. Many birds injure themselves or worse by getting their heads caught.

Playgrounds with toys and various foods make great play areas for pet grey cheeks. Be sure to supervise your curious pet when it is out of its cage. Grey cheeks are known to get themselves into mischief, so keep a close eye on your pet. If enough toys and treats are kept on their play areas, it helps keep these energetic parrots from wandering off. Many good, healthy treats are available at pet shops, and they should keep your pet happily entertained.

Other interesting treats that seem to amuse my birds are different types of breakfast cereals. Trix now comes in different colors and shapes that seem to generate interest from birds. Other fun cereals come in O's, such as Cheerios.

Breeding

Both sexes of Brotogeris species look alike, so picking pairs can prove difficult. I have all my birds surgically sexed by a competent veterinarian who specializes in birds. Yes, problems can arise from surgical sexing, and a bird can be lost, but this is very rare. I suggest that people do not surgically sex their pets, but have the sex determined by other methods available, such as DNA and feather chromosome analysis.

Sometimes the hens seem more petite in the head and face, and the males may be a bit larger in size. Keep in mind this, too, is not always true when picking out birds; there are many large hens and some very small males.

In the wild, Brotogeris nest in termite mounds found in trees. Aviculturists are unable to come up with these mounds in captivity, so we use the next best thing: wooden nest boxes. I line my Brotogeris nest boxes with a soft type of cork that is used for ceiling and wall covering. This cork comes in 12-inch square tiles. I can easily break these tiles into any size when working with them. I attach the cork lining with a nontoxic glue, such as a white school glue.

At the bottom of the nest box, I place a 2- to 4-inch layer of white pine shavings. The birds will toss out any or all that they do not want inside, so don't worry if your Brotogeris thinks you added too many shavings and send them flying everywhere.

I breed and house only one pair of birds per cage. Quarreling can and does happen when two pairs occupy the same cage. These birds are very capable of killing one another when fighting over territory, so keep this in mind when setting them up for breeding. I live in Southern California where the weather is somewhat mild all year. My birds do well outdoors all through the year. In areas where the weather is good, these birds do just fine outdoors, but they will breed well indoors too. I have seen people breeding grey cheeks right in their living rooms with all the family commotions going on. These grey cheeks seemed to feel right at home and went ahead with their own business. When these birds are ready to breed, there is no stopping them.

I have had very young pairs go right to nest and produce young even before they were a year old. I set up my breeding pairs close together so they can see one another. Grey cheeks remind me of the old saying, "monkey see, monkey do." If one pair starts breeding, many times the other pairs follow and do the very same thing. This type of behavior can send the whole colony to nest, so sometimes it is a good idea to set up individual pairs close together within sight of each other.

The average clutch size is four eggs, but they can lay as many as seven. Usually, however, they will not raise that many on their own. If there are large clutches, I step in and help out, usually by removing some of the older chicks for handfeeding. Many times I have even raised all the chicks from day 1, hatching them in my incubator.

I feel an incubator is a must for anyone who owns breeding birds--even one pair. Many incubators are very inexpensive, costing under $150. One life saved will more than pay for that incubator. I use the incubators put out by Lyon Electric. I run at least six of them at all times during breeding season, hatching eggs as small as a parrotlet's and as large as a big macaw's. When incubating Brotogeris eggs in an incubator, I can candle the eggs in just four days and see the embryo developing (I use the M.D.S. probelite). But when candling eggs under a pair, it could take close to two weeks before I can see if the eggs are alive.

Many Brotogeris do not start incubating their eggs until the last egg has been laid. They may look like they are incubating when they actually are not. Usually an egg is laid every other day, so the complete laying process could take almost two weeks.

Don't discard any eggs until you are absolutely sure the eggs are no good. I have known too many people who broke open eggs that they thought were no good because of the length of time they were in the nest box, only to find a live under-developed chick inside. Incubation is about 26 days from the time the hen starts to sit and actually incubate her eggs. Candle yours eggs about one week after the last egg was laid to be sure of what is happening inside of them.

