Amazona brasiliensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PSITTACIFORMES	PSITTACIDAE

Scientific Name:

Amazona brasiliensis

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Red-tailed Amazon, Red-tailed Parrot
Spanish	–	Amazona Colirroja, Loro Cariazul, Papagayo de Cara Roja

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable B1ab(i,ii,iii,v) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Symes, A., Butchart, S.

Contributor/s:

Bóçon, R., Olmos, F.

Justification:
Trapping for the cagebird trade and habitat loss are the most important threats to this species. Despite heavy trapping pressure in the early 1990s, the species's range is believed to have remained essentially the same, and populations have remained stable or declined less steeply than was previously feared they might, with a recent estimate even suggesting a population increase. Owing to its small breeding range and highly fragmented habitat, the species qualifies as Vulnerable.

History:

2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Endangered
1996	–	Endangered
1994	–	Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Amazona brasiliensis occurs in a narrow littoral strip, between the Serra do Mar and coast, from Itanhaém in São Paulo through Paraná to extreme north-east Santa Catarina, south-east Brazil¹. Breeding areas are mostly located on small estuarine islands with few on the mainland. Populations were thought to have declined from c.3,500-4,500 birds in the 1980s to fewer than 2,000 individuals by 1991-1992⁴. A recent estimate of 6,600 individuals suggests long-term conservation measures have enabled the speccies to make a recovery¹⁰. The population in Paraná was estimated at 3,600 in 1996², and a more recent census found 3,379 birds, suggesting that the population there is either stable or has suffered a small decline⁹.
Countries:	Native: Brazil
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Lalime (1997), Lalime (1999)
Population Trend:	Increasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Almost the entire population migrates daily between mangrove and littoral forest roosting and breeding areas, and Atlantic forest feeding areas. It feeds primarily below 200 m, but has been recorded up to 700 m ¹. At the extremes, breeding occurs from late August to early March, with up to four eggs laid in natural tree-cavities, mostly in Gerivá palms Syagrus romanzoffianum and Guanandi Callophyllum brasiliense^1,2. Although essentially frugivorous, it also feeds on leaves, flowers and insects within fruit¹.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Almost the entire population migrates daily between mangrove and littoral forest roosting and breeding areas, and Atlantic forest feeding areas. It feeds primarily below 200 m, but has been recorded up to 700 m ¹. At the extremes, breeding occurs from late August to early March, with up to four eggs laid in natural tree-cavities, mostly in Gerivá palms Syagrus romanzoffianum and Guanandi Callophyllum brasiliense^1,2. Although essentially frugivorous, it also feeds on leaves, flowers and insects within fruit¹.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There is extensive poaching for national and (especially) international trade with 356 birds, mostly nestlings, captured during 1991-1992 breeding season in the municipality of Cananéia (a quarter of the species's range)⁵. Of 47 nests monitored between 1990 and 1994, six were naturally predated and the other 41 robbed by humans⁶. Nest-cavities are virtually always damaged when removing nestlings, reducing the number available⁵. There is continuing habitat loss for boat building, banana plantations, cattle- and buffalo-grazing and beach houses^2,7. Palmito palms are cut for processing in Guaraqueçaba². The proposed construction of a bridge to Ilha Comprida will increase pressure from tourism and habitat conversion⁷.

Major Threat(s):

There is extensive poaching for national and (especially) international trade with 356 birds, mostly nestlings, captured during 1991-1992 breeding season in the municipality of Cananéia (a quarter of the species's range)⁵. Of 47 nests monitored between 1990 and 1994, six were naturally predated and the other 41 robbed by humans⁶. Nest-cavities are virtually always damaged when removing nestlings, reducing the number available⁵. There is continuing habitat loss for boat building, banana plantations, cattle- and buffalo-grazing and beach houses^2,7. Palmito palms are cut for processing in Guaraqueçaba². The proposed construction of a bridge to Ilha Comprida will increase pressure from tourism and habitat conversion⁷.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I and II and protected under Brazilian law. It occurs within 15 protected areas, but these are not locally enforced^2,5. Superagui National Park, Paraná protects the stronghold¹¹. The creation of new reserves is hampered by economic interests⁵. Several programmes are raising local awareness^2,5,8. Conservation projects and the protected areas created in the species range seem to be paying off, although some trapping still occurs. There are studbooks and successful captive-breeding programmes in the European Union and Brazil³ and the provision of artificial nests and the repair of natural nesting cavities is boosting reproductive success in the wild¹⁰. The Red-tailed Amazon Conservation Project is monitoring the population in Paraná¹¹. Conservation Actions Proposed Carry out surveys to monitor population trends. Monitor rates of off-take for trade. Monitor trade levels. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation. Enforce laws on trafficking, especially on access routes to breeding islands^1,2. Effectively protect existing reserves^1,2. Formally designate Ilha Comprida State Park and Itapanhapina Ecological Station⁷. Expand Superagüi National Park to include Ilha do Pinheiro⁷. Reforest breeding islands². Continue and expand awareness efforts².

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and II and protected under Brazilian law. It occurs within 15 protected areas, but these are not locally enforced^2,5. Superagui National Park, Paraná protects the stronghold¹¹. The creation of new reserves is hampered by economic interests⁵. Several programmes are raising local awareness^2,5,8. Conservation projects and the protected areas created in the species range seem to be paying off, although some trapping still occurs. There are studbooks and successful captive-breeding programmes in the European Union and Brazil³ and the provision of artificial nests and the repair of natural nesting cavities is boosting reproductive success in the wild¹⁰. The Red-tailed Amazon Conservation Project is monitoring the population in Paraná¹¹.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Carry out surveys to monitor population trends. Monitor rates of off-take for trade. Monitor trade levels. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation. Enforce laws on trafficking, especially on access routes to breeding islands^1,2. Effectively protect existing reserves^1,2. Formally designate Ilha Comprida State Park and Itapanhapina Ecological Station⁷. Expand Superagüi National Park to include Ilha do Pinheiro⁷. Reforest breeding islands². Continue and expand awareness efforts².

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Amazona brasiliensis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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