Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Conservation status of the recently described Ecuadorian Amazon parrot Amazona lilacina

Conservation status of the recently described Ecuadorian Amazon parrot Amazona lilacina Summary Amazona lilacina is a threatened species endemic to Ecuador, existing across a patchwork of mangroves, lowland coastal forests, agricultural and community owned land. The species was described in 2014 and listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, however, full assessment of the population was lacking. Using a combination of field observations, roost surveys and community questionnaires, conducted over the last 20 years, we provide up-to-date information on the species’ Extent of Occurrence, estimate its global population size, and evaluate its level of threat. Our results suggest the species occurs across an area of 19,890 km2 in three distinct geographically isolated subpopulations. Roost surveys across the range estimate the minimum remaining population at 741–1,090 individuals and we present evidence to suggest a 60% decline over the past 19 years in one part of the species’ range. We conducted community questionnaires with 427 people from 52 communities. The presence of pet parrots was reported in 37 communities, including 17 communities which reported pet A. lilacina. From this we predict that over half of all communities within our study area keep parrots as pets and at least 96 communities keep A. lilacina. Our findings justify an IUCN Red Listing of at least ‘Endangered’ for this species and highlight the need for conservation support. In order to assess population health in more detail, further research is required to assess genetic diversity and roost dynamics, and to identify areas that may be important for feeding and nesting throughout the range. As many of these areas are likely to overlap with community owned land, we suggest that future conservation actions should revolve around, and be led by, these communities. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Bird Conservation International Cambridge University Press

Conservation status of the recently described Ecuadorian Amazon parrot Amazona lilacina

Download PDF
13 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/cambridge-university-press/conservation-status-of-the-recently-described-ecuadorian-amazon-parrot-MpmI2jUnpv

References

References for this paper are not available at this time. We will be adding them shortly, thank you for your patience.

Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of BirdLife International
ISSN
1474-0001
eISSN
0959-2709
DOI
10.1017/S0959270920000222
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Summary Amazona lilacina is a threatened species endemic to Ecuador, existing across a patchwork of mangroves, lowland coastal forests, agricultural and community owned land. The species was described in 2014 and listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List, however, full assessment of the population was lacking. Using a combination of field observations, roost surveys and community questionnaires, conducted over the last 20 years, we provide up-to-date information on the species’ Extent of Occurrence, estimate its global population size, and evaluate its level of threat. Our results suggest the species occurs across an area of 19,890 km2 in three distinct geographically isolated subpopulations. Roost surveys across the range estimate the minimum remaining population at 741–1,090 individuals and we present evidence to suggest a 60% decline over the past 19 years in one part of the species’ range. We conducted community questionnaires with 427 people from 52 communities. The presence of pet parrots was reported in 37 communities, including 17 communities which reported pet A. lilacina. From this we predict that over half of all communities within our study area keep parrots as pets and at least 96 communities keep A. lilacina. Our findings justify an IUCN Red Listing of at least ‘Endangered’ for this species and highlight the need for conservation support. In order to assess population health in more detail, further research is required to assess genetic diversity and roost dynamics, and to identify areas that may be important for feeding and nesting throughout the range. As many of these areas are likely to overlap with community owned land, we suggest that future conservation actions should revolve around, and be led by, these communities.

Journal

Bird Conservation International – Cambridge University Press

Published: Dec 1, 2020

Keywords: amazon parrot; Ecuador; Endangered; pet trade

References

  • Seasonal roosts of Red-lored Amazons in Ecuador provide information about population size and structure
    Berg, K. S.; Angel, R. R.
  • Current threats faced by Neotropical parrot populations
    Berkunsky, I.; Quillfeldt, P.; Brightsmith, D. J.; Abbud, M. C.; Aguilar, J. M. R. E.; Alemán-Zelaya, U.; Masello, J. F.
  • Internal seed dispersal by parrots: an overview of a neglected mutualism
    Blanco, G.; Bravo, C.; Pacifico, E. C.; Chamorro, D.; Speziale, K. L.; Lambertucci, S. A.; Hiraldo, F.; Tella, J. L.
  • Random Forests
    Breiman, L.
  • Variability in roost size in an Amazona parrot: implications for roost monitoring
    Cougill, S.; Marsden, S. J.
  • Priority areas for biodiversity conservation in mainland Ecuador
    Cuesta, F.; Peralvo, M.; Merino-Viteri, A.; Bustamante, M.; Baquero, F.; Freile, J. F.; Muriel, P.; Torres-Carvajal, O.
  • Influence of the nycthemeral cycle on the roosting behaviour of the Orange-winged Amazon
    Moura, L. N.; Silva, M. L.; Vielliard, J. M. E.
  • Revisiting methods for estimating parrot abundance and population size
    Dénes, F. Tella; J, L.; Beissinger, S. R.
  • Social desirability bias and the validity of indirect questioning
    Fisher, R. J.
  • Population estimates for the Bahama parrot (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis) on Abaco Island, Bahamas
    Gnam, R. S.; Burchsted, A.
  • Creation of a high spatio‐temporal resolution global database of continuous mangrove forest cover for the 21st century (CGMFC‐21)
    Hamilton, S. E.; Casey, D.
  • Best practices for making reliable inferences from citizen science data: case study using eBird to estimate species distributions
    Johnston, A.; Hochachka, W. M.; Strimas-Mackey, M. E.; Ruiz Gutierrez, V.; Robinson, O. J; Miller, E. T.; Auer, T.; Kelling, S. T.; Fink, D.
  • Food resources and urban colonisation by lorikeets and parrots
    Lill, A.
  • Cities may save some threatened species but not their ecological functions
    Luna, A.; Romero-Vidal, P.; Hiraldo; , F.; Tella, J. L.
  • Nest cavity characteristics, reproductive output and population trend of naturalized Amazon parrots in Germany
    Martens, J. M.; Woog, F.
  • Ecology and conservation of the Red-tailed Amazon Amazona brasiliensis in south-eastern Brazil
    Martuscelli, P.
  • Roosting of Yellow-naped Parrots in Costa Rica: Estimating the size and recruitment of threatened populations
    Matuzak, G. D.; Brightsmith, D. J.
  • How to ask sensitive questions in conservation: A review of specialized questioning techniques
    Nuno, A.; St John, F. A. V.
  • What are the best correlates of predicted extinction risk? Biol
    O’Grady, J. J.; Reed, D. H.; Brook, B.W.; Frankham, R.
  • Ecological and socio-economic factors affecting extinction risk in parrots
    Olah, G.; Butchart, S. H. M.; Symes, A.; Guzmán, I. M.; Cunningham, R.; Brightsmith, D. J.; Heinsohn, R.
  • Predicting extinction risk in declining species
    Purvis, A.; Gittleman, J. L.; Cowlishaw, G.; Mace, G. M.
  • Behavioral plasticity of a threatened parrot in human-modified landscapes
    Salinas-Melgoza, A.; Salinas-Melgoza, V.; Wright, T.
  • Managing subsistence hunting in the changing landscape of Neotropical rain forests
    Suarez, E.; Zapata–Rios, G.
  • Colony breeding of the Pacific Parakeet Aratinga strenua. Ridgway 1915 in the Volcán Masaya National Park
    Wermundsen, T.
  • Yellow-naped amazon Amazona auropalliata populations are markedly low and rapidly declining in Costa Rica and Nicaragua
    Wright, T.; Lewis, T.; Lezama-López, M.; Smith-Vidaurre, G.; Dahlin, C.