Red-lored Amazon

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Red-lored Amazon
Adult at Belize Zoo
Adult at Belize Zoo
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Amazona
Species: A. autumnalis
Binomial name
Amazona autumnalis
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The Red-lored Amazon or Red-lored Parrot (Amazona autumnalis) is a species of parrot, native to tropical regions of the Americas, from eastern Mexico south to Ecuador, with a disjunct population in central Brazil, where it occurs in humid evergreen to semi-deciduous forests up to 1100 m altitude. It is absent form 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[1] and the species might expand its range permanently into that country in the future.[2]

Head plumage of adults is characteristic, but the cheek color varies among subspecies.
Head plumage of adults is characteristic, but the cheek color varies among subspecies.

It is 32-35 cm long, with a weight of 310-480 g. The plumage is primarily green, with red forehead and in some subspecies yellow cheeks (sometimes with red spots). The crown is blue and thick. Adult males and females do not differ in plumage; immature birds have less yellow on cheeks and less red on forehead.

There are four subspecies:

  • Amazona autumnalis autumnalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Caribbean coasts from eastern Mexico south to northern Nicaragua.
  • Amazona autumnalis salvini (Salvadori, 1891). Northern Nicaragua south to Colombia and Venezuela.
  • Amazona autumnalis lilacina Lesson, 1844. Western Ecuador.
  • Amazona autumnalis diadema (Spix, 1824). Lower Rio Negro area, central Brazil.
A captive-bred Red-lored Parrot chick, shown at age of 6 weeks.
A captive-bred Red-lored Parrot chick, shown at age of 6 weeks.

[edit] Ecology and status

The food includes fruits[3], nuts and seeds; apparently, avocado, eggplant and grapes are poisonous for them (as they are for many parrots and other animals). The nest is usually in tree cavities, they lay up to three or four white eggs. The incubation time varies from 25 to 26 days. Chicks stay in the nest from 21 to 70 days. It is a popular cagebird. In some areas, notably parts of Mexico and Venezuela, it has become rare through trapping for the cagebird trade. On the other hand, it seems to be able to adapt to human-altered habitat to a considerable degree[2].

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ At San Jacinto Hill, 13°42'N 89°08'W: Herrera et al. (2006).
  2. ^ a b Herrera et al. (2006)
  3. ^ E.g. of Cymbopetalum mayanum (Annonaceae), Gumbo-limbo (Bursera simaruba), mango (Mangifera indica), figs (Ficus spp.) and palo de hule (Castilla elastica): Herrera et al. (2006), Forster (2007).

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  • BirdLife International (2004). Amazona autumnalis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern.
  • Collar, Nigel J. (1997): 313. Red-lored Amazon. In: del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew & Sargatal, Jordi (eds.): Handbook of Birds of the World, Volume 4 (Sandgrouse to Cuckoos): 469-470, Plate 54. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-22-9
  • Foster, Mercedes S. (2007): The potential of fruiting trees to enhance converted habitats for migrating birds in southern Mexico. Bird Conservation International 17(1): 45-61. doi:10.1017/S0959270906000554 PDF fulltext
  • Herrera, Néstor; Rivera, Roberto; Ibarra Portillo, Ricardo & Rodríguez, Wilfredo (2006): Nuevos registros para la avifauna de El Salvador. ["New records for the avifauna of El Salvador"]. Boletín de la Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología 16(2): 1-19. [Spanish with English abstract] PDF fulltext