Most of my Brotogeris, which are set up outdoors all year, start to breed in late winter or early spring. Most usually lay one clutch per year. A few will lay two clutches per year, and on very rare occasions, three times per year. Birds set up indoors may breed anytime they please, even nesting numerous times a year. Remember, each pair is different and has its own individual personality.

Sometimes, owners of grey cheeks become upset when their cuddly pets become aggressive and nippy. If this happens, it is usually an indication of sexual maturity and the birds' desire to breed. Instead of getting rid of their pets like some owners do, these people should buy mates for their birds and supply them with nest boxes.


Hand-Fed Brotogeris Pets

Hand-fed Brotogeris make excellent pets. When raising Brotogeris chicks, it is best to remove them from the next box for hand-rearing between 2 to 3 weeks of age. If the parents raise them all the way to weaning, the chicks may not end up tame, and too much work may be necessary to tame them into sweet, trusting pets.

Handfeeding them at about 3 weeks of age is easy. You can make your own formula or buy a good commercial formula. Many different brands are offered in pet shops. For grey cheeks, as well as any of the other Brotogeris, I would be sure to add some baby food fruits and vegetables. A couple of different varieties are available at grocery stores, and you can add a very small amount to the formula at each feeding. Applesauce, peas, green beans, corn and sweet potato are just a few that may be good choices to add. Add one or two types of fruit or vegetable per feeding.

All hand-reared Brotogeris make excellent pets. Grey cheeks are the most sought after of the Brotogeris because their availability has made them popular. Many people became owners of imported, handfed grey cheeks unexpectedly when they walked into a pet shop to browse. These tame birds just begged for attention, and before the unsuspecting person knew what was happening, he or she became a new bird owner. Soon the word spread that the grey cheek was the only bird to own as a pet. Well, this is just not true. There are lots of really nice birds out there, but the key thing to remember is that they should be hand-fed and tame. Make sure the bird is tame when you get it. You should be able to handle the bird at ease without getting nipped.

There are other Brotogeris besides the grey cheek that are being bred and make just as nice and wonderful pets. Canary-winged and Tovi parakeets are often offered for sale and make great pets when hand-fed. Cobalt-winged parakeets are rarely available, but when they are, they, too, make excellent pets.


Importation Ending

We as birdkeepers and breeders need to be aware of bird-related issues in our world that change quickly. New regulations concerning animals are being drafted all the time, and imported birds that some of us took for granted may soon be unavailable.

A few years ago, new regulations were put into affect that would no longer allow the importation of baby birds unless they were eating on their own, requiring no handfeeding at all during their quarantine stay. All imported birds had to be completely self-sufficient. The day of the real baby grey cheek as a pet may soon end unless they are domestically reared in larger numbers. Most of the grey cheeks imported were still young and tame, because they were hand-reared in their country of origin.

Now there has been an even newer regulation that has just gone into effect pertaining to grey cheeks. This has stopped all imported grey cheeks from entering the United States. Now, anyone wanting a tame grey cheek is totally dependent on grey cheek breeders. The most unfortunate thing about this situation is that there are very few bird breeders keeping and breeding grey cheeks and other Brotogeris. Something must be done quickly to set up pairs for future breeders to enjoy. Right now, there are still large numbers of grey cheeks in the United States. Pairs can still easily be put together. Soon, however, it may be next to impossible to procure these birds.

Look at the very popular bee-bee parrot, a formerly popular member of the Brotogeris group that has practically disappeared. There were large numbers of these birds at one time too. Now it takes some effort to find even one for sale. This is what could easily happen to the grey cheek if people do not start obtaining them and creating true pairs for breeding.

Soon, if not already, the famous grey-cheeked parakeet will be very difficult to find--especially tame sweet babies. Regulations to stop all birds from entering our country may soon be imposed. With all the deforestation, very few birds may be left on earth at all. Domestic breeding of birds is a must!

I can remember telling people that when importation closes, the price of grey cheeks will soar. Well, that time has finally come. The shortage of grey cheeks here may not be felt for some time because of the large numbers that were imported in the past few years. But the number of available baby grey cheeks has now been cut drastically.

