Rose-headed Parakeet

The rose-crowned parakeet is gregarious, forming noisy flocks of 10–30 birds when not breeding, and gathers in larger numbers to roost. It makes movements each day, but the species is probably resident. The voice is described as "harsh [and] reedy", though “apparently quieter than other Pyrrhura conures." The flight is "swift and direct.” Nothing is known of the species' diet, though it is suspected to eat berries, seeds, fruits and flowers. It is thought to breed in April, May and June, probably laying 4–6 eggs.

It is endemic to Venezuela, found only in the Andes of the north-west in the Cordillera de Mérida, from Táchira to Trujillo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest, at elevations of 800 metres to 3,100 metres above sea level, but mostly at 1,500–2,500 metres. It can also be found in farmland with scattered trees and at the forest edge. Its estimated extent of occurrence is 17,000 km square. In 1988 it was assessed for the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened, updated to Lower Risk in 2000 and Least Concern since 2004; in 2002 it was described as "fairly common." A reported population decline caused by deforestation had not become problematic as of 2010, but Parr and Juniper considered that in a species with such a small range this must present a long-term threat. The current population trend is "stable" although the number of mature individuals is unknown. The rose-crowned parakeet is on the CITES Appendix II which "includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival."