Save The Red-Tailed Amazon

The red-tailed Amazon has a mainly deep green plumage with a broad red band on the tail, for which it is named, that becomes especially visible when the birds are displaying.The forehead is rose-red, shading to purplish-pink on the mid-crown, while the cheeks, chin, ear-coverts, throat and upper breast are violet-blue. The wings display some red on the shoulders and the flight-feathers are tipped in dark blue. While the central tail feathers are green, the lateral tail feathers have a bluish base, a broad red band and yellow tips.

VOCABULARY

• COVERTS: Small feathers concealing the bases of larger primary feathers, usually on the wings or tail.
• CHIN:Either side of the face, bellow the lips
• CHEEKS: Either side of the face, bellow the eye

HABITAT

This bird  roosts and breeds in mangrove and coastal forests, including seasonally and permanently flooded forest and sand-plain forest, but will often disperse to Atlantic forest to feed. Breeding areas are mostly located on small estuarine islands with few on the mainland.

THREATS

The principal threats are habitat loss and trapping for the cage-bird trade are the most significant threats to the red-tailed Amazon. Poaching by native Indians and for national and (illegal) international trade is placing the species under enormous pressure.

STATUS:

The red-tailed Amazon is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List , and listed on Appendix I of CITES

BIOLOGY:

Red-tailed Amazon are usually found in pairs or flocks, which may reach heights of over 400 individuals in winter . Daily migrations allow the red-tailed Amazon to feed on the abundant mainland, while roosting and breeding on the coastal islands . From mid morning until dusk, this bird forages primarily for fruit, although it also feeds on seeds, leaves, flowers, nectar and insects within the fruit.

This is the Brazil Amazon Rainforest