Yellow-crowned amazon

Last updated

Yellow-crowned amazon
Yellow-crowned Amazon (Amazona ochrocephala) -Well Place Zoo-4c.jpg
At Well Place Zoo, England
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Amazona
Species:
A. ochrocephala
Binomial name
Amazona ochrocephala
(Gmelin, 1788)
Amazona ochrocephala map.svg

The yellow-crowned amazon or yellow-crowned parrot (Amazona ochrocephala) 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 (A. oratrix) and yellow-naped amazon (A. auropalliata) are sometimes considered subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon. Except in the taxonomic section, the following deals only with the nominate group (including subspecies xantholaema, nattereri and panamensis).They are found in the Amazon basin.

Contents

Taxonomy

A. o. ochrocephala Amazona ochrocephala -zoo-8.jpg
A. o. ochrocephala

The yellow-crowned amazon was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae . He placed it with all the other parrots in the genus Psittacus and coined the binomial name Psittacus ochrocephalus. [2] Gmelin specified the type locality as "America", but this was restricted to Venezuela in 1902. [3] [4] The yellow-crowned amazon is now one of around thirty species of parrot placed in the genus Amazona that was introduced by the French naturalist René Lesson in 1830. [5] [6] The genus name is a Latinized version of the name Amazone given to these parrot in the 18th century by the Comte de Buffon, who believed they were native to Amazonian jungles. The specific ochrocephala combines the Ancient Greek ōkhros meaning "pale yellow" with -kephalos meaning "-headed". [7]

Four subspecies are recognised: [6]

The Amazona ochrocephala complex, which has been described as "a taxonomic headache", [8] is considered a single species by some authorities and split into three species, A. ochrocephala (yellow-crowned amazon), A. auropalliata (yellow-naped amazon) and A. oratrix (yellow-headed amazon), by others. The split is mainly based on the amount of yellow in the plumage, the color of the legs and bill, the close proximity of the oratrix group and auropalliata group in Oaxaca, Mexico, without apparent interbreeding [9] and the presence of members of both the nominate group and the auropalliata group in northern Honduras. [10] This evaluation has, however, been confused by misunderstandings regarding the plumage variations in the populations in northern Honduras, where birds vary greatly in amount of yellow on the head, crown and nape, but have pale bills and a juvenile plumage matching the oratrix group, but neither the nominate nor the auropalliata group. [8] [11] The taxon caribaea from the Bay Islands is a member of the auropalliata group, and occurs in relatively close proximity to the members of the oratrix group. As caribaea may have a relatively pale lower mandible, this could indicating a level of gene flow between this and the nearby taxa of the oratrix group. [12] If confirmed, this could suggest that the two are better considered conspecific. Alternatively, it has been suggested that caribaea and parvipes, both typically placed in the auropalliata group, may be closer to the oratrix than they are to the auropalliata sensu stricto . Both are relatively small and have red to the shoulder as in the members of the oratrix group, but unlike auropalliata sensu stricto. [8] [11]

The members of this complex are known to hybridize in captivity [8] and recent phylogenetic analysis of DNA did not support the split into the three "traditional" biological species, but did reveal three clades, which potentially could be split into three phylogenetic species: a Mexican and Central American species (incl. panamensis, which extends slightly into South America), a species of northern South America (northern nominate), and a species from the southern Amazon basin (nattereri, xantholaema and southern nominate). [13] The Central American clade can potentially be split further, with panamensis and tresmariae recognized as two monotypic species. The members of the clade from the southern Amazon basin should arguably be included as subspecies of the blue-fronted amazon, as they are closer to each other than to the northern clades. [13] [14] [15] Disregarding these problems, the following taxa are part of the Amazona ochrocephala complex as traditionally delimited: [16]

Of these, hondurensis was only recently described, [18] while the population in northwestern Honduras and adjacent eastern Guatemala (near Puerto Barrios) resembles belizensis and is commonly included in that subspecies, but may actually represent an undescribed subspecies. It has sometimes been referred to as guatemalensis, [16] but until it is officially described, the name remains provisional. An additional subspecies, magna, has sometimes been recognized for the population on the Gulf slope of Mexico, but today most authorities consider it invalid, instead including this population in oratrix. [17] [8] [19]

