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THE PARROT SPECIES FIELD GUIDE · Psittacidae

Blue-headed Parrot

Pionus menstruus

Meet the blue-headed parrot: its taxonomic place, natural range and conservation record.

Blue-headed Parrot — Pionus menstruus
Blue-headed Parrot
SPECIES NOTES

A closer look.

Scientific names follow AviList v2025b. Read the taxonomy and source notes for changes in classification.

About this species

The blue-headed parrot, also known as the blue-headed pionus (Pionus menstruus) is a medium-sized parrot of about 27 cm (11 in) in length. The body is mostly green, with a blue head and neck, and red undertail coverts. It is a resident in tropical and subtropical South America and southern Central America, from Costa Rica, Venezuela and the Caribbean island of Trinidad south to Bolivia and Brazil. Its habitat is forest and semi-open country, including cultivated areas. It is largely restricted to humid or semi-humid regions, but locally extends into drier habitats, at least along rivers. The blue-headed parrot lays three to five white eggs in a tree cavity.

Conservation record

AviList v2025b records this species as not evaluated. Assessments and taxonomy can change; follow the source checklist for updates.

Sources & image credit

Names, family, range and conservation record: AviList Core Team (2026), AviList v2025b, CC BY 4.0. Species summary: Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0. Length, weight and longevity when listed: World Parrot Trust species account.

Image: The original uploader was Yve5 at French Wikipedia .. Original file and full credit · CC BY-SA 2.5. Display size and encoding adjusted.