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| Puerto Rican amazon | |
|---|---|
| Name | Puerto Rican amazon |
| Status | CR |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Amazona |
| Species | vittata |
| Authority | (Boddaert, 1783) |
Puerto Rican amazon
The Puerto Rican amazon is a critically endangered parrot species endemic to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that has been the focus of major United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources recovery programs. Historically associated with the island-wide forests of Puerto Rico and Vieques, the species has been central to conservation actions involving organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution, the World Wildlife Fund, and the US Forest Service. Intensive captive-breeding, reintroduction, habitat protection, and legal protection measures have tied the species to stakeholders including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local non-profits like Para la Naturaleza.
The species is classified in the genus Amazona, within the family Psittacidae, and was originally described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783. Related taxa include other Greater Antillean amazons such as the Cuban amazon and the Hispaniolan amazon, and molecular studies have compared mitochondrial DNA among genera like Amazona albifrons and Amazona aestiva. Taxonomic treatments have been discussed in works published by institutions such as the American Ornithological Society and referenced in avian checklists maintained by the International Ornithologists' Union.
Adults are medium-sized parrots with predominantly green plumage, a red forehead, and blue tinges on the wings; measurements and plumage details have been documented in field guides by the National Audubon Society and researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Sexual dimorphism is subtle compared to species in genera like Ara; biometric comparisons have been used in reports by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation and the World Parrot Trust. Vocalizations have been recorded and analyzed by teams from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and have been compared to calls of other Amazona species in publications appearing in journals affiliated with the American Ornithologists' Union.
Historically widespread across Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques, the species was extirpated from much of its range by the 20th century. Remaining wild populations were restricted to the montane karst and subtropical moist forests of the El Yunque National Forest and the Luquillo Mountains before reintroduction efforts expanded occurrences to protected areas such as Guánica State Forest and reserves managed by Para la Naturaleza. Habitat associations include mature evergreen forests dominated by trees like those in inventories conducted by the US Forest Service and floristic studies by the University of Puerto Rico.
The species is a cavity nester, using tree cavities and sometimes holes in limestone, with nesting biology studied in long-term monitoring by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Diets comprise fruits, seeds, and flowers of native trees noted in floristic surveys by the Smithsonian Institution and the University of Puerto Rico System, and seasonal movements have been documented in studies coordinated with the BirdLife International partnership. Social behavior, pair bonding, and breeding phenology have been described in peer-reviewed papers authored by researchers affiliated with the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List, the species is the subject of a federal recovery plan under the Endangered Species Act administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Recovery actions involve captive breeding programs run by institutions such as the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, the Avian Conservation Center of Puerto Rico, and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, with reintroduction releases coordinated in partnership with local agencies including the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and non-governmental organizations like The Peregrine Fund. Conservation funding and management strategies have involved bilateral cooperation with entities such as the U.S. Forest Service and grants from foundations including the Packard Foundation.
Primary threats historically included habitat loss from agricultural conversion and urbanization linked to policies and land-use changes on Puerto Rico and impacts from infrastructures like road expansions documented by the Federal Highway Administration. Secondary threats include predation and nest poaching, disease risks comparable to those described in studies by the US Geological Survey and catastrophic impacts from hurricanes such as Hurricane Hugo and Hurricane Maria, which have been evaluated in post-storm recovery reports by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Introduced predators and competition for nest cavities mirror challenges identified by researchers at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez.
The species occupies a prominent place in Puerto Rican cultural heritage, featuring in outreach programs by the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña and educational curricula developed by the Department of Education (Puerto Rico). It has appeared in public-awareness campaigns run by Para la Naturaleza and the National Audubon Society, and artists and writers associated with the Centro de Bellas Artes de Santurce and cultural events like San Sebastián Street Festival have invoked the parrot as a symbol of island identity. Eco-tourism initiatives promoted by entities such as Discover Puerto Rico and community conservation projects supported by the Conservation International Puerto Rico office link cultural values with practical stewardship.
Category:Endemic fauna of Puerto Rico Category:Amazona