Imperialis et versicolor.

[jsf]

Deux espèces splendides

Le versicolor, amazone de Sainte-Lucie

C'est la plus grande de toutes les amazones, avec ses 45 cm.













Commentaire du Lexicon

Amazona versicolor (P.L.S. Mueller 1776)

St. Lucia Amazon

German: Blaumasken-Amazone

Description: general plumage green, each feather with blackish edging; lores, forehead and forecrown violet-blue becoming pale blue on back of crown, ear-coverts and cheeks; most birds with variable red band to breast; breast feathers with reddish-brown edging; abdomen brownish-red with green base to feathers; lower abdomen and thighs pale green; edge of wing, under wing-coverts, under tail-coverts and upper tail-coverts yellowish-green; primaries violet-blue; secondaries green with violet-blue tips; outer secondaries with red speculum; primary-coverts green with violet-blue tinge; underside of wings greenish-blue; upperside of tail-feathers with broad yellowish-green tips; outer tail-feathers with reddish base to inner webs and bluish outer webs; underside of tail-feathers pale green; periophthalmic ring dark grey; bill grey with horn-coloured base to upper mandible; iris orange; feet grey.

Immatures with brown iris.

Length: 43 cm (17 ins)

Distribution: island of St. Lucia in Lesser Antilles.

Habitat: montane forest, tall secondary vegetation and humid forested slopes.

Status: very endangered because of habitat destruction and poaching; today successfully protected by conservation programme; distribution area reduced to 38 sq. kilometres (22 sq. miles); population less than 400 birds.

Habits: today mostly observed singly, in pairs or small groups of up to 12 birds; cautious and alert; even active shortly before dawn; flies loudly calling to feeding places on edge of distribution area; forages until 8.00 a.m; lethargic after 11.00 a.m; rests then in tops of tall trees; there very quiet and difficult to detect as well camouflaged by plumage in foliage; renewed foraging in afternoon before flying into forest interior to roosting places; in poor weather conditions and heavy showers remains quiet and inactive; when weather clears or sun shines again often very noisy and vocal; groups pair off before breeding season; flight swift with powerful wingbeats; occasionally accompanied by gliding phases and diving like raptor stoops; often flies very high, however brief flights are just above treetops; call in flight harsh and croaking, occasionally also shrill.

Natural diet: seeds, fruits and berries; probably also buds and nuts.

Breeding behaviour: breeding season from January to June; nests in hollows of tall trees, usually in main trunk between 15 m 50 ft) and 28 m (93 ft) from ground; occasionally also where branch has broken off; entrance between 15 x 25 cm (6 x 10 ins) and 43 x 175 cm (17 x 69 ins); interior diameter between 25.5 cm (10 ins) and 46 cm (18 ins), depth between 73.5 cm (29 ins) and 152 cm (60 ins); clutch 1 to 2 eggs; fledging period 70 days; egg measurements not known.

Aviculture: medium-noisy to noisy parrot; mostly lively; calls particularly in early morning; aggressive during breeding period; shown by displaying raised nape feathers; hard chewer.

Accommodation: outside flight 10 x 3 x 2.5 m (30 x 9 x 8 ft) with adjoining inside area 3 x 3 x 2.5 m (9 x 9 x 8 ft); metal construction necessary; nestbox 35 x 35 x 120 cm (14 x 14 x 48 ins).

Diet: fruit (apple, banana, orange) and vegetables (carrot, tomato, cucumber); seed mix of safflower, oats, wheat, hemp, buckwheat, canary grass seed, millet and some sunflower; also sprouted; small quantities of pine-nuts regularly; some peanuts; greenfood; biscuit; regular vitamin and mineral supplements.

Breeding in aviculture: very seldom achieved; isolate pairs for breeding; begins usually in March; clutch 1 to 2 eggs; incubation 24 days; not all hatch; fledging period 70 to 77 days.

L'imperialis




Commentaire du Lexicon

Amazona imperialis (Richmond 1899)

Imperial Amazon

German: Kaiseramazone

Description: general plumage green with black edging to feathers; head brownish-purple variably washed greenish-blue with black edging to feathers; ear-coverts reddish-brown; cheeks purplish-brown with narrow black edging; throat, breast and abdomen purple with black edging; under tail-coverts olive-green with greenish-blue edging; wings green without edging; edge of wing red; primaries violet-blue with green base and brown tips; secondaries green with violet-blue tips; outer secondaries with reddish-brown wing-speculum; under wing-coverts green with blue tips; middle tail-feathers reddish-brown washed with green and with greenish-blue tips; outer tail-feathers reddish-brown with base washed with green and greenish-blue tips; periophthalmic ring brownish-grey; bill grey; iris orange-red; feet grey.

Immatures as adult, but back of head and nape green; rear of cheeks with green tinge; iris brown.

Length: 45 cm (17.75 ins)

Distribution: island of Dominica, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean.

Habitat: montane forest above 625 m (2,100 ft).

Status: very endangered because of hunting, hurricanes, illegal trade and deforestation; today protected by conservation programme; population less than 100 birds.

