Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

The original question posted to Quora was

How well would a parrot be able to handle elevations higher than 12,000 feet?

From Wikipedia we learn:

The thick-billed parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) is a medium-sized green and red parrot found in Mexico, that formerly ranged into the southwestern United States.

Its position in parrot phylogeny is the subject of ongoing discussion; it is sometimes referred to as a thick-billed macaw or a thick-billed conure. 

The thick-billed parrot lives in temperate conifer, pine, mature pine-oak, and fir forests at an elevation of 1200–3600 meters. It is largely restricted to the Sierra Madre Occidental in Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico.

I thought I’d share this list of other birds indigenous to this mountain range ~ click on the scientific name to see a picture of the bird and get additional information.

• Bright-rumped attila, Attila spadiceus
• Lazuli bunting, Passerina amoena
• Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus
• Mexican chickadee, Poecile sclateri
• American dipper, Cinclus mexicanus
• Blue-hooded euphonia, Euphonia elegantissima
• Cordilleran flycatcher, Empidonax occidentalis
• Hammond’s flycatcher, Empidonax hammondii
• Pine flycatcher, Empidonax affinis
• Evening grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus
• Yellow grosbeak, Pheucticus chrysopeplus
• Rusty-crowned ground-sparrow, Melozone kieneri
• Blue-throated Hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae
• Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus
• Magnificent Hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens
• White-eared Hummingbird, Hylocharis leucotis
• Mexican jay, Aphelocoma ultramarina
• White-tailed kite, Elanus leucurus
• Black-throated magpie-jay, Calocitta colliei
• Purple martin, Progne subis
• Buff-collared nightjar, Antrostomus ridgwayi
• Pygmy nuthatch, Sitta pygmaea
• Elf owl, Micrathene whitneyi
• Flammulated owl, Otus flammeolus
• Spotted owl, Strix occidentalis
• Whiskered screech-owl, Megascops trichopsis
• Thick-billed parrot, Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha
• Western wood pewee, Contopus sordidulus
• Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata
• Elegant quail, Callipepla douglasii
• Montezuma quail, Cyrtonyx montezumae
• Eared quetzal, Euptilotis neoxenus
• Painted redstart, Myioborus pictus
• Townsend’s solitaire, Myadestes townsendi
• Five-striped sparrow, Amphispiza quinquestriata
• Rufous-crowned sparrow, Aimophila ruficeps
• Plain-capped starthroat, Heliomaster constantii
• Vaux’s swift, Chaetura vauxi
• White-throated swift, Aeronautes saxatalis
• Flame-colored tanager, Piranga bidentata
• Hepatic tanager, Piranga flava
• Red-headed tanager, Piranga erythrocephala
• Bridled titmouse, Baeolophus wollweberi
• Spotted towhee, Pipilo maculatus
• Hutton’s vireo, Vireo huttoni
• Plumbeous vireo, Vireo plumbeus
• Yellow-green vireo, Vireo flavoviridis
• Golden-browed warbler, Basileuterus belli
• Grace’s warbler, Setophaga graciae
• Hermit warbler, Setophaga occidentalis
• Red warbler, Cardellina ruber
• Red-faced warbler, Cardellina rubrifrons
• Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia
• Acorn woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorus
• Arizona woodpecker, Picoides arizonae

The Chimborazo volcano in Ecuador with a peak elevation of 6,263 m (20,548 ft), is home to at least 29 PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae (parrots)

1. Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet
2. Blue-fronted Parrotlet
3. Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet
4. Spot-winged Parrotlet
5. Barred Parakeet
6. Canary-winged Parakeet
7. Gray-cheeked Parakeet
8. Cobalt-winged Parakeet
9. Rose-faced Parrot
10. Orange-cheeked Parrot
11. Red-faced Parrot
12. Red-billed Parrot
13. Speckle-faced Parrot
14. Blue-headed Parrot
15. Bronze-winged Parrot
16. Red-lored Parrot
17. Scaly-naped Parrot
18. Mealy Parrot
19. Orange-winged Parrot
20. Dusky-billed Parrotlet
21. Pacific Parrotlet
22. Black-headed Parrot
23. Maroon-tailed Parakeet
24. Dusky-headed Parakeet
25. Blue-and-yellow Macaw
26. Scarlet Macaw
27. Golden-plumed Parakeet
28. Red-masked Parakeet
29. White-eyed Parakeet

The Red-fronted Parrot is found at Mt Kenya in eastern Africa whos elevation range is approximately 2200 meters to 5200 meters.

The Red-fronted Parrot and Meyers parrot is found on Mt Elgon straddling Kenya and Uganda whos elevation range is approximately 4300 meters (14,000 ft).

Here’s a list of some of the highest-flying birds on Mother earth.

Note the Ruppells vulture at 37,000 feet (verified by commercial pilots).

More relevant articles:

How High Can Birds Fly?

Highest Flying Bird Found; Can Scale Himalaya

Bottom line, birds have adapted through evolution starting with proportional wing size to specialed DNA allowing them to extract more oxygen from blood flow, unlike terrestrial creatures.

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