Thick-billed parrot | |
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Adult thick-billed parrot, Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha at Cincinnati Zoo, US | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Psittaciformes |
Family: | Psittacidae |
Tribe: | Arini |
Genus: | Rhynchopsitta Bonaparte, 1854 |
Type species | |
Macrocercus pachyrhynchus [1] Swainson, 1827 | |
Species | |
Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha (Swainson, 1827) Contents |
The thick-billed parrots are stocky brilliant green Neotropical parrots with heavy black beaks of genus Rhynchopsitta of thick billed macaw-like parrots. The genus comprises two extant species, the thick-billed parrot and the maroon-fronted parrot, as well as an extinct species from the Late Pleistocene in Mexico. The two extant taxa were formerly considered conspecific; they have become rare and are restricted to a few small areas in northern Mexico. The range of the thick-billed parrot formerly extended into the southwestern United States; attempts at reintroduction have been unsuccessful so far.
The two living species have a similar overall appearance, the principal differences lying in their relative sizes and brightness of coloration. Both are mainly green, with red or maroon markings on the forehead, forecrown, broad superciliary stripe, and feathers on the bend of the wing, the carpal edge and the thighs. Their eye-rings are yellow, with the feet and beak dark gray to black. Juveniles have a pale beak fading to gray at the base, [2] whitish eye-rings, and a red brow, but lack the dark red stripes over the eye-rings. The maroon-fronted parrot is generally dark green with maroon-brown head markings and is between 40 cm (16 in) and 45 cm (18 in) in length while the thick-billed parrot is about 38 cm (15 in) long with brighter colors. [3] [4] [5]
The genus was described by French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte; the name is derived from the Ancient Greek terms rhynchos "beak", and psitta "parrot". The two extant taxa were considered subspecies of a single species, [5] before being split. [6]
Rhynchopsitta phillipsi, a larger prehistoric relative, was described from Late Pleistocene fossils found in Nuevo León, Mexico. [7] It was not an ancestor to the living species, as bones of them were also found at San Josecito Cave when R. phillipsi's remains were recovered. The prehistoric species had a distinct bill shape and may have occurred sympatrically with the maroon-fronted parrot in the northern Sierra Madre Oriental. [8] Possibly its bill was adapted to feeding on a species of pine which disappeared due to climate change at the end of the last ice age, driving it to extinction.
Both extant species are found at heights of between 1500 and 3000 m asl in Mexico in isolated island-like forest habitats in the Sierra Madre, [5] [9] and are sometimes called snow parrots because of their high-altitude habitat. [10] They show seasonal migration patterns, [5] [10] generally breeding in the northern parts of their range and overwintering in the southern. [3] [4] [11] The thick-billed parrot nests in tree cavities, [3] [9] while the maroon-fronted parrot is a cliff cavity breeder. [4] [9] The parrots roost at night in large flocks, while they forage during the day in smaller flocks over a large area. [5] They feed primarily on pine seeds, which they extract by systematically stripping the cones from the base to the top. [5] [10] They also eat other seeds such as acorns, as well as softer foods such as fruits, bark, nectar, other vegetable matter, and insects. [5] [10]
Both the thick-billed and the maroon-fronted parrot are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are listed on CITES Appendix I, trade forbidden except for legitimate conservation, scientific or educational purposes. They are also protected under Mexican General Wildlife Law (2008), import and export prohibited. The populations of both species have declined primarily due to habitat degradation, and now both are restricted to a few small areas in the mountains of northern Mexico. [12] [13] The range of the thick-billed parrot formerly extended into Arizona and New Mexico, and attempts are being made to breed the species in captivity for release into the wild in their former range their. [11] [13] An earlier attempt in the 1980s and 1990s to reintroduce thick-billed parrots to Arizona failed because the captive-bred birds had not learned to avoid their natural and human predators, [14] but new plans for the reintroduction of this species include the use of wild-caught individuals. [15]
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
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Thick-billed parrot | Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha (Swainson, 1827) | Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico (and reintroduced to the U.S.) [13] | Size: A mostly green medium-sized parrot, 38 cm (15 in) long. Adults have a large black bill. a red brow, amber irises, red at the bend of the wings, and red thighs. Juveniles have brown irises and a pale peak. The under-wings and tail appear blackish. [3] Habitat: Diet: | EN |
Maroon-fronted parrot | Rhynchopsitta terrisi R.T. Moore, 1947 | Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico [12] | Size: A large mostly green parrot about 40 cm (16 in) to 45 cm (18 in) long. The adults have a dark maroon brow which extends over the rim of bare yellow skin that surrounds the eyes. They have a brighter red at the bend of the wing. The tail is long and pointed. The underside of the wings are blackish. [4] Habitat: Diet: | EN |
Species | |||
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Common and binomial names [6] | Image | Description | Range |
†Rhynchopsitta phillipsi | Large parrot with a distinct bill shape | Late Pleistocene fossils of the extinct parrot have been found in Mexico. |
Conures are a diverse, loosely defined group of small to medium-sized parrots. They belong to several genera within a long-tailed group of the New World parrot subfamily Arinae. The term "conure" is used primarily in bird keeping, though it has appeared in some scientific journals. The American Ornithologists' Union uses the generic term parakeet for all species elsewhere called conure, though Joseph Forshaw, a prominent Australian ornithologist, uses conure.
