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The Grand Cayman Amazon Parrot

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The Grand Cayman Amazon Parrot Our 1985 convention will be held in the beautiful Cathedral Hotel, San Fran· cisco (Van Ness Avenue and Geary Street), August 7th through 11th. Some ofthe most celebrated speakers in the world will bring us words of wisdom on flora and fauna. Many new The Grand Cayman faces - first timers! There will be tours of San Francisco, the city's zoo, bird tours, and a special Amazon Parrot tour of the wine country. We are working on a "special" to Hawaii, and if you have time, take the 12 day Loveboat Cruise to by Tony Silva Alaska! North Riverside, Illinois This year the drawing will consist of an automobile, a home computer, a color TV., a pair of blue Indian ringnecks, a case of fine wine, a round trip for two to Between cloud formations one thereafter. Australia via Qantas Airlines, twenty· could see a stretch of land in the Grand Cayman is flat, with consider­ five assorted pairs of birds and many distance. With passing minutes it able stands ofmangrove in the interior, other prizes. became clearer and finally one could the habitat of the parrot. It was on The next Watchbird will carry more de· see palm trees. We then made our de­ slightly swampy ground, on the north­ tailed information and all A.F.A. members will soon receive a packet in scent on Grand Cayman, an island 37 ernpart ofthe island, that I had myfirst the mail. In the meantime one can con· lan. (23 mi.) long that lies some 280 close meeting with this extremely en­ tact: Jim Coffman, convention chairman, lan. (190 mi.) south ofCuba and north­ dangered amazon in the wild. Two 1575 Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA west ofJamaica. This tropical island is were perched in a royal palm 94010. besieged annually by plane loads of (Roystonea spp.), feeding on the tips of Make it a family vacation. San Fran· Americans intent on scuba diving in the unopened central leaf. The two cisco is a fantastic city of countless crystal clear Caribbean waters, soaking would have gone undetected had it not sites to see and things to do! Public at· up the sun, or just plain relaxing. In my been for their call. Although we tendance is invited and encouraged. ., Ql case, it was none ofthese that lured me sighted more parrots that day, it was at .~ but the endemic parrot, a subspecies of North Sound Estate that we had our 52 Ql the Cuban Amazon. greatest success. U ::J The only thought I had while going CD The Cayman Amazon can be de­ >. through customs or hiring a car was .D scribed briefly as green, each feather a observing the Cayman Amazon .r:::o edged ingrey, mostprominentlyonthe Q. Amazona leucocephala caymanensis ::J head. The forehead is white, oftencon­ ell in the wild. :;Ql taminated in pink or yellow. Cheeks m First on our agenda was a visit to and throat are rose-red, ear coverts are <J) Savanna, to the east of Georgetown, B dark grey, and the abdomen has ·00 the capitol. It was here that Rosemary ':> maroon. Breast and rump are tinged a Low and Bob Grantham had observed ~ with turquoise, a diagnostic feature o parrots several years ago. Here we met C that can be used to separate it from the ell Lindberg Eden, a resident with u: Cuban (A. I. leucocephala) and Isle of C knowledge ofcaymanensis. Rosemary Pines (A. l. palmarum) subspecies. c?l had suggested that I contact Lindberg for he would be able to suggest where Back to parrots inthe wild. Early one the parrots were foraging. morning we observed two caymanen­ It was about five in the afternoon sis foraging quietly. They permitted a and the sun was still bright, but even very close approach, suggesting that with the recommendations from Eden, they were not persecuted for food. In the parrots were elusive. After an hour complete contrast, the St. Lucia of traveling about, we returned to Amazon (Amazona versicolor) is very It behooves visitors to San Francisco's Chinatown to Georgetown to secure a hotel and shy and elusive, and was formerly lift their eyes from the store windows from time to time. At the upper level, the quarter is a montage of dispose of the impedimenta. My inde­ persecuted. Two other birds on Grand dragon-entwined lanterns, arched eaves, filigreed fatigable search resumed shortly Cayman, Columbidae (the white- balconies and calligraphy neons. afa WATCHBIRD 51 .r: () co Q) entail the use of walkie-talkies and CD Q) > many individuals to keep track ofeach CO o bird as it moves about. An assessment >­ .0 o would certainly not be facile. (5 .r: A. I. caymanensis has become an en­ Q.. dangered species because its habitat is disappearing. In a paper presented at the International Council for Bird Preservation's 1980 Parrot Working Group Meeting, Noegelgives aninsight into the causal factor: "This subspecies is making its last stand in the central and eastern part of the island. This area has, until recently, remained free from development and thus afforded this Amazon a safe refuge. Now, much ofit is being cleared for agricultural purposes.', In my opinion, encroachment is the primary factor in this bird's decline. Consequently, the establishment of vital areas as reserves would be A maleCaymanIslandAmazonparrot. Note howeachgreenfeather is edged indarkgrey. propitious. The birds are also actively sought for the local trade and captives are kept under poor conditions, both of which must be stopped immediately. Even­ tually they die and are replaced by others which meet the same fate. Inmy opinion action such as that taken on St. Lucia is called for: all parrots currently in captivity should be registered and their sale or trade contingent upon approval from authorities. If death occurs, the body must be turned over to the same governing body. Violation would result in a very stiff fine. Cayman Amazons are being bred by Ramon Noegel, Tom Nichols, both in the U.S., and it is listed as one of the species bredduring 1983 inthe U.K. by John and Pat Stoodley. Proper manage­ ment could eventually result in its being established in aviaries. In my opinion, highly competent avicultur­ ists should be permitted to take pairs from the islandfor the establishmentof additional colonies. These would be Habitat ofthe Cayman Amazon atNorth Sound on Grand Cayman Island. permitted to leave only under the strictest ofmeasures and would ideally originate from the pet population. crowned pigeon Columba leucoce­ memory of a pair ofparrots defending Alternately, a captive breeding scheme phala and white-winged dove their territory from an intruding pair. could be implemented on the island, Zenaida asiatica), are far more Again, they hadpaidno attentiontomy deriving the foundation stockfrom the numerous and consequently easier to presence, being consumed in the same source. Progeny could, in turn, bag. Certainly their flesh would be fracas. beplacedwithaviculturists. Alas, none more palatable than that of parrots. Cayman Amazons have been studied ofthese measures or those listed in the The two caymanensis were so free of extensively by Ramon Noegel who previous paragraphwillbe actedupon. fear that attempts to startle them were estimates the population at perhaps While boarding the plane at Owens ignored altogether. I threw stones at a 200 or less. While this figure may be Roberts Airport, I looked back and tree several times, but they looked correct, it is entirely possible for this wondered how long will caymanensis askance as if to suggest that it was number to be over or under optimistic survive. The lack of formal protection futile. since there are impenetrable areas on ofit and its refuge mayultimately mean The day of my departure was an the island and the parrots are highly that future generations will know of auspicious one, for I left with the mobile. An accurate census would caymanensis only as aviary birds.• 52 JuneIJuly 1985 --~- ~-- ----- -- - - DO YOU HAVE TROUBLE finding healthy pet quality birds? Choose fat, bright eyed, well feathered parrots CLASSIFIED from Parrot Island. We ship. 6101 FM 1960 W, Houston, TX 77069. Call (713) 580-7773. DISCOUNT PET SUPPLIES - save to 50%. il­ lustrated catalog $3.00 refundable. Sunol Pet BEE POLLEN - Clean, high quality bee pollen from Supply, P.O. Box 281, Sunol, CA 94586. ADS California. $5.25/lb. orders less than 5Ibs., $5.00/lb. order CLASSIFIED RATES - $6.00 minimum of 5lbs. or more. All orders add postage/UPS. Call orwrite charge for 4 Iin~s of type (average 7 for bulk order prices. PRE-STEP APIARIES, 914 E. Birch words per line). Additional charge of 12~ Ave., Fresno, Calif. 93710. (203) 431-0970. per word for ad running over 28 words. ELM'S AVIARY - catering to the serious breeders of DOMESTICALLY RAISED - Hand fed Suns, Jendays, grass parakeets (NEOPHEMAS), rare types and muta­ (28 words to include name, address and Gold-caps, Gold-crowns, Halfmoons as well as several phone.) All copy to be RECEIVED BY 15th tions ofall Australians. This year's orders nowbeing taken other species. A few Pionus, Eclectus, Amazons & for all Neophemas. FOR SALE: young scarlet chested tor­ day 6 weeks preceding publication. One Macaws. Stan or Fay. (602) 983-3028. quoisines, elegants, Bourke's, yellow Bourkes, rose inch boxed ad - 58 word maximum ­ Bourke's, blue wings. All our birds are extremely healthy $15.00. and robust due to outdoor breeding. No cage breeding ALL SPOON·FED baby yellow napes $525, baby allowed. Call Jack Marlatte, (415) 837-1320, or write ENGLISH BUDGERIGARS. English imported and bred. Congo greys $625, baby double yellow heads SASE; Elm's Aviary, 131 Dynes Ct., Danville,CA94526.
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