It is reported there are only four Yellow Face left and they are all males. They look very similar to Pacifics and were erroneously thought to be subspecies for many years. Being similarly marked with an eye streak and deep, violet blue wings, rumps and backs, they have a bright yellow face and much larger than a male Pacific. Blue Wing parrotlets are often confused with Mexicans since they both have gray legs and beaks. Male Blue Wings have deep, dark blue-violet on their rumps, wings and backs.
Females have bright green faces with yellow green above the cere between the eyes.
Although much easier to breed than Mexicans, they are difficult to find as so few were imported and only handfuls of birds are being bred. Spectacle parrotlets are a new addition to American aviculture. Approximately twenty pairs were imported in the fall of 1992. A breeding cooperative was formed to insure the preservation of bloodlines and a clean gene pool for the future. So far, the program has exceptionally well as there are now hundreds of Spectacles in this country.