Yes, they do take some work and patience to breed successfully, but believe me, they are well worth the effort. These birds should not only be kept as pets but bred as well to assure a future supply. If this does not happen, they may disappear for good.

Article originally appeared in the March 1993 issue of Bird Talk. This is copyrighted material, reprinted with the author's permission. This article may not be reprinted without written consent from the author and Bird Talk magazine.

The Grey Cheek and Its Cousins

by Robbie Harris

The Grey-cheeked parakeet, Brotogeris pyrrhopterus, has earned a reputation as one of the finest pet birds one can own, largely because it is a very affectionate, intelligent bird. Although it is only 8 inches long, it has a bold personality and is not intimidated by parrots twice its size. Many grey cheeks learn to talk quite plainly and perform tricks, adding to their appeal as outstanding pets. Given the run of the house (supervised, of course), they are inquisitive, exploratory and social, greeting visitors and inspecting their owners' plates at mealtime.

Thousands of Brotogeris (grey cheeks and their lesser known cousins) are imported every year. The grey cheeks have captured the hearts of U.S. pet owners because they are almost always chicks that were hand-reared in Ecuador and Peru. Other Brotogeris, such as canary wings, orange chins, cobalt wings, golden wings, Tui, and plain parakeets, come from southern Mexico, Central, and South America. Although they are usually imported as wild-caught adult birds, they can be tamed with time and patience. I believe all of the Brotogeris make good pets, but the best of all are the hand-reared chicks raised by breeders in this country.

Brotogeris parakeets range in length from 7 to 10 inches. In some ways, they are similar to lovebirds, but they have wedge-shaped tails, a more slender build and long, pointed wings that enable them to fly swiftly. All Brotogeris are primarily green, but the various subspecies are distinguished by small spots of color on their foreheads, chins, flight feathers or underwing coverts. Their beaks are long and slender sometimes giving them a sad-faced, or at least, a serious expression. Small, naked eye rings, not as prominent as those on most conures, given them a bright-eyed look. You cannot distinguish sex or age by appearance; adult males, females and youngsters of both sexes all look very much alike.

Some of the Brotogeris are abundant in their native lands and have been imported through the U.S. quarantine system for several years. In the past, the most commonly imported were the orange chinned parakeets, also called Bee Bee parrots. They earned an early reputation as good pets too.

The care and breeding of all varieties of these parakeets is the same, and in general, they all have sweet, gentle dispositions. Sometimes their chattering voices can be annoying, but a single bird kept as a pet is usually not too noisy. Grey cheeks seem to be the most aggressive of the genus; cobalt wings and canary wings tend to be shyer.

Although all members of the species have much in common, each deserves a separate description.

Grey-cheeked Parakeet

This 8-inch bird is also known as the orange-flanked parakeet, as well as the pocket parrot. Primarily bright green with paler underparts, it is named for its gray chin, forehead and sides of head. It is the only Brotogeris with a bright orange patch on its underwing coverts, which can be seen as just a touch of orange on the shoulder tips when the wings are held against the bird's body. Brown eyes and bluish feathers on the crown and primaries complete the array of colors on this bird. It commonly weighs about 54 grams.

Canary-winged Parakeet

The Brotogeris veriscolorus chiriri is a 9-inch, bright green bird with a slight blue tinge to its flight feathers. Its greater wing coverts have a vivid lemon yellow patch on them, striking when the bird stretches its wings, and brilliant in flight.

White-winged Parakeet

The Brotogeris versicolorus versicolorus resembles the canary wing in many ways; it is just 1/2 inch longer and weighs 65 grams. Mainly an olive green, it has a tinge of blue surrounding its eyes, forehead and upper parts of the cheeks. Outer primaries are blue-green, but the remaining primary feathers are white, with the secondary coverts yellow. When the wings are closed against the body, the white feathers are not visible, and people may refer to this bird as a canary wing.

Orange-chinned Parakeet

This 7-inch bird, Brotogeris jugularis, is also known as the Tovi parakeet or the Bee Bee parrot. Usually about 58 grams in weight, it is basically green with lighter shades of green on its underside. It is named for the bright orange spot under its lower mandible; other touches of color are yellow underwing coverts and a blue tinge to the crown, lower back, rump, thighs and under the tail and flight feathers.

