General Description: Nanday Parakeets (Nandayus nenday), also called Black-hooded Parakeets, are medium-sized, noisy, bright green birds with long tails and long wings. The face and bill are black, hence the "black hood," the breast has a blue wash, and the lower leg feathers are red. In flight, the dorsal surface of the wings are green, but the anterior wing linings are green (or yellow, depending on lighting) and the underside of the wings are black, giving them the appearance of having long, dark wings.

Taxonomy: Psittaciformes, Psittacidae. Also called Nanday Conure.

Favored Habitat: Tropical wetland forests, the Pantanal, in central South America.

Where to Find: Don't look for Nanday Parakeets around Las Vegas. Rather, look for wild birds in South America. Closer to home, look for feral, self-sustaining populations in the Los Angeles, CA, area and in south Florida (including the St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale-Miami areas). In Dunedin, Florida, a good place to find Nanday Parakeets is on telephone wires at and near the intersection of Bayshore Road and Palm Blvd.

Comments: Nanday Parakeets nest in tree cavities, especially in palm trees.