Distribution, Variation, and Conservation of Yellow-Headed Parrots in Northern Central America
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COTINGA 5 Distribution, variation, and conservation of Yellow-headed Parrots in northern Central America Sebastian A. Lousada and Steve N. G. Howell Introduction NW Costa Rica, disjunctly in the Mosquitia: the The Yellow-headed Parrot Amazona ochrocephala described forms auropalliata, caribaea and complex comprises a number of allopatric forms, parvipes), and Yellow-crowned Parrot A. differing primarily in the amount and distribu ochrocephala (the yellow-crowned, mostly pale tion of yellow on the head and in bill colour. As a billed birds from Panama to South America, rule, the amount of yellow on the head of both disjunctly in the Sula Valley of Honduras: the Atlantic Slope and Pacific Slope adult birds de described forms panamensis, ochrocephala, creases from north and west to south and east. xantholaema and nattereri). Alternatively, Thus, the American Ornithologists’ Union1 Forshaw3 considers all birds in this complex as recognises three species in the complex: Yellow members of a single, highly variable species, the headed Parrot A. oratrix (the pale-billed, Yellow-crowned Amazon A. ochrocephala. yellow-headed and yellow-faced birds of Mexico Here we attempt to clarify the complex vari and Belize: the described forms tresmariae, ation, distribution, and status of birds on the magna, oratrix and belizensis), Yellow-naped Atlantic slope from Belize to Nicaragua (see Fig. Parrot A. auropalliata (the darker-billed, yellow- 1). This paper is not intended as a taxonomic naped birds of the Pacific slope from S Mexico to treatise, although at least it suggests a re-evalu- 46 COTINGA 5 Yellow-headed Parrots in Central America Figure 2. “Yellow-headed Parrots” from Guatemala and Honduras (all adults except d). Photos by Sebastian A. Lousada a) “guatemalensis” (yellow-crowned type); b) “guatemalensis” (yellow-naped type); c) “hondurensis” (yellow-naped type); d) juvenile “hondurensis”; e) caribaea; f) parvipes (dark-billed). Figure 1 (facing page). Distribution of the Yellow-headed Parrot complex in northern Central America, and adults of the various forms. a) belizensis f) caribaea b) yellow-crowned “guatemalensis” g) pale-billed parvipes c) yellow-naped “guatemalensis” h) dark-billed parvipes d) yellow-crowned “hondurensis” i) auropalliata e) yellow-naped “hondurensis” Painting by Sophie Webb. Figure 3 (right). “North to south” variation in adult birds of the Yellow-headed Parrot complex (Photo by Sebastian A. Lousada). From left to right: oratrix MCZ 71470, Petapa, Oaxaca, Mexico; belizensis MCZ 119739, near Ycaos Lagoon, Belize; “hondurensis” CMNH 20448, Chasniguas, Honduras; caribaea CMNH 131583, Isla Barbareta, Honduras; parvipes UCLA 51466, Leicus Creek, Comarca de El Cabo, Nicaragua. 47 COTINGA 5 Yellow-headed Parrots in Central America ation of the geographical limits of the three spe populations of the complex, and gathered much cies recognised by the AOU1. Most of our information through interviews with local peo information comes from fieldwork in Belize, Gua ple: temala, and Honduras, although we also have 1) “guatemalensis”, the undescribed, intermedi experience in Mexico and throughout Central ate form mentioned by Collar et al.2 (Figs. 1b/c); America south to Panama. Present-day field 2) “hondurensis”, the undescribed, yellow- studies of “yellow-headed parrots” are often dif crowned form mentioned by Monroe & Howell8, ficult since, for example, A. oratrix is considered located in NW Honduras (Figs. 1d/e); “the most popular and sought-after amazon in 3) caribaea, the yellow-naped birds of the Hon the [cagebird] trade”2. Consequently it is a duras Bay Islands (Fig. 1f); threatened species whose status in the wild 4) p a rv ip e s, the yellow-naped birds of the ranges from greatly reduced to locally extirpated2 Mosquitia of NE Honduras and N Nicaragua (and SNGH pers. obs.) and geographic distribu (Figs. 1g/h). Our studies indicate that the yel tion often has to be extrapolated from a paucity low-headed parrots of Belize are “connected” of data. Our experience with captive birds adds with the dimorphic, yellow-crowned and yellow- relevant data, and we also have examined mu naped birds of the Sula Valley of Honduras by seum specimens of all populations discussed here an intermediate, dimorphic yellow-headed