Report of an intergeneric hybrid between the jandaya parakeet (Aratinga jandaya) and the beach parakeet (Eupsittula aurea) and a possible pairing between hybrid and parent

Abstract

Hybridization is relatively common and is underestimated due to the low level of knowledge about the reproductive biology of many bird species, especially neotropical ones. Here, we present a case of intergeneric hybridization in the Psittacidae family between the Jandaya Parakeet (Aratinga jandaya) and the Peach-fronted Parakeet (Eupsittula aurea). As well as reporting the hybrid, we also show a possible pairing between the hybrid and its parents. The plumage pattern of the recorded hybrid is similar to that of the Peach-fronted Parakeet, but with features that differ in the belly and head regions of the individual. Similarities in behavior and an almost complete overlap in the distribution of the species may have facilitated hybridization. Also, because they are illegally bred species (trafficking), we can't rule out the possibility that this individual came from captivity.