White-fronted Parrot (Amazona albifrons)

White-fronted Parrot

Description

The white-fronted amazon (Amazona albifrons) also known as the white-fronted parrot, or by the adopted slang term spectacled amazon parrot, is a Central American species of parrot. Not to be confused with the red-spectacled amazon. They can imitate a range from 30 to 40 different sounds. Like other large parrots, the white-fronted parrot has a long potential life span, usually around 40 years.

Distribution And Habitat

The White-fronted Parrot is native to Central America and has been introduced to Puerto Rico, where it is restricted to the municipality of Mayagüez, although it has been observed less frequently there in recent years (Falcón and Tremblay 2018). In its native habitat, it can be usually found in agricultural areas with patches of forest, deciduous forests, and mangroves (Gómez de Silva and others 2005). In Puerto Rico, it is found in parks and secondary forests where it feeds on nonnative fruits and seeds. The atlas fieldwork yielded a total of two records within two hexagons or 0.4 percent of the 479 total hexagons (see map). Of the two hexagons where this species was found, breeding met the atlas definition of confirmed in 50 percent (one) of the hexagons and probable in 50 percent (one) as well (see map). White-fronted Parrot distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

Breeding Habits

In the White-fronted Parrots native habitat, breeding occurs from January to May, according to previously published reports (del Hoyo and others 2013). Atlas results show that this species breeds during March and April (see table and chart, respectively) 197White-fronted Parrot/Cotorra Cabeciblanca in the subtropical moist forest life zone (100 percent of the hexagons) (see table and map).

Conservation

The current population trend of the White-fronted Parrot in its native range is suspected to be increasing as this species takes advantage of perturbed sites that create new suitable habitat (BirdLife International 2018). The White-fronted Parrot is currently listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN (BirdLife International 2018). However, on Puerto Rico where the introduced population is restricted to Mayagüez, sightings have declined from 11 individuals in 2011 to one to two individuals in recent years (Falcón and Trembly 2018). Locally, this species is not listed in any of the threatened categories of PRDNER and USFWS. In Puerto Rico, none of the hexagons where this species is known to breed overlay a protected area.