Cobalt-winged Parakeet

The Brotogeris cyanoptera cyanoptera is a darker, more olive green than its cousins. It, too, has an orange spot on its chin, but its bright cobalt blue primary and primary covert feathers make its wings distinctive from those of the orange-chinned parakeet. Its forehead is dull yellow just above the beak, and the crown and nape have a blue tint to them. At 65 grams and 7 1/2 inches in length, it is slightly larger than the orange-chinned variety.

Golden-winged Parakeet

The distinctive markings on this mostly green bird are bright orange primary wing coverts and a brownish frontal band just below its blue crown. The Brotogeris chrysopterus chrysopterus is the shortest Brotogeris, at 6 1/2 inches, and the stoutest.

Tui Parakeet

The Brotogeris sanctithomae sanctithomae looks like a tiny, 7-inch version of the yellow-crowned Amazon with its bright yellow forehead, which contrasts with its otherwise green body. Its glowing, golden irises surrounding the jet black pupils makes its eyes distinctive, too. Like other members of the species, it has shades of blue here and there on its body--on the flight feathers, cheeks and nape, with bright blue on the primary coverts.

Plain Parakeet

As its name implies, Brotogeris tirica is hardly distinctive. One of the largest of the group, at 9 inches, it is mainly green, with yellowish feathers on its crown, cheeks and underparts. It, too, has blue on its flight feathers, and more blue under its tail, with just a tint of blue on the hindneck and mantle. These birds, common in their native land, are rarely seen or kept in captivity in the U.S. because of the strict exportation laws of Brazil, their country of origin.

Care and Feeding

Grey cheeks and their cousins are the best of both worlds--small in size but big in personality and ability. Giving them good care is pure joy because they are so responsive and appreciative.

House them as you would a cockatiel, in medium-sized cages, but be sure to give them periods of freedom and playpens for practicing their acrobatics. Be sure, too, they always have a water bowl large enough to bath in. They love their baths, especially in the morning.

Feed Brotogeris a cockatiel seed mix containing sunflower seed, safflower seed and parakeet mix. Many of them will want to pick out just the sunflower seeds, but my grey cheeks ignore the sunflower and eagerly eat the parakeet mix. Seed mix, however, should never be their sole source of nutrition. They should always be offered fruits and vegetables. Apples seem to be their favorite fresh food, but they will also eat pieces of cut up oranges, carrots, beets, spinach, plums, pears, bananas, peaches, squash, wheat bread and peas (thawed frozen peas or still in the pod), corn on the cob or thawed kernels, grapes, cherries, dry dog or cat kibble and monkey chow soaked in water. Many Brotogeris also love a small bowl of fresh sprouted seeds daily.

Since all members of this family are intelligent and playful, they will need toys to keep them from becoming bored and perhaps plucking their own feathers. Bird treats, chew sticks and partially cracked walnuts are additional items that will entertain these birds.

When people realize what these birds need and how much variety of diet enjoy, it's great fun to indulge them.

Breeding

If you want to breed grey cheeks or other Brotogeris, have them surgically sexed to be sure of their genders. Sometimes hens seem to be slightly more petite in the head and face than males, but you cannot be sure until a veterinarian has actually performed this safe, surgical procedure.

Brotogeris can be bred in colonies, but I have found that they quarrel too much in large groups. Thus, I prefer to set up a single pair per cage or flight. The bold personality that is charming in a pet grey cheek can become extremely aggressive, even nasty, during the month or two before they go to nest. Consistent with the shyer nature of the cobalt wings, canary wings and orange chins, although their increased aggression shows in defending the nest box and scolding, they do not become as ornery as the grey cheeks.

