Genus Ognorhynchus

Yellow-eared Parrot - The Yellow-eared Parrot nests and lives among wax palms in a few areas of Western and Central Cordillera of Colombia; were it inhabits cloud forests about 1800 – 3000 meters above sea level. It nests in the hollow trunks of the palms, usually 25-30 meters over the floor level. It also occurred very locally in the Western Cordillera of Ecuador where wax palm grows. Their numbers had been greatly reduced, and only 81 individuals were recorded in the Colombian census of 1999. Their populations have been impacted by hunting and habitat destruction, particularly the harvesting of wax palm, which was traditionally cut down and used each year on Palm Sunday. There has been no confirmed records of this parrot from Ecuador since the mid-90s.