Lilac-crowned amazon

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Lilac-crowned amazon
Amazona finschi -Xcaret Eco Park -Mexico-8a.jpg
At Xcaret Eco Park, Mexico
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Amazona
Species:
A. finschi
Binomial name
Amazona finschi
(Sclater, PL, 1864)
Amazona finschi map.svg

The lilac-crowned amazon (Amazona finschi), also known as lilac-crowned parrot, Finsch's parrot or Finsch's amazon, is a parrot endemic to the Pacific slopes of Mexico. Also known as Finsch's amazon, it is characterised by green plumage, a maroon forehead, and a violet-blue crown and neck.

Contents

The binomial of this bird commemorates the German naturalist and explorer Otto Finsch.

In 2006, BirdLife International classified this species as vulnerable. In 2014, IUCN uplisted this species to Endangered.

Description

Lilac-crowned amazons in a U.S. Zoo Lilac-crowned Amazon parrots in a U.S. zoo.jpg
Lilac-crowned amazons in a U.S. Zoo

The plumage of an adult lilac-crowned amazon is primarily green with yellowish underparts and black edging. [3] The forehead is a maroon colour with a light blue-lilac neck, nape, and crown. [3] The cheeks and ear coverts are a greenish yellow that lacks the edging that is present in most of the plumage. [3] The primary feathers are dark blue with the secondary feathers being green while being tipped with the same dark blue colouring. [3] Furthermore, the initial five secondary feathers have a bright red speculum on the edge of the feathers. [3] The wing coverts, the underside of the flight feathers, and the tail are green while the tail is tipped with a yellowish colouring similar to that of the cheeks and ear coverts. [3] Their beak, orbital rings, and legs are a pale brown-grey colouring. [3] The irides of adult lilac-crowned parrots are amber-coloured. [3]

Juvenile lilac-crowned amazons are visually similar to their adult forms except for minor differences. One difference is that the iris of juveniles is a dark brown as opposed to the amber colouring that is found in adults. [3] [4] The other major difference is that there less maroon coloured feathers on the forehead of juveniles. [4] After about one-year juveniles begin to acquire these adult features. [4]

Range and habitat

The lilac-crowned amazon's endemic range spans along the pacific coast of Mexico, beginning in southeastern Sonora and southwestern Chihuahua down to southern Oaxaca. [4] In Sinaloa and northern Nayarit the geographic range of the lilac-crowned parrot is above 375 meters of elevation and does not reach sea level until southern Nayarit, where it remains so through Jalisco and Oaxaca. [4] [5]

The lilac-crowned amazon's natural habitat in Mexico is often threatened. The decline in population size has been recorded in almost all of its natural habitat locations. [5] Based on a collection of data and resident accounts, Amazona finschi population range has decreased by 20% due to habitat loss. [6]

An increasingly growing population of approximately 100 individuals is found in Southern California, especially in the San Gabriel Valley and Orange Country. [7] This increase could also be attributed to a more reliable source of measurement of population than in past years. [8] These populations often are found in residential areas and occasionally in nesting groups with red-crowned parrots in native conifer forests or non-native captive plants. [7]

Breeding

The lilac-crowned amazon's breeding season is from February to June. [3] They have a 28-day incubation period and a 60-day period of nestling growth. [9] [3] [10] They tend to nest in the natural cavities of trees in dry forests. [9] Females have a clutch size ranging from 1-4 eggs which usually results in an average brood size of 1.8 nestlings and a reproductive output of 0.99 fledglings per egg-laying female. [11] Ultimately outcomes of reproductive efforts result in 0.70 independent young per egg-laying pair. [12]

These low success rates could be attributed to the climate variability in dry forests, which could have an effect on clutch size, reproductive output and success. [11] [12]

Aviculture

Hand-reared lilac-crowned amazons can be quite friendly in captivity and can learn quite a vocabulary, even though they are not known as talkers. They make good companion parrots.

Related Research Articles

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

The yellow-naped amazon or yellow-naped parrot is a widespread amazon parrot sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon. It inhabits the Pacific coast of southern Mexico and Central America. It has been recently been reclassified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List due to a dramatic decline across the extent of its range. Yellow-naped amazons have lost more than 92% of their population over the last three generations.

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

The blue-fronted amazon, also called the blue-fronted parrot, the turquoise-fronted amazon and the turquoise-fronted parrot, is a South American species of amazon parrot and one of the most common amazon parrots kept in captivity as a pet or companion parrot. Its common name is derived from the distinctive blue/turqoise marking on its head just above its beak.

