Kawall's amazon

Kawall's amazon
Kawall's Amazon (A. kawalli) at Rio Cristalino, Mato Grosso, Brazil
Conservation status

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Superfamily: Psittacoidea
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Arinae
Tribe: Androglossini
Genus: Amazona
Species: A. kawalli
Binomial name
Amazona kawalli
Grantsau & Camargo, 1989

Kawall's amazon (Amazona kawalli), also known as the white-faced amazon, white-cheeked amazon or Kawall's parrot, is a relatively large species of parrot in the Psittacidae family. It is endemic to the south-central Amazon in Brazil, [2] where it is mainly found in Igapo and other wooded habitats near rivers.

Taxonomy and status

Considerable taxonomic confusion has surrounded this species. "Aberrant mealy amazons", which actually were the Kawall's amazon, were first noted more than 100 years ago, but it was only in 1989 the Kawall's amazon was recognised as a species after Brazilian bird keeper Nelson Kawall (for which the species is named) received a few unusual amazons. Although it resembles the mealy amazon, the Kawall's amazon can easily be recognised by its white patch of skin at the base of the bill, relatively small gray ocular ring (may fade to white in captivity), red near the base of the tail, overall brighter green hue and voice.

It was only rediscovered in the wild in 1996, and has since been found to be locally fairly common, leading to its evaluation as Least Concern by the IUCN.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2013). "Amazona kawalli". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. ↑ http://maps.iucnredlist.org/map.html?id=22686363