Cuban amazon

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Cuban amazon
Amazona leucocephala -in tree-4cp.jpg
A. l. leucocephala in Cuba
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Amazona
Species:
A. leucocephala
Binomial name
Amazona leucocephala
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Amazona leucocephala map.svg
Range in green
Synonyms

Psittacus leucocephalusLinnaeus, 1758

The Cuban amazon (Amazona leucocephala), also known as the Cuban parrot and the rose-throated parrot, is a medium-sized mainly green parrot found in woodlands and dry forests of Cuba, the Bahamas and Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. [1] [3] Although they have been observed in the wild in Puerto Rico, they are probably the result of escaped pets, and no reproduction has been recorded. [4]

Contents

Taxonomy

The Cuban amazon was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae . He placed it with all the other parrots in the genus Psittacus and coined the binomial name Psittacus leucocephalus. [5] Linnaeus cited the description and illustration of the "white-headed parrot" in George Edwards' A Natural History of Uncommon Birds which was published in 1751. [6] Linnaeus gave the type locality as "America" but this was restricted to eastern Cuba by Thomas Barbour in 1923. [7] [8] The Cuban amazon is now one of around thirty species placed in the genus Amazona that was introduced by the French naturalist René Lesson in 1830. [9] [10] The genus name is a Latinized version of the name Amazone used in the 18th century by the Comte de Buffon. The specific epithet leucocephala is from Ancient Greek leukokephalos meaning "white-headed" (from leukos meaning "white" and "-kephalos" meaning "-headed"). [11]

Traditionally, most authorities have recognized four subspecies of the Cuban amazon, [12] [13] [10] thereby following the 1928 review by James Lee Peters. [14]

Another subspecies, A. l. palmarum (Todd, 1916) was thought to occur in western Cuba (east to Villa Clara Province) and Isla de la Juventud based on differences in the plumage, but in 1928 a re-evaluation indicated that the colour differences were due to age-related variations and that they showed no substantial differences to the specimens obtained from the rest of Cuba (i.e., A. l. leucocephala sensu stricto ). [14] The two populations are very similar genetically, [15] but some authorities have maintained that A. l. palmarum is a valid subspecies. [16] [17] [18] A recent review based on morphology and plumage supported the distinction of A. l. palmarum (at least if restricted to the population on Isla de la Juventud), it having a longer wing chord and metatarsus, and a larger rosy pink throat patch than A. l. leucocephala of the Cuban mainland. [19] This review also revealed differences among the populations on the various islands in the Bahamas (some of which had already been pointed out earlier), [15] [20] leading to the suggestion of restricting A. l. bahamensis to the now-extirpated population of the Acklins and Crooked Islands, while it was proposed that the two extant populations from the Abaco Islands and the Inagua Islands each represent a new subspecies. [19] The recognition of three subspecies from the Bahamas is also supported by genetics. [21]

Description

The Cuban amazon is a medium-sized parrot 28–33 centimetres (11–13 in) long. [22] It is mainly green with some blue feathers in its wings. [14] The green feathers are edged with a terminal black rim. [23] Its lower face, chin and throat are rosy pink, and its forehead and eye-rings are white. [14] The extent of the various colours of the head, the extent of the rosy pink on the upper chest, and the extent of the dull red on the abdomen vary between the subspecies. [3] [23] Its irises are pale olive-green, its beak is horn-coloured, and the feathers over the ears are blackish. [23] The legs are pink. [23] The juvenile has little or no red on the abdomen, less black edging on the green feathers, and some of the feathers on the top of its head may be pale yellow rather than white. [23]

Distribution and habitat

The Cuban amazon lives in different habitats on different islands. [22] It was once found throughout Cuba, but it is now mainly confined to the forested areas of the main island and Isla de la Juventud. There are about 10,000 individuals in Cuba, including an estimated 1,100–1,320 on Isla de la Juventud. [1] [3]

On the Cayman Islands the parrot lives in dry forest and on agricultural land. The population living on Grand Cayman numbers about 3,400 individuals (2006 survey), and the population on Cayman Brac consists of 400–500 individuals. [3] The population on Little Cayman was extirpated in the 1940s. [24]

The populations were estimated at 3,550 individuals on Abaco and 6,350 on Inagua in 2006. [3] The populations on the Acklins and Crooked Islands were extirpated in the 1940s, [24] while it, based on fossil remains and archeological findings, historically also has been present on several other islands in the Bahamas (e.g., New Providence and San Salvador) and on Grand Turk Island. [15]