The lilac-crowned amazon, 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.
Baudin's black cockatoo, also known as Baudin's cockatoo or the long-billed black cockatoo, is a species of genus Zanda found in southwest Australia. The epithet commemorates the French explorer Nicolas Baudin. It has a short crest on the top of its head, and the plumage is mostly greyish black. It has prominent white cheek patches and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white giving a scalloped appearance. Adult males have a dark grey beak and pink eye-rings. Adult females have a bone coloured beak, grey eye-rings and ear patches that are paler than those of the males.
The neotropical parrots or New World parrots comprise about 150 species in 32 genera found throughout South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean islands and the southern United States. Among them are some of the most familiar and iconic parrots, including the blue and gold macaw, sun conure, and yellow-headed amazon.
The thick-billed parrot is a medium-sized parrot endemic to Mexico that formerly ranged into the southwestern United States. Its position in parrot phylogeny is the subject of ongoing discussion; it is sometimes referred to as thick-billed macaw or thick-billed conure. In Mexico, it is locally called guacamaya ("macaw") or cotorra serrana. Classified internationally as Endangered through IUCN, the thick-billed parrot's decline has been central to multiple controversies over wildlife management. In 2018, the estimated wild population in Mexico was 1,700.
The maroon-fronted parrot is a large, macaw-like parrot. It is dark green with a dark red shoulder and a maroon forehead and eye-stripe. Its underside of the wings and tail appear to be black when it is in flight. It makes a high, rolling cr-a ak sound. Groups sound similar to the acorn woodpecker if they are heard from a distance.
The yellow-fronted parrot is a parrot endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands. It is a mostly green with a yellow head. Relatively little is known about this bird.
The iris lorikeet is a small, up to 20 cm (8 in) long, green lorikeet bird. The male has a red forehead, yellow nape, purple band back from eye between nape and cheek, and yellowish below. The female almost similar with red-marked green forecrown and yellowish green cheek.
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.
The cardinal lory is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. The cardinal lory lives mainly in the mangrove and the lowland forests of the Solomon Islands, Bougainville Island and easternmost islands of the Bismarck Archipelago. It was previously found in the genus Chalcopsitta.
The Philippine hanging parrot, also commonly known as the colasisi from its local Tagalog name "kulasisi", is a small psittaculid parrot species endemic to the Philippines. It includes about eleven subspecies, at least one of which might represent a distinct species, although further research is needed. While it is listed as Least Concern in IUCN, some subspecies, such as L. p. chyrsonotus of Cebu and L. p. siquijorensis of Siquijor, may already be extinct. The species is threatened by habitat loss, but a bigger threat is trapping for the illegal wildlife trade; wild-caught birds are often sold as pets in streets and online selling groups.
The white-naped lory is a monotypic species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae.
The yellow-bibbed lory is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to the southern Solomon Islands.
The dusky lory is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. Alternative common names are the white-rumped lory or the dusky-orange lory. It is found in New Guinea and the offshore islands of Batanta, Salawati and Yapen. They are also known as "banded lories" or "duskies".
The olive-headed lorikeet, also called the perfect lorikeet, is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is found in forest, woodland and cultivated areas on Timor and smaller nearby islands.
The Mindanao lorikeet or Mount Apo lorikeet is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. There are two very similar subspecies, which are both endemic to Mindanao, Philippines.
The Pohnpei lorikeet, known as serehd in Pohnpeian, is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to the island of Pohnpei and the nearby Ant Atoll in Micronesia. Historically the species also occurred on Namoluk Atoll near Chuuk, and the species may once have had a wider distribution throughout Micronesia than it does today.
Rhynchopsitta phillipsi is an extinct species of thick-billed parrot. It was described in 1997 from Late Pleistocene cave deposits from Nuevo León in northeastern Mexico. The specific epithet honours American ornithologist Allan Robert Phillips.
Campo Verde Flora and Fauna Protection Area is a protected area in northern Mexico. It covers an area of 1080.67 km2 in northwestern Chihuahua, on the border with Sinaloa. It is at the eastern edge of the Sierra Madre Occidental, where it meets the Chihuahuan Desert.
The Sierra los Huicholes is a mountain range in western Mexico. It is located in the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, and Zacatecas. The Sierra los Huicholes is part of the Sierra Madre Occidental, and is located in the southern portion of the range.