Head to head
Burrowing Parrot vs Slender-billed Parakeet
Burrowing Parrot
VS Slender-billed Parakeet
Both parrots dig for a living in very different ways, one into cliff faces for a nest, the other into soil for food.
| Burrowing Parrot | Slender-billed Parakeet | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cyanoliseus patagonus | Enicognathus leptorhynchus |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened | Near Threatened |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Decreasing |
| Digging behaviour | Digs nesting burrows into cliffs | Digs underground for roots and bulbs |
| Social structure | Enormous colonies of tens of thousands | Less colonial, smaller flocks |
| Main threat | Poaching for the pet trade | Loss of Valdivian temperate rainforest |
| Range | Open steppe of Argentina and Chile | Southern-central Chile only |
| Habitat | Coastal, grassland, desert | Forest |
Burrowing Parrot vs Slender-billed Parakeet: common questions
Which parrot forms larger colonies?
The burrowing parrot does, nesting in colonies of tens of thousands of burrows dug into cliff faces, among the largest parrot colonies found anywhere on Earth, far exceeding the slender-billed parakeet's smaller flocks.
Which parrot digs for its food rather than its nest?
The slender-billed parakeet does, digging underground for roots and bulbs using its uniquely elongated bill, while the burrowing parrot instead digs to create its own nesting burrow.
Which parrot is more threatened by poaching?
The burrowing parrot faces greater documented pressure from poaching for the international pet trade, while the slender-billed parakeet's main threat instead comes from the loss of its native forest habitat.