Behavior

In the winter Cuban amazons gather in flocks, and disperse into pairs during the breeding season. [3]

Diet

The Cuban amazon feeds on a number of fruits and seeds including the fruits of palm trees and West Indian mahogany ( Swietenia mahagoni ) seeds. [3]

Breeding

The breeding season is from March to September. [3] Cuban amazons nest in tree cavities throughout most of its range, the only exception being that the parrots living on the Abaco Islands nest underground in limestone solution holes, where they are protected from pineyard wildfires. [22] Two to four white eggs are laid, which are incubated by the female for 26–28 days. [3]

Status

Due to ongoing habitat loss, occasional natural disasters and trapping for the wild parrot trade, the Cuban amazon is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [1] It is protected with a listing on Appendix I of CITES, [25] which prohibits commercial international trade of listed wild-caught species. [26]

Aviculture

Pet in a small round cage in Cuba Amazona leucocephala -Isla de la Juventud, Cuba -round cage-8a.jpg
Pet in a small round cage in Cuba

The Cuban amazon was seldom-seen in aviculture outside of Cuba and Florida (where it was bred in captivity by Cuban immigrants) until the 1980s, and is considered one of the more difficult to breed amazon parrots, with aggressive behaviour from cock birds towards their mates and their own chicks a relatively common occurrence. The species is also a popular pet in Russia, as many pet parrots were brought back from Cuba by Russian soldiers following the collapse of the Soviet Union. [27] Despite increased availability in recent times, the Cuban amazon is still one of the highest-priced of all amazons. Several colour mutations have been observed in captive-bred stock. [28]

In the Cayman Islands, Cuban amazons (locally known as Cayman parrots) are sometimes removed from the wild and illegally kept as pets. In 2020, the authorities held an amnesty during which parrot owners could legally register their pets, which were then given health checks and fitted with microchips and leg bands in order to identify and distinguish them from wild birds. 326 parrots were registered during this amnesty. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazon parrot</span> Genus of birds

Amazon parrots are parrots in the genus Amazona. They are medium-sized, short-tailed parrots native to the Americas, with their range extending from South America to Mexico and the Caribbean. Amazona is one of the 92 genera of parrots that make up the order Psittaciformes and is in the family Psittacidae, one of three families of true parrots. It contains about thirty species. Most amazons are predominantly green, with accenting colors that depend on the species, and they can be quite vivid. They feed primarily on seeds, nuts, and fruits, supplemented by leafy matter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abaco Islands</span> Group of islands in the Bahamas

The Abaco Islands lie in the northern Bahamas, located about 193 miles east of Miami, Florida. The main islands are Great Abaco and Little Abaco, which is located just west of the northern tip of Great Abaco. There are several smaller barrier cays, of which the northernmost are Walker's Cay and its sister island Grand Cay. To the south, the next inhabited islands are Spanish Cay and Green Turtle Cay, with its settlement of New Plymouth, Great Guana Cay, private Scotland Cay, Man-O-War Cay, and Elbow Cay, with its settlement of Hope Town. Southernmost are Tilloo Cay and Lubbers Quarters. Another of note off Abaco's western shore is Gorda Cay, now a Disney-owned island and a cruise ship stop renamed Castaway Cay. Also in the vicinity is Moore's Island. On the Big Island of Abaco is Marsh Harbour, the Abacos' commercial hub and the Bahamas' third largest city, plus the resort area of Treasure Cay. Both have airports. A few mainland settlements of significance are Coopers Town and Fox Town in the north and Cherokee and Sandy Point in the south. Administratively, the Abaco Islands constitute seven of the 31 Local Government Districts of the Bahamas: Grand Cay, North Abaco, Green Turtle Cay, Central Abaco, South Abaco, Moore's Island, and Hope Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-shouldered amazon</span> Species of bird

The yellow-shouldered amazon, also known as the yellow-shouldered parrot, is a parrot of the genus Amazona that is found in the arid areas of northern Venezuela, the Venezuelan islands of Margarita and La Blanquilla, and the island of Bonaire. It has been extirpated from Aruba and introduced to Curaçao.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-billed amazon</span> Species of bird

The black-billed amazon is a parrot endemic to Jamaica. Sometimes called the black-billed parrot, this amazon parrot is mostly green with small patches of red on the wing and sometimes flecked on the head. Its bill makes it easy to separate from most other amazons, including the yellow-billed amazon, which also lives in Jamaica. It is the smallest Amazona parrot at 25 cm (10 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange-winged amazon</span> Species of bird

