Red Billed
(Coral Billed)
Pionus sordidus corallinus
28 cm.  (12 in.)
Weight 240-260 grams.
Bred among a few breeders in the U.S.

Plum Crowned

Pionus tumuluosus
Length 29 cm. (11.4 in.)
Weight 220 -230 grams.
Not bred in the U.S.

                      Description
Adults  -  head dull slate-blue;  red spot on either side of forehead; ear-coverts black; feathers of throat and sides of neck tipped with dusky white thus producing an indistinct collar; feathers of chin edged with dull pink; upper parts dark brown and paler edges to feathers; underparts brown, feathers variably edged with purple-red or reddish-blue; under tail-coverts dull red; primary-coverts and flight feathers purple-blue; under wing-coverts and undersides of flight feathers deep violet-blue; tail dark blue with red at bases of lateral tail- feathers; bill dark gray with yellow towards base of upper mandible; iris brown; legs gray.
Immatures - like adults, but some upper wing-coverts edged with green; greenish tinge on secondaries.

Although the Dusky now bred by a few breeders in the U.S., is still not quite as common as the Maximilian, Blue Head, Bronze Wing or White Cap. 

              
                           One of my Dusky Breeders.
 

                    Description
Adults  - head olive-green, feathers of crown
and occiput broadly edged with dark blue; cheeks olive, feathers tipped with blue; chin and band across throat blue; breast buff-olive, each feather sub-terminally tinged with dull mauve-pink; abdomen buff-olive slightly with dull pink; under tail-coverts red; upperparts dull olive green, each feather margined with paler olive-brown; primary-coverts and flight feathers green, outermost primary edged with blue on outer web; under wing-coverts and undersides of flight feathers green; central tail-feathers green, lateral feathers blue basally barred with red; exposed skin of the periophthalmic is grey; iris dark brown; feet and legs dark gray.
Immatures - head, throat and breast pale green; feathers of crown narrowly edged with blue; under tail-coverts yellowish-green variably marked with red.

There are 6 subspecies of the Red Billed. The one most found in aviculture is the one described above.

Young 4 month old Coral Bill Pionus
produced by one of my pairs.

                  Description
Adults  - general plumage green, paler on underparts; feathers of sides of head with white bases showing through, particularly on lores and below eyes, and tipped with purple; crown and nape dark red; hindneck, sides of neck and breast reddish-purple, becoming less reddish on breast; under tail-coverts red tinged with purple and edged with yellowish-green; under wing-coverts and undersides of flight feathers dull green; central tail-feathers green, lateral feathers green tipped with violet-blue and basally barred with red; bill olive-yellow; iris brown; legs greenish gray.
Immatures -  nape and hind crown dark green like back; throat rose-red as in adult, but cheeks and breast green; under tail-coverts yellowish-green basally marked with pink.

The Plum Crowned is  rarely bred in captivity.  There has been no subspecies described or known.