Bronze Winged Parrot General Info

This peculiar and striking member of the Pionus family of parrots is a popular sight in aviculture. With its unique and attractive colors and a curious an intelligent personality, the Bronze Winged parrot makes a wonderful pet. Although docile and calm, they have a passion for playing and social interaction. And with the added bonus of minimal noise, these combined traits will give you a wonderful pet parrot that will be a perfect calming presence after a busy day. To boot, these pets are not high maintenance: with a bit of attention and care, your feathered companion will thrive in your home.

The Bronze Winged parrot charms both with its looks and its wonderful personality.

Native Region/Natural Habitat

Like all the parrots of the Pionus family, the Bronze Winged parrots are also found in the northwestern parts of South America. Their habitat spans parts of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. Unlike its cousins that can often be seen in plains, the Bronze Winged parrots are almost exclusively found in dense forests. They prefer the protection of the dense canopy and are most commonly seen at high altitudes, ranging from 900 to 2800 meters high. In certain areas of their habitat, they suffered significant losses due to rapid urbanization and clearing of humid tropical forests.

Overall Description

The distinguishing features of the Pionus parrots are perfectly presented in this breed. From the unique hawk-like beak, the short tail and stocky body – the crowning features are all there. The adults reach an average length of up to 11 inches (28 centimeters) and weigh about 7 ounces (210 grams). They can be considered as a good example of a medium-sized parrot. Due to their size, a roomy, big cage is recommended. An added perch will serve as a great occupation for your pet. They love to fly around the house and get their exercise, but will also be content with playing by themselves.

Speech and Sounds

They are considered to be one of the quieter parrots on the market today. Because of their calm personality, they don’t tend to be vocal – a fact that makes them a great apartment parrot. This relatively quiet disposition reflects their calm and friendly personality – they are docile and not raucous or demanding. With a little bit of patient training, your pet might learn to mimic some basic sounds. Just don’t expect it to learn any words – Bronze Winged parrots are not the best talkers.

Colors

All Pionus parrots are uniquely colored, and the Bronze Winged parrot is not an exception. With its stunning and exotic coloration which is rarely seen in parrots, this breed is a real looker. The body is mostly purplish blue, with slight green hues reflected on sunlight. The wings are mostly bronze green, giving them their name. One of the distinct details are the white chin, and the pink chest patch just below it. The underside of their tail is a mixture of blue, purple and red feathers. Add the yellow beak and the pink circle around the eyes, and you get yourself a stunningly pretty bird. It’s needless to say that this rarely seen combination of colors will charm every owner.

These parrots get their name from the distinct bronze green patch on the wings.

Care and Feeding

In the wild, Bronze Winged parrots thrive on a select diet of seeds, crops, insects, and fruits. For your pet, there are brand name commercial seed mixes which contain a balanced combination of important seeds and all the needed proteins and fats. Additionally, you should always add a healthy dose of fresh green vegetables and fruits. Another important part of care is bathing. Pionus parrots, in particular, enjoy bathing and even going to the shower with you. This is a foundation of good hygiene and a healthy bird.

Health and Common Conditions

These parrots are one of the hardiest and healthiest in aviculture. Provided you take adequate care and create the optimal living conditions, you should be able to enjoy your pets long lifespan of up to 30 years. On the other hand, these parrots can contract an infection called aspergillosis, if not treated properly and if they’re being neglected. The usual symptom of this sickness is heavy, problematic breathing. In these rare cases, you should contact your vet.

If you take good care and show enough attention to your pet parrot, you will have a healthy and happy bird on your hands.

Personality & Behavior

Bronze Winged parrots have some of the best personality traits out there. They are intelligent, sociable and quite friendly. Furthermore, they are versatile, adapt to new surroundings easily, and accept crowds with no problems. A Pionus parrot can develop a strong bond with its owner, or the favorite person in the household – a bond that can last for a very long time. These little birds are also very curious. When given the freedom of your home, they will quickly take the opportunity to explore and investigate all the new sights. But even so, sometimes they’re simply satisfied with playing on a perch or with their toys. In any case, with a pet like the Bronze Winged parrot, you are sure to have fun and enjoy your time together.

Photo credit: La li/Shutterstock; Randy/Wikimedia Commons; Ruth Rodgers/Wikimedia Commons