Description

Pet parrot Gelbscheitelamazone.jpg
Pet parrot

Subspecies in the nominate group (including subspecies xantholaema, nattereri and panamensis) have a total length of 33–38 cm (13–15 in). As most other amazon parrots, it has a short squarish tail and primarily green plumage. It has dark blue tips to the secondaries and primaries and a red wing speculum, carpal edge (leading edge of the wing at the "shoulder") and base of the outer tail feathers. [16] The red and dark blue sections are often difficult to see when the bird is perched, while the red base of the outer tail feathers only infrequently can be seen under normal viewing conditions in the wild. [20] The amount of yellow to the head varies, with the nominate, nattereri and panamensis having yellow restricted to the crown-region (occasionally with a few random feathers around the eyes), [20] while the subspecies xantholaema has most of the head yellow. [16] All have a white eye-ring. They have a dark bill with a large horn (gray) or reddish spot on the upper mandible, except panamensis, which has a horn-colored beak. Males and females do not differ in plumage. Except for the wing speculum, juveniles have little yellow and red to the plumage. [16]

Distribution and habitat

The yellow-crowned amazon is found in the Amazon basin and Guianas, with additional populations in northwestern South America and Panama. It has been introduced to Grand Cayman. It is a bird of tropical forests (both humid and dry), woodlands, mangroves, and savannas and may also be found on cultivated land and suburban areas. In the southern part of its range, it is rarely found far from the Amazon rainforest. It is mainly a lowland bird, but has locally been recorded up to 800 m (2600 ft) along on the eastern slopes of the Andes. [21] Introduced–and apparently breeding–populations have been reported in Puerto Rico. [22]

A wild colony of around 60 animals has been living in Stuttgart, Germany, since the mid-1980s. [23]

Behaviour

Food and feeding

They are normally found in pairs or small flocks up to 30, but larger groups may gather at clay licks. Their food includes fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, [17] blossoms and leaf buds. [24] Yellow-crowned amazons are fond of maize and cultivated fruits. [25] Foods with sugar and a large amount of salt can be dangerous for them.

Breeding

The nest is in a hollow in a tree, palm or termitarium, where they lay two to three eggs. [16] The incubation time is about 26 days and the chicks leave the nest about 60 days from hatching. [17] [26]

Conservation

The yellow-crowned amazon is considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International, and consequently, also by IUCN. Although populations are believed to be in decline, they do not yet approach the threshold specified by BirdLife International to rate the species as near threatened. As is the case with most parrots, it is listed on appendix II of CITES. [27] It occurs in numerous protected areas and remains fairly common throughout a large part of its range. [20] [21]

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">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">Scarlet macaw</span> Species of bird

The scarlet macaw is a large yellow, red and blue Neotropical parrot native to humid evergreen forests of the Americas. Its range extends from southeastern Mexico to Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil in lowlands of 500 m (1,600 ft) up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft), the Caribbean island of Trinidad, as well as the Pacific island of Coiba. Formerly, the northern extent of its range included southern Tamaulipas. In some areas, it has suffered local extinction because of habitat destruction, or capture for the parrot trade, but in other areas, it remains fairly common. It is the national bird of Honduras. Like its relative the blue-and-yellow macaw, the scarlet macaw is a popular bird in aviculture as a result of its striking plumage.

<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">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 and reintroduced to Aruba and introduced to Curaçao.

<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">Lilac-crowned amazon</span> Species of bird

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.

<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">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">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">Brown-throated parakeet</span> Species of bird

The brown-throated parakeet, also known as the St. Thomas conure or brown-throated conure in aviculture, is a species of bird in the subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Costa Rica, Panama, the northern mainland of South America, and islands off the South American coast.

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

The white-bellied parrot, or white-bellied caique in aviculture, is a species of bird in the subfamily Arinae of the family Psittacidae, the African and New World parrots. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.

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

The orange-cheeked parrot, also known as Barraband's parrot, is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Pionopsitta, which is now monotypic.

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

The strong-billed woodcreeper is a species of bird in the subfamily Dendrocolaptinae of the ovenbird family Furnariidae. It is found in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lilacine amazon</span> Subspecies of bird

The lilacine amazon or Ecuadorian red-lored amazon is an amazon parrot native to Ecuador in South America. According to the IOC World Bird List, it is still considered to be a subspecies of the red-lored amazon, although Birdlife International considers it to be a separate species, as Amazona lilacina - as does the International Union for Conservation of Nature for the purposes of the IUCN Red List, rating the lilacine amazon as critically endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panama amazon</span> Subspecies of bird

The Panama amazon, also known as the Panama yellow-headed amazon, is a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon, and is endemic to Panama and northwest Colombia. In aviculture, it is sometimes listed as a separate species, and this is potentially correct; at least as a phylogenetic species.