When a pair is ready to nest, they will use almost any wooden nest box offered to them. I have had the most success with standard budgie nest boxes filled several inches deep with pine shavings. Clutch size ranges between two and seven eggs, and the hen will incubate them for about 26 days. Chicks can be left with the parents until they fledge or can be removed to be hand fed. The best time for taking chicks for hand rearing is at about 2 weeks of age. Most Brotogeris are conscientious parents so the main reason for hand-feeding the chicks is to assure that they grow up to be tame, people-oriented pets. Although there are exceptions, seldom does removing the chicks inspire the parents to produce a second clutch.

When they can no longer be imported, the price of grey cheeks and other Brotogeris will soar because of their popularity. Many of these birds, which were inexpensive and easy to obtain just a few short years ago, are now difficult to find. Brotogeris make marvelous pets, but they should also be bred to assure an ample future supply of these birds when they can no longer be exported from their native lands.

Article originally appeared in the April 1985 issue of Bird Talk. This is copyrighted material, reprinted with the author's permission. This article may not be reprinted without written consent from the author and Bird Talk magazine.

The Grey-Cheeked Parakeet and Its Family

by Robbie Harris

Brotogeris is the Latin name for a small group of birds in the parrot family, including the grey-cheeked parakeet, the canary-winged parakeet, the white-winged parakeet, the orange-chinned parakeet, the cobalt-winged parakeet, the golden-winged parakeet, the Tui parakeet and the plain parakeet. The member of the Brotogeris family are distributed from southern Mexico down through central South America.

These small, solidly-built birds range anywhere from 7 to 9 inches long and are somewhat similar to lovebirds in size, but with more of a slender build. Brotogeris have wedge-shaped tails that vary in length. The wings are long and pointed, which enables them to be very swift flyers. These birds are mainly green in color with many having other colors on the forehead, chin, primaries and underwing coverts. The beak is similar to an Amazon's in shape, with the upper mandible deeply notched in a hook-like fashion. They also have small eye rings similar to conures. Both sexes look alike, and young birds closely resemble the adults.

When deciding on which Brotogeris to choose, keep in mind that some are easier to find than others. Also remember that each will be a good pet if hand-fed and taken care of properly.

Grey-cheeked Parakeet (Brotogeris pyrrhopterus)

Grey cheeks are also known as orange-flanked parakeets, orange-winged parakeets, and pocket parrots. They can be quickly distinguished from other Brotogeris by the bright orange-colored patches on the underwing coverts. When the wings are held against the body, only a small bit of the orange can be seen peeking over the tops of the grey cheek's shoulders. The main color is a bright green, but paler on underparts. The chin, forehead and sides of the face are pale gray, giving this bird its common name. The crown, primary coverts and primaries are bluish. The eyes are dark brown, feet and legs pinkish, and the beak is horn-colored.

Males and females are identical in color and size. Immature birds are very similar to the adults in appearance, with the very young having black coloring on the beak. This black sometimes remains for months, until it fades to the adult horn color. Grey cheeks inhabit a small range in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru.

White-winged Parakeet (B. vericolorus vericolurus)

The white wing is sometimes referred to as the canary-winged parakeet or the yellow-winged parakeet. It is mainly an olive green, with a tinge of blue surrounding the eyes, forehead and upper parts of the cheeks. The outer primaries start off being blue-green with the remaining primaries white. The secondary coverts are yellow. When the wings are folded closed and held against the bird's body, the white patch is not visible, and only yellow can be seen.

This species of bird has bare facial areas around the beak and eyes, giving it the appearance of old age. The legs are pinkish-gray, and the beak is horn-colored. The sexes are alike in appearance. I find the personality of hand-fed white wings very similar to grey cheeks. Lately, I have seen many of these birds in pet shops for moderate prices. They seem to be more readily available in California and Florida, and if breeders are interested in setting up any of these birds for breeding, do it now, before the birds disappear, and the prices increase.

Canary-winged Parakeet (B. versicolorus chiriri)

The canary wing is actually a subspecies of the white-winged parakeet. The reason I separated them into two different descriptions is because of their distinguishable differences in size, coloring and personality. Both are commonly called canary-winged parakeets, as well as yellow-winged parakeets. They are also incorrectly referred to as Bee Bee parrots. This bird is slightly shorter than the white wing. It is a brighter apple-green in color. The face of this bird is totally feathered. There is a slight blue tinge to the thighs. A bright lemon-yellow patch is formed by the yellow coloring on the greater wing coverts, giving this bird its common name. There is no white coloring on this bird's wing.

