Birds
Slender-billed Parakeet
Enicognathus leptorhynchus
Digging into soil with a bill unlike that of any other parrot species, a slender-billed parakeet unearths roots and bulbs across the Valdivian temperate rainforest of Chile, a foraging habit that occasionally puts it at odds with local farmers.
Overview
The slender-billed parakeet, Enicognathus leptorhynchus, is a Near Threatened bird endemic to forest habitat across southern-central Chile. Its extraordinary elongated bill adapted for digging, its unusual underground foraging habit, and its endemic status make it one of the more anatomically and behaviourally distinctive parrots found anywhere in the world.
A parrot that forages like a shovel
Most parrots feed on seeds and fruit found above ground, but the slender-billed parakeet instead digs directly into the soil, its unusually long and curved bill giving it access to roots and bulbs that remain out of reach for almost every other parrot species.
Status
Near Threatened, with populations having declined alongside the loss of Valdivian temperate rainforest habitat, though the species remains locally common where suitable forest survives.
Slender-billed Parakeet: common questions
What makes the slender-billed parakeet's bill unusual?
This species has an unusually long, slender, curved upper bill unlike that of any other parrot species, an adaptation specifically suited to digging into soil for food.
Why does the slender-billed parakeet dig underground?
This species digs underground for roots and bulbs, an unusual foraging method rarely seen among parrots, most of which feed on seeds, fruit, and vegetation above ground.
Is the slender-billed parakeet found outside Chile?
No, this species is endemic to Chile, found nowhere else in the world outside its native temperate forest range in the southern-central part of the country.
Why do farmers sometimes consider the slender-billed parakeet a pest?
This species is sometimes considered an agricultural pest where it digs up planted bulbs and root crops in search of food, occasionally bringing it into conflict with local farmers.