The orange-winged amazon, also known locally as orange-winged parrot and loro guaro, is a large amazon parrot. It is a resident breeding bird in tropical South America, from Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil. Its habitat is forest and semi-open country. Although common, it is persecuted as an agricultural pest and by capture for the pet trade. It is also hunted as a food source. Introduced breeding populations have been reported in Puerto Rico and Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rican amazon</span> Parrot endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rican amazon, also known as the Puerto Rican parrot or iguaca, is the only extant parrot endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico, and belongs to the Neotropical genus Amazona. Measuring 28–30 cm (11.0–11.8 in), the bird is a predominantly green parrot with a red forehead and white rings around the eyes. Its closest relatives are believed to be the Cuban amazon and the Hispaniolan amazon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-lored amazon</span> Species of bird

The red-lored amazon or red-lored parrot is a species of amazon parrot, native to tropical regions of the Americas, from eastern Mexico south to Ecuador where it occurs in humid evergreen to semi-deciduous forests up to 1,100 m altitude. It is absent from the Pacific side of Central America north of Costa Rica. Not originally known from El Salvador, a pair - perhaps escaped from captivity - nested successfully in 1995 and 1996 in the outskirts of San Salvador and the species might expand its range permanently into that country in the future. This species has also established feral populations in several California cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-headed amazon</span> Species of bird

The yellow-headed amazon, also known as the yellow-headed parrot and double yellow-headed amazon, is an endangered amazon parrot of Mexico and northern Central America. Measuring 38–43 centimetres (15–17 in) in length, it is a stocky short-tailed green parrot with a yellow head. It prefers to live in mangrove forests or forests near rivers or other bodies of water. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon. It is a popular pet and an excellent talker. Poaching for the international pet trade has driven the species to near-extinction in the wild; around half of all wild-caught birds are thought to die in the process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuban macaw</span> Extinct species of macaw native to Cuba

The Cuban macaw or Cuban red macaw is an extinct species of macaw native to the main island of Cuba and the nearby Isla de la Juventud. It became extinct in the late 19th century. Its relationship with other macaws in its genus was long uncertain, but it was thought to have been closely related to the scarlet macaw, which has some similarities in appearance. It may also have been closely related, or identical, to the hypothetical Jamaican red macaw. A 2018 DNA study found that it was the sister species of two red and two green species of extant macaws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antillean palm swift</span> Species of bird

The Antillean palm swift is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found on the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pearly-eyed thrasher</span> Species of bird

The pearly-eyed thrasher is a bird in the thrasher family Mimidae. It is found on many Caribbean islands, from the Bahamas in the north to the Grenadines in the south, with an isolated subspecies on Bonaire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-crowned amazon</span> Species of bird

The yellow-crowned amazon or yellow-crowned parrot is a species of parrot native to tropical South America, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean. The taxonomy is highly complex and the yellow-headed and yellow-naped amazon are sometimes considered subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon. Except in the taxonomic section, the following deals only with the nominate group .They are found in the Amazon basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-billed amazon</span> Species of bird

The yellow-billed amazon, also called the yellow-billed parrot or Jamaican amazon, is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is a predominantly green parrot with a short tail and pink throat and neck. It is endemic to Jamaica, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, plantations, and rural gardens. It is threatened by habitat loss and illegal trapping of wild birds for the pet trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hispaniolan amazon</span> Species of parrot endemic to Hispaniola

The Hispaniolan parrot, also known as Hispaniolan amazon, is a species of psittaciform bird of the family Psittacidae endemic to Hispaniola, which includes the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Its white forehead, light beak, white eye-ring, blue ear patch, and maroon belly patch are the main features that differentiate it from other amazons. Its body measures about 28 centimeters in length. A typical adult weighs 250g (8.75 oz).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-legged thrush</span> Species of bird

The red-legged thrush is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. Native to the Caribbean, it is found in the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. It formerly occurred on the Swan Islands, Honduras, but was extirpated there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Indian woodpecker</span> Species of bird

The West Indian woodpecker is a species of bird in subfamily Picinae of the woodpecker family Picidae. It is found in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

<i>Cyclura nubila</i> Species of reptile

The Cuban rock iguana, also known as the Cuban ground iguana or Cuban iguana, is a species of lizard of the iguana family. It is the second largest of the West Indian rock iguanas, one of the most endangered groups of lizards. A herbivorous species with a thick tail and spiked jowls, it is one of the largest lizards in the Caribbean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tres Marías amazon</span> Species of bird

