Green Parakeet

Psittacara holochlorus

Many of these birds escaped or were released from their lives in the pet trade. These natives of Mexico now live in urban and suburban colonies around many cities in the USA. Their native range is predominantly in Mexico and Central America.

There are three subspecies recognised by science:

• P.h. brewsteri lives in the mountains of northwestern Mexico
• P.h. holochlorus lives in eastern Mexico and to a limited extent, in south Texas
• P.h. rubritorquis lives in western Central America. Some authorities call the subspecies rubritorquis the Red-Throated Parakeet and feel we should separate it into its own species.

I met these birds in my RV Campground (Breeze Lake) during my second visit to Brownsville (Texas). The Lower Rio Grande Valley is the only location in the USA where they are native.