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

The white-fronted amazon also known as the white-fronted parrot, or spectacled amazon parrot, is a Central American species of parrot. They can imitate a range from 30 to 40 different sounds. Like other large parrots, the white-fronted parrot has a long potential life span, usually around 40 years.

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-crowned amazon</span> Species of North American parrot

The red-crowned amazon, also known as the red-crowned parrot, green-cheeked amazon or Mexican red-headed parrot, is an endangered amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico and possibly southern Texas in the United States. A 1994 study estimated wild populations of between 2,000 and 4,300 mature individuals; the IUCN Red List considers it a globally endangered species with a decreasing population. The main threats to the native bird's survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the United States for the pet trade and the destruction of their natural habitat, the lowland forests of northeastern Mexico.

<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">Imperial amazon</span> Species of rare bird in the Caribbean

The imperial amazon or Dominican amazon, also known as the sisserou or sisserou parrot, is a parrot found only on the Caribbean island of Dominica. It has been designated as the national bird of Dominica. The species is critically endangered. In 2019, it was estimated there were only about 50 mature individuals left in the wild.

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

The blue-cheeked amazon, also known as blue-cheeked parrot or Dufresne's amazon, is a Near Threatened species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Brazil, the Guianas, and Venezuela.

<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">Scaly-naped amazon</span> Species of bird

The scaly-naped amazon, also known as the scaly-naped parrot, mercenary amazon, Tschudi's amazon, mountain parrot, or gray-naped amazon is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It is found along the Andes in the northern part of South America. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

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

The Tucumán amazon, also known as the Tucumán parrot, alder amazon, or alder parrot, is a vulnerable species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Argentina and Bolivia.

<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">Yucatan amazon</span> Species of bird

The Yucatan amazon, also known as the yellow-lored amazon, Yucatan parrot or yellow-lored parrot is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finsch's parakeet</span> Species of bird

Finsch's parakeet, also known as the crimson-fronted parakeet and in aviculture as Finsch's conure, is a species of bird in subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.

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

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

The diademed amazon is a parrot in the family Psittacidae formerly considered conspecific with the red-lored amazon. Amazona diadema is restricted to the state of Amazonas in north-western Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-winged amazon</span> Central American species of parrot

The blue-winged amazon is a proposed Central American species of parrot living in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. It was described in 2017 in the journal PeerJ; however, its existence as a distinct wild species native to the Yucatan Peninsula has been questioned. A critique published in the journal Zootaxa identified numerous weaknesses with the description and suggested that the most plausible hypothesis was that the two specimens on which the description was based were hybrids.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2020). "Amazona finschi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22686268A179290500. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22686268A179290500.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Forshaw, Joseph Michael; Cooper, William T. (1989). Parrots of the world (3rd ed.). London: Blandford. ISBN   0713721340. OCLC   19352622.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Howell, Steve N. G.; Webb, Sophie (1995). A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America . Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0198540132. OCLC   28799888.
  5. 1 2 Renton, Katherine; Iñigo-Elias, Eduardo (2003). "Evaluation of the current status of lilac-crown parrot (Amazona finschi) populations in Mexico" (PDF). Unpublished Data– via CONABIO.
  6. ↑ Rios Muñoz, Cesar Antonio (2002). Caracterización geográfica de la familia Psittacidae (Aves) utilizando un modelo predictivo (Bachelor's thesis). Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico.
  7. 1 2 Garret, Kimball (1997). "Population Status and Distribution of Naturalised Parrots in Southern California" (PDF). Western Birds. 28: 181–195.
  8. ↑ Mabb, Karen (2003). Naturalized parrot roost flock characteristics and habitat utilization in a suburban area of Los Angeles County, California (Master's dissertation). California State Polytechnic University.
  9. 1 2 Renton, K., and A. Salinas-Melgoza. 1999. Nesting behaviour of the Lilac-crowned Parrot. Wilson Bulletin 111: 488-493.
  10. ↑ Renton, K. 2002. Influence of environmental variability on the growth of Lilac-crowned Parrot nestlings. Ibis 144: 331–339.
  11. 1 2 Renton, K., and A. Salinas Melgoza. 2004. Climatic variability, nest predation, and reproductive output of Lilac-crowned Parrots (Amazona finschi) in the tropical dry forest of western Mexico. Auk 121: 1214–1225.
  12. 1 2 Salinas Melgoza, A., and K. Renton. 2007. Post-fledging survival and development of juvenile Lilac-crowned Parrots. Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 43–50.
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