Puerto Rican Amazon (Amazona vittata)

Puerto Rican Amazon

[order] PSITTACIFORMES | [family] Psittacidae | [latin] Amazona vittata | [authority] Boddaert, 1783 | [UK] Puerto Rican Amazon | [FR] Amazone de Porto Rico | [DE] Puerto-Rico-Amazone | [ES] Amazona Portorriquena, Cotorra Puertorriquena | [NL] Puertoricaanse Amazone | [copyright picture] Birdlife

Subspecies

Genus Species subspecies Region Range
Amazona vittata NA Puerto Rico

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.

Physical charateristics

Green parrot with red forecrown, white eye-ring and blue two-toned primaries. Introduced Hispaniolan Parrot A. ventralis has white forehead, maroon belly and blue in wing extends on to secondaries. Red-crowned Parrot A. viridigenalis has more extensive red on crown and red-orange wing-patch, but is very local around the coast and unlikely to occur sympatrically.

Listen to the sound of Puerto Rican Amazon

[audio:http://www.planetofbirds.com/MASTER/PSITTACIFORMES/Psittacidae/sounds/Puerto Rican Amazon.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto


wingspan min.: 0 cm wingspan max.: 0 cm
size min.: 29 cm size max.: 31 cm
incubation min.: 24 days incubation max.: 26 days
fledging min.: 60 days fledging max.: 65 days
broods: 1   eggs min.: 3  
      eggs max.: 4  

Range

North America : Puerto Rico. Amazona vittata is endemic to Puerto Rico (to USA), and once occurred throughout the forested parts of the island.

Habitat

Historically, it occurred in montane and lowland forest, and mangroves. It is now restricted to forest at elevations of 200-600 m.

Reproduction

The breeding season is late February-July, when it nests in large, deep tree-cavities and lays 3-4 eggs. Since 2001, all known nesting in the wild has occurred in artificial cavities.The Puerto Rican Amazon reaches sexual maturity between three and four years of age. It reproduces once a year and is a cavity nester. Once the female lays eggs she will remain in the nest and continuously incubate them until hatching. The chicks are fed by both parents and will fledge 60 to 65 days after hatching.

Feeding habits

This parrot’s diet is varied and consists of flowers, fruits, leaves, bark and nectar obtained from the forest canopy.

Video Puerto Rican Amazon

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IRaBi4Kkn0

copyright: J. Gonzalez y F. Collazo


Conservation

This species has (at least temporarily) been saved from extinction. Conservation action has increased the population since 1975, but it is still Critically Endangered because numbers remain tiny.
There has been an almost total loss of suitable forest habitat. Hunting for food and pest control, and the cage-bird trade have had crippling effects. The principal threats are now competition for nest-sites, loss of young to parasitic botflies, predation and natural disasters such as hurricanes. Red-tailed Hawks Buteo jamaicensis predate parrots and hamper releases of captive-bred individuals. Predator-aversion training pre-release has improved the survival of captive-reared birds after release into the wild.
Puerto Rican Amazon status Critically Endangered

Migration

Sedentary

Distribution map

Puerto Rican Amazon distribution range map

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