Yellow Faced Parrotlet General Info

This cuddly little parrotlet is a rare sight, both in the wild and in aviculture. But if you get your hands on this tiny pet, you will quickly find out why they are on top of every waiting list. With a great variety of affectionate, kind traits and equally quirky and goofy behavior, the Yellow Faced parrotlet can be a really great pet. Just like all the other parrotlets in the family, it has the big parrot personality, trapped in a tiny body!

It is often said that parrotlets are big parrots in a small body. They won’t hesitate to become nippy and feisty when something is not as they want it.

Native Region/Natural Habitat

These parrotlets are native to a relatively small region in the valley of the Marañón river in northern Peru. This is a tributary to the Amazon, and these areas are full of dry thickets, brushland, and rugged woodlands. Though dry and remote, these locations are best suited for these little parrots. Unfortunately, they became heavily threatened by illegal trapping and destruction of habitat. This resulted in just a 1000 birds remaining in the wild, and a vulnerable species status. With new, strict laws and careful observations, the Yellow Faced parrotlet populations are again on the rise.

Overall Description

They are amongst the largest in the parrotlet family, but even so, these birds are tiny. The adults reach a maximum length of 6 inches (14.5 centimeters) and weigh only 2 ounces (45 grams). Taking their size into account, you’ll want to give them some extra attention. Besides the obvious threat of crushing them, there is also their pesky habit of hiding. Your parrotlet will love to explore and crawl into any mysterious nook and cranny. Just make sure they don’t get stuck when playing. On a positive side, their small size means they won’t need much room. Besides free flight, a large and spacious cage will be ideal.

Speech and Sounds

One of the great aspects of a parrotlet pet is the level of noise. They really aren’t that loud. This is a great fact when you’re considering an apartment pet – they are small and relatively quiet, which is awesome for small spaces. Besides the occasional natural call which consists of bright chirps and tweets, these parrotlets will also learn just a couple of basic words to repeat. Some sources report that they will even mimic some basic sounds like alarms or whistles.

Colors

So many different colors and unique combinations on such a small bird, resulting in a very pretty parrot with a lot of details to take in. The head is mostly bright yellow, with this color spreading on to the chest and gradually turning to green on the lower abdomen. The back of the head has a lovely light blue-grey color. The wings and the back are dark olive green, with a good dose of grey tones. The whole look is finished off with several dark blue flight feathers and a pale, horn colored beak with a little black spot on top. All in all, the Yellow Faced parrotlet is truly a beautiful sight.

As the name suggests, this parrotlet is best know for its contrasting, yellow-colored face.

Care and Feeding

Parrotlets have their own commercial seed mix, designed to suit their needs and size. This will be a great basic diet. You’ll want to add plenty of fresh fruits and green vegetables, like apples, oranges, celery, cabbage, and carrots. They love these, especially when they get a chance to eat them directly from your hands. A cuttlebone is also a good choice to add to their cage. It is an important source of calcium.

You should also offer them small bathing dishes – proportional to their overall size.

Health and Common Conditions

It’s definitely true that Yellow Faced parrotlets will need more care and attention. This is mostly due to their size. They can crawl into small spaces and get stuck, or accidentally stepped on. They also tend to “deny” their small size – they will square up to other, bigger parrots, or your cat and dog. This calls for some extra attention. But other than that, these tiny birds are actually quite hardy and healthy. When provided with optimal living conditions, they won’t get into too much trouble.

Take special attention about your little pet. Their petite size might get them into trouble.

Personality & Behavior

This pet has the traits to suit everybody. If you’re looking for a cuddly and affectionate little bird – you got it! They simply love to snuggle up and bask in your care and all the scratches. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a laugh and some fun – you got that too! These parrotlets are goofy and won’t fail to place a smile on your face with some of their silly behaviors. All things considered, these little pocket parrots are in fact great pets. They are suitable for everyone – families, beginners, seniors. And everyone will adore them equally!

Photo credit: Ruth Rogers/Wikimedia Commons