snell@utzoo.uucp (snell) (01/04/88)
In article <6716@ihlpa.ATT.COM>, Daniel M. O'Brien <dob@ihlpa.UUCP> writes: >In article <431@picuxa.UUCP>, gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) writes: >> ... they turned out to be a pair of Black-headed Nanday. > >Ah, the rare and elusive Nanday Conure, Nandayus nenday. The only >representative of its genus. "General plumage green, paler and more yellowish >[various desciptions of plumage deleted....] >(_Parrots of the World_, Joseph M. Forshaw, T.F.H. >Publications, Inc, 1977, pg 407.) > >How lucky you are to be able to report a sighting. Their natural habitat is in >Argentina, SA. How right you are, Daniel. The natural habitat of this bird _is_ in South America. I don't really agree that "rare and elusive" are appropriate adjectives for this species, however. In case anyone gets the wrong idea, this species, also known as the Black-hooded Parakeet (`Black-headed' by some), is an introduced exotic. As is another parrot, the Monk Parakeet. The Black-hooded Parakeet is seen often enough to have its way into the new Peterson (Field Guide to the Birds, 1980, p. 178), where it is described as follows: " 12" (30 cm)(S. America) Black head and beak. N.Y., s. Ont. (large flock)." Though it comes from South America, you need not go that far to see it. I would certainly like to get this one on my introduced bird list, but I just have not been in the right place at the right time. -- Name: Richard Snell Mail: Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1 UUCP: {allegra,decvax,ihnp4,linus,pyramid,yetti,utai}!utzoo!snell