Recently a group of Brown-backed Parrotlets Touit melanonotus have been seen in Praia Vermelha do Sul, in Ubatuba.
Brown-backed Parrotlet © Elis Simpson
They have been heard and seen in the region on and off for some time, Jeremy Minns being the first to find them resting in the upper branches of some Beach Almonds Teminalia catappa. This was in February 2009, some lucky people, mostly locals, were able to get to see these birds before they seemed to disappear again, only being heard from time to time, or being seen in flight only. The birds usually sit very quietly in the topmost branches of the trees and so could quite easily have been overlooked all this time.
Brown-backed Parrotlet © Elis Simpson
A week or so ago the birds were photographed again but the finder didn’t release the news for a number of days. On the 14th Rick and Elis Simpson went to investigate, and along with visiting birders Rafael Fortes, Marcelo Barreiros and Marco Crozariol they saw and photographed at least seven birds, incredibly in the same trees as two years ago. The same day an Osprey Pandion haliaetus flew over.
Four Brown-backed Parrotlets preening © Elis Simpson
Return visits on the 15th and 16th saw 7 and 6 birds seen repectively.
Six Brown-backed Parrotlets together © Elis Simpson
The birds are generally seen from about 10.00 in the morning to 12.30, although they left the trees at about 11.30 today (16th).
