Amazona autumnalis lilacina -Chester Zoo -upper body-8a

The lilacine amazon (''Amazona autumnalis lilacina'') or Ecuadorian red-lored amazon is an

amazon parrot Amazon parrots are parrots in the genus ''Amazona''. They are medium-sized, short-tailed parrots native to the Americas, with their range extending from South America to Mexico and the Caribbean. ''Amazona'' is one of the 92 genera of parrots ...

native to

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

. According to the IOC World Bird List, it is still considered to be a subspecies of the

red-lored amazon The red-lored amazon or red-lored parrot (''Amazona autumnalis'') is a species of amazon parrot, native to tropical regions of the Americas, from eastern Mexico south to Ecuador where it occurs in humid evergreen to semi-deciduous forests up to ...

, although Birdlife International considers it to be a separate species, as ''Amazona lilacina'' - as does the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of nat ...

for the purposes of the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

, rating the lilacine amazon as critically endangered. The lilacine amazon is generally smaller than its related subspecies, with a black

beak The beak, bill, or rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for eating, preening, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for foo ...

and more subdued coloring. Lilacine amazons are said to make favorable

companion parrot A companion parrot is a parrot kept as a pet that interacts abundantly with its human counterpart. Generally, most species of parrot can make excellent companions, but must be carefully managed around other common pet species like dogs and cats a ...

s because of their gentle, affectionate nature and agreeable temperament.

Description

The lilacine amazon is a small parrot, approximately 34 cm long when mature, with primarily green plumage. Like the red-lored amazon, it has red lores and yellow cheeks; its distinguishing features include a fully black beak, and lilac-tipped feathers on its crown.

Behavior

The lilacine amazon is known for its gentle and timid nature. In the wild it avoids confrontation with intruders, opting to seek cover in nearby foliage until danger has passed. It usually spends time in small- to medium-sized groups, with which it roosts at night; many birds pair off monogamously within the larger group, and they are most frequently seen flying in pairs.

Diet

The diet of the lilacine amazon consists primarily of

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

nut Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut or Nuts may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Co ...

berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...

, and

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s. Like most parrots, it possesses a powerful

; its dexterous

tongue The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surface (dorsum) is covered by taste ...

also helps to break down and consume a diverse suite of foodstuffs.

Breeding

Sexual maturity is reached at three or four years of age. Like most parrots, the lilacine amazon is a monogamous breeder and a cavity nester. The hen will lay two to four eggs in a

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

cavity and incubate them for a period of three weeks; the young fledge about two months after hatching. As with many other parrots, the male will keep the female and chicks nourished during their time in the nest by consuming additional food and regurgitating it for them.

Distribution and habitat

The lilacine amazon is native to the tropical dry forests of western

north of the

Gulf of Guayaquil The Gulf of Guayaquil is a large body of water of the Pacific Ocean in western South America. Its northern limit is the city of Santa Elena, in Ecuador, and its southern limit is Cabo Blanco, in Peru. The gulf takes its name from the city of Gua ...

, extending to Nariño in extreme south-western Colombia adjacent to the Ecuadorian border, where it intersects with the subspecies ''A. a. salvini''.

Aviculture

Lilacine amazons have become well regarded as companion parrots, intelligent with a personality often described as gentle, affectionate, and loyal. In captivity, they enjoy the company of people, and will often form a strong bond with their owner. They are not known as exceptional

talkers ''Talkers Magazine'' is a trade-industry publication related to talk radio in the United States. Its slogan is "The Bible of Talk Radio and the New Talk Media". In addition to radio, it also covers talk shows on broadcast and cable television, a ...

, but most individuals are able to learn to mimic at least a few phrases. The

World Parrot Trust The World Parrot Trust is an international charity dedicated to saving parrots. History When the Trust was founded in 1989 at Paradise Park in Cornwall, UK, it was decided that the main objective was to promote the survival of all parrot specie ...

recommends that the lilacine amazon be housed in an enclosure with a minimum length of 3 metres. The lilacine amazon has only recently become popular and common in the

pet A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence ...

trade, formerly being quite rare. At least one captive breeding program has been established in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

to increase the bird's numbers.

References

External links

''Amazona lilacina'' - Ecuador Amazon
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5401232 lilacine amazon Endemic birds of Ecuador lilacine amazon Species endangered by the pet trade