Orange-chinned Parakeet (B. jugularis)

The orange-chinned parakeet is also known as the Tovi parakeet or the Bee Bee parrot. They are small birds, mainly green in color, with lighter shades on the throat, breast, undersides, and abdomen. The flight and tail feathers have a hint of blue. There is a blue tinge on the crown, lower back, rump, thighs, under the tail and flights. There is a bronze patch on the wing shoulder area. A distinct small orange patch can be seen just under the lower mandible, giving this bird its other common name. The underwing coverts are yellow, the iris dark brown, the beak horn-colored, and the legs a flesh-gray color. Both sexes look alike. The orange chins inhabit parts of Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela. We were fortunate enough to receive a few small shipments of orange chins some time ago. They were easily tamed and made excellent pets.

Cobalt-winged Parakeet (B. cyanoptera cyanoptera)

The cobalt wing is olive-green in color, with darker shades on the back and wings. The forehead has dull yellow just above the beak. The crown and nape have a blue tinge. The chin is marked with an orange spot. The primaries and primary coverts are bright cobalt blue, giving the bird its name. The upper mandible is horn colored and darkens toward the tip. The eyes are dark brown. The feet and legs are brownish-pink. Sexes look alike, and immature birds resemble the adults. There are two subspecies with some color variations. I know of many people who own these birds as pets, and say they are excellent family birds with good talking ability.

Golden-winged Parakeet (B. chrysopterus chrysopterus)

The stout golden wing is deep green with an even deeper shade on the back and wings. The crown has a bluish tinge with a brownish frontal band. The primary wing coverts are bright orange. A dull spot of orange-brown coloring is on the chin. This iris is brown, and the beak is horn. The feet are a pale yellowish-brown. There are four subspecies all varying in color and/or size.

Tui Parakeet (B. sanctithomae sanctithomae)

Tuis are very attractive birds. They are bright green with lighter yellowish-green on the chest, abdomen, underwings, lower back and underside of the tail. The flights are bluish, being a brighter blue on the primary coverts. There is a tinge of blue on the cheeks, nape and underside of the flights. A very bright yellow patch on the forehead makes this species look like a tiny version of the yellow-crowned Amazon. The beak is a chestnut color. The iris is a glowing golden color that is set off by the jet-black pupil. Sexes resemble each other in color and size. There is one subspecies that has a yellow streak behind the eye.

Plain Parakeet (B. tirica)

Plain parakeets are mainly green with yellow tinges on the crown, cheeks and the underparts. There is blue on the flight feathers and underside of the tail (with just a tinge on the hind neck and mantle), giving the name of plain because of the lack of a variety of colors. These birds are very common in their native Brazil, but because of strict Brazilian exportation laws, only a few reside in the United States.

The grey cheek is the best known of the Brotogeris and has captured the hearts of millions of bird fanciers.

When grey cheeks were first introduced into the United States back in the late 1970s, they were very inexpensive, selling for $25 to $35. Thousands were imported, and almost all of them were tame and sweet.

At the time, a good friend of mine purchased 150 newly imported grey cheeks. This was the first time he had seen grey cheeks for sale, and as he reached into the cage at the quarantine station, several of them rushed toward him. At first, he thought they were coming to attack, but instead they were pushing toward him for affection. All of these birds had been hand-fed in quarantine. They covered his arm like a swarm of bees, each one vying for his attention. It was very difficult to pick the ones he wanted--thousands were so tame and sweet! Within five days, he sold every one of those virtually unknown little parrots, and his customers, including me, were begging for more.

Needless to say, within days, the quarantine station quickly sold out of all the grey-cheeked parakeets in stock. As the years went on, thousands more entered the United States. Unfortunately, very few, considering the numbers, ended up as breeders. This shortage will only continue unless more people set them up for breeding soon. This pas year, I raised several, but many more people looking for these sweet birds were left wanting.

