arrow_back Species Library
Red-faced Parrot
Birds Active during the day

Red-faced Parrot

Hapalopsittaca pyrrhops

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

A vibrant flash of crimson in the misty Andean heights, the Red-faced Parrot is one of the world's most elusive high-altitude birds. Finding one is a rare privilege for any wildlife enthusiast.

0 Sightings
0 Habitats

Quick Identification

straighten

Size

22–23 cm (8.5–9 inches) in length; approximately 100–120g (3.5–4.2 oz)

palette

Colors

Primary green body with a brilliant red face, forehead, and lores. Dull yellow-green underparts and blue-edged flight feathers.

visibility

Key Features

  • Bright crimson mask across the forehead and eyes
  • Pale ivory-colored bill
  • Compact, short-tailed silhouette
  • Indigo-blue primary wing feathers
add_a_photo
Is this a Red-faced Parrot?

Drop a photo or video to find out instantly

When You’ll See Them

schedule
Activity pattern Active during the day
brightness_5
Peak hours 6:30 AM – 9:30 AM, 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
calendar_month
Season Year-round
restaurant
Diet A specialist feeder focusing on the seeds, fruits, and flowers of high-altitude trees, particularly Gynoxys and Clusia species.
park
Habitat High-altitude cloud forests, temperate elfin forests, and paramo edges.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Red-faced Parrot Live?

This rare avian treasure is native to the high Andes of South America. Its highly restricted range is concentrated in southern Ecuador, specifically within the provinces of Azuay and Loja, and extends just across the border into the department of Piura in northern Peru. Because it relies on specialized temperate forest ecosystems, its distribution is naturally fragmented and limited to narrow elevation bands.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

2 Countries
10.2K km² Range
Vulnerable Conservation
EC Ecuador
Marginal
PE Peru
Marginal
Elevation range
0 m1,000 m2,000 m4,000 m
2,500 m – 3,500 m
eco
iNaturalist / Verified observation data
View on iNaturalist open_in_new

Explore more Birds arrow_forward

Behavior

The Red-faced Parrot is a social but relatively quiet species compared to its louder lowland cousins. They are typically found in small family groups or flocks of up to 10 individuals, moving through the canopy of high-altitude forests. While they are active throughout the day, they spend much of their time feeding silently among the branches, making them difficult to spot without the aid of a camera or binoculars.

These parrots are known for their altitudinal movements, shifting their range slightly depending on the seasonal availability of specific fruits and flowers. In flight, they emit soft, metallic calls to keep the flock together as they navigate across misty mountain valleys. They are sensitive to human disturbance and remain strictly tied to undisturbed primary forest fragments.

photo_camera EverydayEarth exclusive

Camera Tips

Capturing high-quality footage of the Red-faced Parrot requires placing your equipment in the high-elevation cloud forest canopy. To find success, identify flowering Gynoxys trees or fruiting shrubs, as these act as natural magnets for the species. Mounting your camera on a ridge-top tree where the canopy is more accessible can provide a better line of sight than looking up from the dark forest floor.

Lighting is your biggest challenge in the misty Andes. Use a camera with a high-quality sensor capable of handling low-light conditions and dappled shadows. If your AI camera supports it, set a fast trigger speed to catch these birds as they flit quickly between branches. Because the environment is exceptionally humid and cool, ensure your camera housing is rated for high moisture and consider using anti-fog inserts inside the lens port.

External power is vital for remote Andean setups. The combination of cold mountain air and high-resolution recording will drain standard batteries fast; a solar panel mounted in a nearby clearing with a long cable to the camera is the gold standard. To increase your chances of a close-up, look for natural 'mineral licks' or small water catchments in the crooks of large trees where the parrots may descend to drink or bathe.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Red-faced Parrot.

Rusty-faced Parrot

Features a duller, brownish-red face and is generally found at slightly lower elevations than the Red-faced Parrot.

Fuertes's Parrot

Also known as the Indigo-winged Parrot, it has a more yellowish crown and is restricted to a small area of the Central Andes in Colombia.

Browse all Birds arrow_forward

Frequently Asked Questions

Red-faced Parrots are most active in the early morning shortly after sunrise and in the late afternoon. During these times, they move between their roosting sites and their preferred feeding trees.
These parrots are habitat specialists that live exclusively in high-altitude forests. They are unlikely to visit suburban backyards unless you live directly adjacent to a primary Andean cloud forest above 2,500 metres.
Their diet is primarily vegetarian, consisting of seeds, small fruits, and the flowers of high-altitude plants like Gynoxys. They are particularly fond of the berries found in elfin forests.
No, they are quite rare and listed as Vulnerable. They avoid human settlements and require intact, high-elevation temperate forests to survive.
The Red-faced Parrot has a bright, solid red mask covering its forehead and around its eyes, whereas the Rusty-faced Parrot has a more muted, brownish-orange facial patch and different coloration on its wing coverts.

Record Red-faced Parrot at your habitat

Connect a camera to start building your own species record — AI identifies every visitor automatically.

Join free Identify a photo