Habits: mostly observed today singly, in pairs or small groups of up to 10 birds; occasionally on same feeding trees as Red-necked Amazon (Amazona arausiaca); prefers tops of tall trees; there very quiet and then very difficult to detect as well camouflaged by plumage; shy and cautious; calls early morning and late afternoon in particular; very quiet and only exceptionally heard during remainder of day; if alarmed by gunfire or similar sound screeches loudly briefly, but then stops suddenly; climbs agilely around in branches to feed on fruits, berries and nuts or hangs upside down; spectacular flight swift and with powerful wingbeats; occasionally interspersed with gliding phases; sometimes resembles raptor; call shrill whistling and shrieking; trumpeting call if alarmed or during flight.

Natural diet: seeds (especially Dacryodes excelsa), palm fruits, nuts, fruits, flowers, buds and berries.

Breeding behaviour: breeding season probably from March to July; nests in tall trees; in two cases 22 and 26 m (73 and 87 ft) above ground; nesting hollows 75 and 90 cm (30 and 35 ins) respectively in diameter; entrance 45 cm (18 ins) across; clutch 1 to 2 eggs; egg measurements 45.5 x 38.6 mm (1.79 x 1.52 ins).

Aviculture: medium-noisy to noisy parrot seldom kept in aviculture; often dies after few months; however acclimatised birds hardy;calls in particular in early morning; lively then and in afternoon; often not as active as other Amazon species; hard chewer and enjoys bathing.

Accommodation: outside flight 10 x 3 x 2.5 m (30 x 9 x 8 ft) with adjoining inside area 3 x 3 x 2.5 m (9 x 9 x 8 ft); metal construction essential; nestbox 35 x 35 x 120 cm (14 x 14 x 48 ins).

Diet: fruit (apple, banana, orange) and vegetables (carrot, tomato, cucumber); seed mix of safflower, oats, wheat, hemp, buckwheat, canary grass seed, millet and some sunflower; also provide sprouted; small quantities of pine-nuts regularly; some peanuts, greenfood, biscuit, regular vitamins and mineral supplements; inclined to obesity.

Breeding in aviculture: not yet achieved

Magnifique photo:





A souligner qu'aucun individu captif n'a pu se reproduire, ce qui est grave pour la survie de cette espèce. Une centaine résistent dans les forets tropicales montagneuses de la Dominique.
Il en reste quelques centaines. (200)

Classified as Endangered (EN D) on the IUCN Red List 2003 (1). Listed under Appendices I and II of CITES (3).

Description

The imperial Amazon is a spectacular parrot. It is the largest member of the genus Amazona, and is one of the rarest parrots in the world (4). The two sexes are similar in appearance, with a dark maroon-purple head featuring some greenish-blue feathers; the ear-coverts are reddish-brown and the cheeks are maroon. The upperparts of this parrot are green; the wings have red edges and long flight feathers that become purplish-blue at the tips (5). The purple feathers of the underparts have blackish fringes, creating a scaled appearance. The reddish tail has a greenish-blue tip (2) (5). Young birds are generally similar to adults, although their heads are more greenish in colour. Juveniles have brown plumage (5). A loud trumpet-like call is produced in flight, and a range of squawks and whistles are emitted at other times (2).

Range

Endemic to Dominica in the West Indies, where the species is now entirely restricted to the slopes of the volcano Morne Diablotin and part of the central forests. It has undergone a devastating decline and by 1993 was known to number just 80-100 individuals (2). It is the national bird of Dominica (6).

Habitat

Inhabits montane and elfin forest at altitudes of 600 - 1,300 m (2). The terrain in which this parrot is found is typically extremely rugged, with nest sites often located in trees on very steep slopes (6). When food resources are short it will descend to altitudes of 150m in order to forage (2).

Biology

Despite recent intensive study of this shy species, relatively little is known of its ecology. It builds its nests in cavities in tall trees, but observation of nests is difficult as the cavities are typically concealed in vines and plants (2). Breeding occurs during the dry season between February and June, when resources are most abundant (2) (7). Pairs of imperial Amazons defend their territory throughout the year. They may breed every other year, typically raising one young from a clutch of two eggs (7).

This parrot feeds on a range of fruits, seeds, shoots, flowers, berries and nuts (7).

Threats

The precipitous decline of this species was the result of a combination of factors including habitat loss caused by conversion of forests to plantations and hurricane damage, as well as hunting for food and trapping for the pet trade (2). Trade in this parrot in the local area has been greatly reduced thanks to an education programme, but threats still come from foreign collectors (2). As lowland forests are increasingly cleared, the imperial Amazon may face competition for nest sites with the related species Amazonia arausiaca (2).

Conservation

As a result of a dedicated conservation programme targeted at the imperial Amazon, numbers of this species have slowly started to increase. There are, however, still fewer than 250 adults in existence, so the species is still classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (1). International trade in this parrot is tightly restricted by its listing under Appendices I and II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Moreover, the species is protected by law on Dominica (2). The Rare Species Conservancy Foundation has been working closely with Dominican forestry officials. A major result of this programme of conservation has been the creation of the Morne Diablotin National Park in the known nesting area for the species (5). There are plans to develop a captive breeding population to provide a safeguard for the species against chance events such as a hurricane in the area (5). A very successful education programme in Dominica has substantially reduced trade and raised local awareness of the plight of Dominica's national symbol (2).

[Dies]

tres belles photos !!!
c'est laquelle qui est devenue embleme de l ile de ste lucie pr sa protection ??

[jsf]

Ben celle de Sainte lucie, la versicolor  ;)

[Dies]

suis je sot ! :D

[zebulon]

Superbesss JSF