Caiques  (pionites)
Small distinctive white breasted parrots feeding and living in the tree canopies of the Central/South American rainforests. In the UK these small parrots are pronounced as “cakes” whereas in the USA they are referred to as “kyeeks” which is probably more accurate. Their stance is more upright than other parrots giving them a comical appearance. These parrots are highly drawn to their own kind, perhaps more so than other parrots. But they are also known to quickly form bonds with other parrots, and sometimes birds which are much larger then themselves. Breeding pairs in captivity often breed twice a year and lay 3-4 eggs.

Black-headed (p.m.melanocephala)
This specie of Caique is found North of the Amazon river and as far north as in south Venezuela. Most commonly bred Caique in the UK, first bred by the late George Smith in 1971. The shades of orange on the thighs of wild Caiques can vary from light orange to deep dark orange depending on which local habitat they had originated from. This is well illustrated in Rosemary Lows book on Caiques. 

Pallid (p.m.pallidas)
This Caique differs from the Black Headed only in that the thigh colour is lemon yellow in colour. Their territory lies to the east side of the Amazonas and can be found as far east as in Columbia and Ecuador. Not often seen in European captive collections and it is sometimes found that individual Pallid Caiques may be mistaken as Black Headed Caiques.

White- bellied Caiques (p.l.leucogaster)
This species of Caique live on the south and eastern side of the Amazonas and Northern Brazil. George Smith is again credited with having first bred this species in England in 1984. In general they are kept and bred by only a few breeders in Europe.

Yellow-thighed Caique (p.l,xanthomeria)
This Caique lives to the South western areas of the Amazonas and Brazil, west to Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. More commonly kept in captivity than the White Bellied (Green Thighed) Caiques). First bred in England by George Smith in 1983.

Yellow -tailed Caique (p.l.xanthurus)
This is rarely seen in captivity although Rosemary Low has seen them in a private collection in South America. Said to have paler plumage than leucogaster, and with yellow upper and under tail coverts. Their territory is in northwest Brazil.

Above photos (Left to right): Black-headed, Green-thighed, Pallid and Yellow-thighed Caiques

Caique breeders websites

http://www.caiques.tk/

http://www.joanscaiques.com/

http://caiquesarepeopletoo.homestead.com/About.html

http://shadypines.com/

http://www.caique.es/

http://www.caiquecrazy.org/