How Well Do Parrots Handle Elevations Higher Than 12,000 Feet?
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How Well Do Parrots Handle Elevations Higher Than 12,000 Feet?

Last Updated on 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.

 

 

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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