Most people believe that grey cheeks are naturally tame. Let me clarify something now--not all grey cheeks are sweet tame little birds! I've seen the sweetest babies in quarantine stations just imported from Peru, but I've also seen wild-caught imported grey cheeks that were just as nippy and feisty as wild lovebirds. The tame, sweet grey cheeks are birds that were hand-reared.

Young grey cheeks are easily distinguishable from adults because the upper beak is blackish in color. The younger the bird, the blacker the beak. By the time a bird is 6 months old, the beak is usually the same color as that of an adult. Once the beak changes color, it is difficult to determine the age of the bird. My young feathered grey-cheeked parakeet chicks usually are just as colorful as the adults.
 
Housing a Brotogeris

Tame Brotogeris act like compact versions of the larger parrots. They are extremely intelligent birds. Most any cage suitable for a cockatiel will do just fine for a pet Brotogeris. It is best if the cage bars are close together, so your pet won't get its head stuck between the bars. Use dowels that are 1/2 to 3/4 inches in diameter. Natural branch perches are always welcome for climbing and chewing.

These birds love to play on open playpens with treats and safe toys at their disposal. It may be a good idea to rotate different toys every few days so that your pet will not become bored with the same old toy. Supervise your Brotogeris when it's out of its cage, because these birds can be very mischievous and wander off, possibly damaging furniture or hurting themselves. Think of a pet Brotogeris as a child, and you should do just fine.

Diet/Nutrition

It is important that birds receive a well-balanced diet to stay healthy and strong. All my Brotogeris are offered the following dry seeds: parakeet mix, safflower seed, and medium sunflower seed. If convenience is important, purchase a good cockatiel mix at a pet shop. I've found that when it comes to Brotogeris consuming dry seeds, each bird is an individual. For instance, on grey cheek I know will eat only parakeet mix, while another prefers mostly sunflower seeds, and another eats all types of dry seed.

It is also very important that fruits and vegetables--thoroughly washed--are offered. When it comes to soft foods, all of my Brotogeris love them. My birds receive a bowl of various soft foods, including sprouted seeds, apples, oranges, peaches, bananas, grapes, peas and corn (either fresh or frozen), grated carrots, yams, sweet potatoes and beets, spinach, and other fruits and vegetables in season at the time. I sprinkle a good avian vitamin supplement and powdered calcium on their fruits and veggies, especially for my breeding birds. Brotogeris young and old also relish monkey biscuits which have been soaked in water or fruit juice. Sometimes bird pellets can be offered to Brotogeris with their seed diet. Some will eat it, but others will not.

I like to offer all my birds a large variety in their diets. The birds do well, and I have almost no problems with boredom. Some Brotogeris even enjoy eating live meal worms as a special treat which is also a good source of protein. Others like treats such as various bits of breakfast cereals or crackers. Most pet Brotogeris become part of the family and eat at the dining room table. This is fine as long as the junk food is kept to a minimum.

Breeding

A pair of grey-cheeked parakeets will breed in an aviary or a cage. It is very difficult to determine the sex of most Brotogeris by sight because these birds are not sexually dimorphic. In some cases, the males appear to have slightly larger heads and beaks compared to females, but this is not totally reliable. The most accurate way to determine a pair is by having the birds surgically or DNA sexed. Keep in mind that surgical sexing is an operation, and it can be a little more risky with the smaller birds.

While setting up pairs of Brotogeris for breeding, it is best for each pair to be in its own cage or aviary. Breeding pairs can become quite ill-tempered when getting ready to go to nest, and they may kill any other birds that are in the same enclosure with them at that time.

I once heard about a breeder who had two pairs of grey cheeks set up in a large aviary. The pairs got along very well. One pair went to nest and hatched out chicks and tended to them, but when the chicks were a couple of weeks old, the other pair went into the next box and killed them. I've had the tamest pair of grey cheeks become terribly vicious toward me when they are thinking about going to nest.

I have heard of people who have had some success in colony breeding canary-winged parakeets. I was successfully breeding two pairs of cobalt-winged parakeets in one enclosure, but after a year the birds starting fighting, and I feared that one might kill the other, so the pairs were given their own cages. I believe that it is just the safest way to breed these birds.

