• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Range map
• Resources

Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km² combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Population justification
The global population size has not been quantified, but this species is described as fairly common throughout its range (Collar et al. 2019).

Trend justification
This species is suspected to lose 6.95-7.1% of suitable habitat within its distribution over three generations (18 years) based on a model of Amazonian deforestation (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011). Given the susceptibility of the species to hunting and/or trapping, it is therefore suspected to decline by <20% over three generations.

Pyrrhura melanura occurs throughout the lowland wet and cloud forest of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela (Collar et al. 2019). Subspecies P. m. melanura occurs throughout the upper Amazon basin from south Venezuela, south through northwest Brazil (east to the Rio Negro) to south east Colombia, eastern Ecuador and northeast Peru. P. m. souancei typically occurs at the east base of the Andes from the south Macarena mountains in south central Colombia to eastern Ecuador and possibly northeast Peru. P. m. berlepschi occurs locally on the east slope of the Andes in southeast Ecuador (Morona-Santiago) and north Peru (south to Hullaga Valley) (Collar et al. 2019).

Typically occurs in cloud forest, lowland wet forest in premontane zones, seasonally-flooded forest, borders and partially cleared areas. Generally only found below 500 m although higher individuals have been witnessed, with ssp. P. m. soucancei recorded to 3200 m and P. m. berlepschi to 1500 m (Collar et al. 2019).

This species has been strongly threatened by trade in the past but this pressure has declined significantly since the late 1980s. The species is CITES II listed and trade is now minimal throughout its range, however the species remains susceptible to hunting and trapping (Collar et al. 2019). P. melanura is also threatened by habitat loss from deforestation throughout its range. It is suspected to lose 6.95-7.1% of suitable habitat within its distribution over three generations (18 years) based on a model of Amazonian deforestation (Soares-Filho et al. 2006, Bird et al. 2011).

24-25cm; 83g. Generally green, frontal band dark reddish brown; crown and nape brown edged green, bare orbital ring white; throat, sides of neck and breast dark green edged buffy whitish, giving scaled effect. Primary-coverts red, tipped yellowish orange; outer primaries blue, with narrow green fringe on outer web. Tail, deep maroon above, green at base, dusky greyish below. Immature similar to adult, but has less red on primary-coverts. P. m. souancei more stongly scaled throat, all-red primary coverts, sometimes red on carpals, brownish-red belly and blacker undertail. P. m. berlepschi still stronger throat scaling, carpal and belly markings invariably present (Collar et al. 2019).

Text account compilers
Everest, J., Ekstrom, J., Butchart, S., Symes, A., Taylor, J.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Maroon-tailed Parakeet Pyrrhura melanura. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/maroon-tailed-parakeet-pyrrhura-melanura on 05/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 05/01/2025.