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.
- 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)
- Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet
- Blue-fronted Parrotlet
- Sapphire-rumped Parrotlet
- Spot-winged Parrotlet
- Barred Parakeet
- Canary-winged Parakeet
- Gray-cheeked Parakeet
- Cobalt-winged Parakeet
- Rose-faced Parrot
- Orange-cheeked Parrot
- Red-faced Parrot
- Red-billed Parrot
- Speckle-faced Parrot
- Blue-headed Parrot
- Bronze-winged Parrot
- Red-lored Parrot
- Scaly-naped Parrot
- Mealy Parrot
- Orange-winged Parrot
- Dusky-billed Parrotlet
- Pacific Parrotlet
- Black-headed Parrot
- Maroon-tailed Parakeet
- Dusky-headed Parakeet
- Blue-and-yellow Macaw
- Scarlet Macaw
- Golden-plumed Parakeet
- Red-masked Parakeet
- 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:
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.
Aggregated by Mitch Rezman
Approved by Catherine Tobsing
Author Profile