My pairs of Brotogeris use standard wooden parakeet nest boxes with a layer of pine shavings on the bottom. These birds are not known for building their own nests, but I have occasionally seen pairs fill up their nest box with apple and orange peels and other scraps fond on the bottoms of their cages, almost as if they were attempting to build a next similar to a lovebird's. I have offered them branches with leaves, but they go untouched. Most of my breeding pairs have a single clutch of eggs a year.

Some pairs will double and even triple clutch in a year. I do have a pair that raises three clutches a year averaging four chicks per clutch, nesting from February through July. This pair is housed outdoors in a sheltered building. There is no set number of eggs per clutch.

I also had one hen that laid an egg every other day for about six weeks, but this is not normal; she just didn't know when to stop. A clutch can be as small as two eggs and as large as eight, but my normal clutch size seems to average four to six eggs. The incubation period for Brotogeris eggs is 25 to 26 days. I've had many fertile eggs not hatch for more than a month from the time the first egg was laid, because these birds seem to start incubating only when they are almost finished laying all the eggs in the clutch. The hen may stay in the box with her newly laid eggs, but many times she is only brooding the eggs, not sitting tightly until at least three or more eggs have been laid. Because of this waiting period, incubation appears to be long for this species. Just to be safe, start counting 24 days from the time the last egg was laid. I have heard of too many people breaking eggs open way too early to find live babies inside the eggs.

Usually the hen does most of the incubation with the male standing guard just outside the box. Both parents tend the chicks when they start to hatch.

Once hatched, the chicks grow quite rapidly. At 12 days old, their eyes are open, and with another two days, dark quills can be seen developing under the skin. At about 4 weeks old, feathers start to pop through the quills, first in the tail and wings, soon followed by the rest of the body. Chicks fledge at about 6 weeks old, with both parents continually feeding the chicks on the outside of the box until they are eating on their own. By the time they are 9 to 11 weeks old, the chicks are usually weaned, eating mostly soft foods at first.

Once the chicks are eating on their own, they should be removed, otherwise they could disturb the adult breeding pair, should the pair decide to return to nest. Chicks can be left with the parents until they fledge, or they can be removed for hand-feeding when young and still unfeathered. The best age for removing the chicks for hand rearing is at about 2 to 3 weeks old. Unweaned baby Brotogeris will bob their little heads up and down, and make very loud "squeaking" noises. Though, once weaned, the loud squeaking stops.

If you desire, domestically reared chicks can be closed banded at a few weeks of age. I use cockatiel bands. A closed ban can prove that the check was domestically reared and can also be used for identification or age if dated.

I've found the Brotogeris to be very hardy birds as pets and as breeders. All my breeding pairs do just fine outdoors in Southern California weather. An indoor pair can be placed outside (weather permitting), as long as the birds are properly acclimated to the outdoor weather conditions. Late spring and summer, when the evening temperatures do not drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, is the best time to start indoor birds outside. My birds are housed all year round outdoors with weather as hot as 100 degrees Fahrenheit to as cool as 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brotogeris can hybridize among each other, if given the opportunity. Just recently, I was in a pet shop and saw a tame grey-cheeked parakeet and white-winged parakeet hybrid chick. Please be careful not to house two different species of Brotogeris together. I would not recommend hybridized breedings because pure birds are needed to keep each species going in captivity.

With all the changes in importation regulations, the cost of grey cheeks as well as other imported birds has increased tremendously. More people should set up pairs of Brotogeris for breeding purposes. I know many grey cheek owners who have set up a pair of pet birds in a cage in their living room with a budgie nest box at the pair's disposal. Many of these birds have gone to nest and raised chicks right there in the middle of the house. Soon the two pet birds turned into a family. Breeders are in desperate need of more young grey cheeks, as well as the other species of this family.

Article originally appeared in the January 1995 issue of Bird Talk. This is copyrighted material, reprinted with the author's permission. This article may not be reprinted without written consent from the author and Bird Talk magazine.