<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.

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

The mealy amazon or mealy parrot is among the largest parrots in the genus Amazona, the amazon parrots. It is a mainly green parrot with a total length of 38–41 cm (15–16 in). It is native to tropical Central and South America. This species, the southern mealy amazon, the northern mealy amazon are considered conspecific.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2018). "Amazona ochrocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22686346A131919991. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22686346A131919991.en . Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. Gmelin, Johann Friedrich (1788). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae: secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1, Part 1 (13th ed.). Lipsiae [Leipzig]: Georg. Emanuel. Beer. p. 339.
  3. Berlepsch, Hans von; Hartert, Ernst (1902). "On the birds of the Orinoco region". Novitates Zoologicae. 9: 1–135 [109].
  4. Peters, James Lee, ed. (1937). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 221.
  5. Lesson, René (1831). Traité d'Ornithologie, ou Tableau Méthodique (in French). Vol. 1. Paris: F.G. Levrault. p. 189.
  6. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2022). "Parrots, cockatoos". IOC World Bird List Version 12.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  7. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  44, 279. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Steve N. G. Howell & Sophie Webb (1995). A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America . Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-854012-4.
  9. Binford, L. (1989). A distributional survey of the birds of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Ornithological Monographs. 43: 1–418.
  10. Monroe, B., Monroe, JR. & T. Howell. (1966). Geographic variation in Middle American parrots of the Amazona ochrocephala complex. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology, no. 34. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge.
  11. 1 2 Lousada, S., & S. Howell. 1996. Distribution, variation, and conservation of Yellow-headed Parrots in northern Central America. Cotinga 5: 46-53.
  12. Lousada, S. 1989. Amazona auropalliata caribaea: A new subspecies of parrot from the Bay Islands, northern Honduras. Bull. BOC 109: 232-235.
  13. 1 2 Eberhard, J., & E. Bermingham. 2004. Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Amazona ochrocephala (Aves: Psittacidae) Complex. Auk 121(#2): 318-332
  14. Russello, M. A., & Amato, G. (2004). A molecular phylogeny of Amazona: implications for Neotropical parrot biogeography, taxonomy, and conservation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 30(#2): 421-437
  15. Ribas, C. C., Tavares, E. S., Yoshihara, C., & Miyaki C. Y. (2007). Phylogeny and biogeography of yellow-headed and blue-fronted parrots (Amazona ochrocephala and Amazona aestiva) with special reference to the South American taxa. Ibis 149: 564-574
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Juniper, T., & M. Parr. 1998. A Guide to the Parrots of the World. Pica Press, East Sussex. ISBN   1-873403-40-2
  17. 1 2 3 4 Collar, N. 1997. Amazona ochrocephala (Yellow-crowned parrot). Pp 473-474 in: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & J. Sargatal. Eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 4. Sangrouse to Cuckoos. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN   84-87334-22-9
  18. Lousada, S., & S. Howell. 1997. Amazona oratrix hondurensis: A new subspecies of parrot from the Sula Valley of northern Honduras. Bull. BOC 117: 203-223.
  19. Clements, J. 2007. The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World. Christopher Helm. ISBN   978-0-7136-8695-1
  20. 1 2 3 Steven Hilty (2003). Birds of Venezuela (2nd ed.). Princeton University Press. ISBN   0-691-02131-7.
  21. 1 2 Schulenberg, T.; Stotz, D.; Lane, D.; O'Neill, J.; Parker, T. III (2007). Birds of Peru. Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0-7136-8673-9.
  22. 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.
  23. "Einzige wilde Gelbkopfamazonen-Kolonie Europas lebt in Stuttgart - STIMME.de". www.stimme.de (in German). 14 August 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
  24. "Amazona ochrocephala (Yellow-crowned parrot)". Animal Diversity Web .
  25. "Amazona ochrocephala (Yellow-crowned parrot)". Animal Diversity Web .
  26. Alderton, David (2003). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Caged and Aviary Birds. London, England: Hermes House. p. 231. ISBN   1-84309-164-X.
  27. CITES listings. Retrieved on 2 February 2008