Festive Amazon
[order] PSITTACIFORMES | [family] Psittacidae | [latin] Amazona festiva | [authority] Linnaeus, 1758 | [UK] Festive Amazon | [FR] Amazone tavoua | [DE] Blaubart-Amazone | [ES] Amazona Festiva | [NL] Blauwbaardamazone | [copyright picture] Rhett A. Butler
Monotypic species
Genus
Amazon parrot is the common name for a parrot of the genus Amazona. These are medium-size parrots native to the New World ranging from South America to Mexico and the Caribbean. Most Amazon parrots are predominantly green, with accenting colors that depend on the species and can be quite vivid. They have comparatively short, somewhat square, tails. Just like the other parrots, amazons have four toes on each foot, two pointing forwards and two pointing backward. They feed primarily on seeds, nuts, and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter. Almost everywhere in the lowlands of tropical and subtropical America, the savannas, grassy openings in the forest, and roadsides are frequented by flocks of very small finches with short and thick bills, which feed on the seeds of grasses. In the genus Sporophila, the males are clad in black, black and white, or black and chestnut, while the dull females are olive or buff. Often the same species shows pronounced variation in plumage from region to region.
Although solid green overall like other Amazona parrots, they can be distinguished by their lack of a red wing speculum in flight, and their dark reddish lores and eyebrow. Their red rump is also a distinctive field mark, though this is difficult to see when the bird is perched.
Listen to the sound of Festive Amazon
[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/PSITTACIFORMES/Psittacidae/sounds/Festive Amazon.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
recorded by Jeremy Minns
| wingspan min.: |
0 |
cm |
wingspan max.: |
0 |
cm |
| size min.: |
34 |
cm |
size max.: |
37 |
cm |
| incubation min.: |
26 |
days |
incubation max.: |
27 |
days |
| fledging min.: |
0 |
days |
fledging max.: |
0 |
days |
| broods: |
1 |
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eggs min.: |
2 |
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| |
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eggs max.: |
4 |
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South America : Venezuela, West Amazonia. The nominate subspecies is found near rivers in the Amazon Basin, while the subspecies bodini, is found near the Orinoco River
Festive Parrot is fairly local throughout its range. They are almost strictly limited to areas near water, and are rarely encountered far away from rivers or oxbow lakes. They forage in the canopy of varzea forest, but are most often encountered as flyover flocks. Found up to 500m (1640 ft) in varzea forest, riparian secondary growth and river islands. Rarely far from water. Less commonly in gallery woodland or savanna with scattered trees, and plantations.
Hardly any data. In captivity incubation about 27 days, clutch size 3 eggs.
No data, they forage in the canopy of varzea forest
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Z-xTD_nhg
copyright: D. Ascanio
This species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
A slow and ingoing population decline in Venezuela is suspected owing to illegal poaching and habitat loss
Habits poorly known, appears to be resident, with possible movements at extreme ends of range; usually in pairs or small flocks, but with large groups gathering at communal roosts for the night or at a localized food source.
