Skip to main content
Nanday Parakeet
Aratinga nenday
At a Glance
Recognized by its black head (and formerly called Black-hooded Parakeet), this species was originally found in the central interior of South America, from southern Brazil to northern Argentina. It has been popular in the cage bird trade, and Nanday Parakeets escaped from captivity have established large feral populations around Los Angeles, in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, and along Florida's southeastern coast. Smaller numbers are seen elsewhere, including other parts of Florida and near Phoenix, Arizona.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Perching Birds
Conservation
Low Concern
Habitat
Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Urban and Suburban Habitats
Behavior
Direct Flight
Range & Identification
Description
13" (33 cm). A large parakeet with a long, pointed tail. Mostly bright green, with black on the crown, face, and throat, and a black bill. Touches of blue on the chest, wings, and tail, and a red patch near the base of each leg, are not always noticeable.
Size
About the size of a Crow, About the size of a Robin
Wing Shape
Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Long, Pointed
Songs and Calls
Very loud repetitive screeching - kree-ah...kree-ah. Grating chatter when perched; in flight a piercing, high-pitched call followed by 3 or 4 much lower, abrupt klaak! calls.
Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the Nanday Parakeet