Amazona

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Aves
Subclassis: Carinatae
Infraclassis: Neornithes
Parvclassis: Neognathae
Ordo: Psittaciformes
Familia: Psittacidae
Subfamilia: Psittacinae
Tribus: Arini
Genus: Amazona
Species: A. aestiva - A. agilis - A. albifrons - A. amazonica - A. arausiaca - A. auropalliata - A. autumnalis - A. barbadensis - A. brasiliensis - A. collaria - A. dufresniana - A. farinosa - A. festiva - A. finschi - A. guildingii - A. imperialis - A. kawalli - A. leucocephala - A. mercenaria - A. ochrocephala - A. oratrix - A. pretrei - A. rhodocorytha - A. tucumana - A. ventralis - A. versicolor - A. vinacea - A. viridigenalis - A. vittata - A. xantholora - A. xanthops

Name

Amazona Lesson, 1830

Vernacular names
Internationalization
Deutsch: Amazonenpapageien
English: Amazon parrot
Français: Amazone
Nederlands: Amazonepapegaai
Português: Papagaio
Русский: Амазоны
Svenska: Amazonpapegojor
Українська: Амазон

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The Imperial Amazon, Amazona imperialis, also known as the Imperial Parrot, Dominican Amazon, August Amazon, or Sisserou, is a green-and-purple-plumaged amazon parrot. The largest member in the genus Amazona measuring 48 cm in length when fully grown. The Imperial Parrot has a green back, purple neck, green-tipped red tail and purple underparts. The sexes are similar.

The Imperial Amazon is endemic to mountain forests of the Caribbean island nation of Dominica in the Lesser Antilles,[1] where it is the national bird and is featured on the Dominican flag.[2] On Dominica, one of the last remaining habitats of the Imperial Amazon is in the slopes of Morne Diablotins, the highest volcanic peak of the Caribbean islands.[3] Its diet consists mainly of fruits and seeds. It nests in hollow trees covered with vines or plants.[4]

Status

The Imperial Amazon has an Endangered status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The small population of 150 to 250 mature individuals is threatened by ongoing habitat loss, illegal trapping for the pet trade, deforestation, encroachment, competition with the Red-necked Amazon and owls for nesting,[5] and occasional hurricane-related damage. Much of the forest that the Imperial Amazon resides in is being turned into plantations.[4] It is listed on Appendix I of CITES making trade in wild-caught birds illegal and it is also protected by local laws.[1]

References

1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2008). Amazona imperialis. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 19 November 2009.
2. ^ "Dominica's National Flag". Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. http://www.dominica.gov.dm/cms/index.php?q=node/83. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
3. ^ "Foundation Dies to Save Bird". Earth Island Journal. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=12&hid=22&sid=32029823-403d-4e03-a9db-5ca00ccb8767%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JmxvZ2luLmFzcCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#db=aph&AN=3008374. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
4. ^ a b "Imperial Amazon Parrot". Atlantic PC, inc. http://www.latinartmall.com/Imperial-Amazon-Parrot.htm. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
5. ^ "Imperial Amazon or Sisserou". Rare Species Conservatory Foundation. http://www.rarespecies.org/siss.html. Retrieved 29 November 2010.

References

1. ^ ITIS standard report page: Amazona record last updated 1998 (URL accessed May 22, 2006)
2. ^ Eberhard, J., & E. Bermingham. 2004. Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Amazona ochrocephala (Aves: Psittacidae) Complex. Auk 121(2): 318-332
3. ^ Duarte JMB and Caparroz R (1995) Cytotaxonomic analysis of Brazilian species of the genus Amazona (Psittacidae, Aves) and confirmation of the genus Salvatoria (Ribeiro, 1920). Braz J Genet 18:623-628.
4. ^ Russello, M.A. & Amato, G (2004) A molecular phylogeny of Amazona: implications for Neotropical parrot biogeography, taxonomy, and conservation. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 30: 421-437.
5. ^ a b c Fuller, Errol (1987). Extinct Birds. Penguin Books (England). pp. 131. ISBN 0670817972.

* Caparroz, R. and J.F. Pacheco, 2006: A homonymy in Psittacidae a new name for Salvatoria Miranda-Ribeiro. Ararajuba: Rev. Brasileira de Ornitologia. V. 14, n 2, pp. 91–93.