The Tres Marías amazon is a subspecies of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is endemic to the Islas Marías off the Pacific coast of Mexico.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 BirdLife International (2020). "Amazona leucocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22686201A179212864. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22686201A179212864.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Rose-throated Parrot (Amazona leucocephala)". Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB). December 2006. Archived from the original on 2013-01-13.
  4. ↑ Falcón, Wilfredo; Tremblay, Raymond L. (2018). "From the cage to the wild: introductions of Psittaciformes to Puerto Rico". PeerJ. 6:e5669: e5669. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5669 . PMC   6214232 . PMID   30397538.
  5. ↑ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 100.
  6. ↑ Edwards, George (1751). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Vol. 4. London: Printed for the author at the College of Physicians. p. 166, Plate 166.
  7. ↑ Barbour, Thomas (1923). The Birds of Cuba. Memoirs of the Nuttall Ornithological Club: Number 6. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Nuttall Ornithological Club. p. 82.
  8. ↑ Peters, James Lee, ed. (1937). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 217.
  9. ↑ Lesson, René (1831). Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique (in French). Vol. 1. Paris: F.G. Levrault. p. 189.
  10. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2022). "Parrots, cockatoos". IOC World Bird List Version 12.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  11. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  44, 223. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  12. ↑ Clements, J. F. (2007). The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World . 6th edition. Christopher Helm. ISBN   978-0-7136-8695-1
  13. ↑ Dickinson, E.C.; Remsen, J.V. Jr., eds. (2013). The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World. Vol. 1: Non-passerines (4th ed.). Eastbourne, UK: Aves Press. pp. 360–361. ISBN   978-0-9568611-0-8.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Peters, James. L (1928). "Races of the Amazon leucocephala (Linn.)" (PDF). Auk. 45 (3): 342–344. doi: 10.2307/4076025 . JSTOR   4076025.
  15. 1 2 3 Ottens-Wainright, P.; et al. (2004). "Independent geographic origins of the genus Amazona in the West Indies" (PDF). Journal of Caribbean Ornithology. 17: 23–49. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
  16. ↑ Hayes, W. (2006). "The urgent need for conservation taxonomy" (PDF). The Bahamas Naturalist and Journal of Science. 1 (1): 12–24.
  17. ↑ Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, & J. Raffaele (1998). A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press. ISBN   0-691-08736-9
  18. ↑ Arndt, T. Amazona leucocephala. Lexicon of Parrots, online version. Arndt-Verlag. Accessed 03-04-2010.
  19. 1 2 Reynolds, M.B.J.; Hayes, W.K. (2009). "Conservation taxonomy of the Cuban Parrot (Amazona leucocephala): I. Variation in morphology and plumage" (PDF). Journal of Caribbean Ornithology. 22: 1–18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
  20. ↑ Snyder, N.F.R.; King, W.B.; Kepler, C.B. (1982). "Biology and conservation of the Bahama Parrot". Living Bird. 19: 91–114.
  21. ↑ Russello, M. A.; Stahala, C.; Lalonde, D.; Schmidt, K. L.; Amato, G. (2010). "Cryptic diversity and conservation units in the Bahama parrot" (PDF). Conservation Genetics. 11 (5): 1809. Bibcode:2010ConG...11.1809R. doi:10.1007/s10592-010-0074-z. S2CID   22511189. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-04.
  22. 1 2 3 "Species factsheet: Amazona leucocephala". BirdLife International (2008). Retrieved 17 July 2008.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 Forshaw, Joseph M. (2006). Parrots of the World; an Identification Guide. Illustrated by Frank Knight. Princeton University Press. plate 107. ISBN   0-691-09251-6.
  24. 1 2 Wiley, J. W. (1991). "Status and conservation of parrots and parakeets in the Greater Antilles, Bahama Islands, and Cayman Islands". Bird Conservation International. 1 (3): 187–214. doi: 10.1017/S0959270900000599 .
  25. ↑ UNEP-WCMC (2010). Amazona leucocephala. [ permanent dead link ] UNEP-WCMC Species Database: CITES-Listed Species On the World Wide Web. Accessed 03-04-2010
  26. ↑ "Text of the Convention". CITES . Retrieved 2010-04-03.
  27. ↑ Voren, Howard (3 September 2020). "The Wonderful World of Amazons (continued)". Organization of Professional Aviculturists. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  28. ↑ Low, Rosemary. "The Cuban Amazon Parrot". The Parrot Society UK. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
  29. ↑ "Cayman parrot amnesty ends". 4 March 2020.
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