Scaly-headed parrot

The scaly-headed parrot (Pionus maximiliani) is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is also called scaly-headed pionus, Maximilian pionus, Maximilian parrot, Maximilian's pionus, or Maximilian's parrot. It is found in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay.

The scaly-headed parrot is 25 to 29 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long and weighs 233 to 293 g (8.2 to 10 oz). Adults of the nominate subspecies P. m. maximiliani have a blackish brown forehead and mid-crown. Their rest of their head, their nape, and their upper back are dark greenish bronze; the feathers have darker edges that give the eponymous scaly effect. Their eye has arcs of bare white skin above and below. Their lower back and wings are dull green with lighter scaling. Their throat and upper breast are dull blue that becomes yellowish green on the belly. Their undertail coverts and base of the tail are red. The inner tail feathers are green and the outer ones blue. Immature birds have a paler green head and less blue on the breast than adults.

Subspecies P. m. melanoblepharus is larger than the nominate; its green areas and the blue breast are darker and the skin around the eye is dark. P. m. siy is also darker than the nominate, with a reddish purple chin and throat. P. m. lacerus is like siy but larger and has more, and more intense, blue on the breast.