popu (except “guatemalensis”, of which no specimens lation in NE Guatemala and NW Honduras (see exist, to our knowledge). Table 1 lists adult char Fig. 1). Today, despite an overall distance of less acters of Middle American populations of the than 200 km, these three populations are iso Yellow-headed Parrot complex (and see Fig. 1). lated from one another due to habitat loss, although introgression presumably occurred in The problem in northern Central America the past. We refer to the Belizean and Guatema- Monroe & Howell8 discussed geographic varia lan / Honduran yellow-headed birds as the tion in the Yellow-headed Parrot complex, and belizensis group, the Sula Valley yellow-crowned named two new races from northern Central birds as “hondurensis” (recognising that this America: belizensis of Belize (a race of Yellow population has not been named formally), and headed Parrot1; Fig. la), and parvipes of the the allopatric yellow-naped birds of the Hondu Mosquitia and Honduras Bay Islands (a race of ras Bay Islands and Mosquitia as the parvipes Yellow-naped Parrot1; Figs. 1g/h, 2f), while group. Lousada7 further distinguished Bay Island birds as the race caribaea (Figs. 1f, 2e); Parkes9, how Age variation ever, questioned the validity of this last taxon. As well as consistent age-related differences be Monroe & Howell8 were puzzled by the presence tween juveniles and adults, there is sometimes of yellow-crowned birds in the Sula valley of N considerable variation in coloration among in Honduras and concluded that these birds prob dividuals of the same subspecies, even from the ably represented an undescribed subspecies. At same nest. Fledglings generally have duskier that time, however, age variation in plumage of bills (especially noticeable on the upper mandi these parrots was poorly understood (T. R. bles; Fig 2d) and duller, browner eyes than Howell pers. comm.) and this may have contrib adults. Cere/bristle and eyelid edge colour may uted to the confusion surrounding the Sula also be darker in juveniles, as are the claws in Valley birds. The situation has never been clari Yellow-headed birds. Young birds have the yel fied satisfactorily as there are only a few museum low on the head much reduced, or totally absent skins and an apparent extreme scarcity of these (as with the yellow hindneck patches typical of birds in the wild. Collar et al.2 hinted at the com adult yellow-naped birds). Further, any red or plexity of the problem by noting the presence in yellow on the bend of the wing or rectrices is re NE Guatemala of birds intermediate between duced or absent, as is any yellow coloration on Belize yellow-headed parrots and Honduras yel the thighs (typically found on adult yellow low-crowned parrots. headed birds). Luckily, portions of the coastal areas of NE After changing rapidly from grey-brown to Guatemala and N Honduras are relatively inac pale amber in the first six months of age, eye cessible, and enough birds survive, albeit colour changes gradually to its final amber col precariously, to help solve the problem. In Janu our over the first 2–3 years. Also, most of the dark ary 1994, SAL and Armando Morales visited this areas on the mandibles of paler-billed forms region, located and studied the following four lighten during the first 2–3 years. When the birds 48 COTINGA 5 Yellow-headed Parrots in Central America first moult, during 12–16 months after fledging pattern. Although belizensis typically have pale (at least in most captive birds), areas of yellow bills, ceres/bristles, and claws, all (15) captive and red plumage increase; thus, in yellow-naped “guatemalensis” seen showed some or all of the birds, a spotty nape patch usually becomes ap following features: dark grey streaks or tips to parent. Colours increase with each successive the mandibles, dusky ceres/bristles, and, most moult, until by sexual maturity at three to five commonly, dark claws. Without exception, they years, adult plumage is attained. Each annual also had a dark eyelid edge that contrasted with moult may then differ in that individual birds the pale orbital ring (see Fig. 2a); it appears that can be slightly more or less colourful in some true belizensis have pale eyelids indistinguish years than others but often, as a bird ages fur able from the orbital ring. B elizensis group ther, coloration can increase slowly, giving some juveniles have yellow restricted to the forecrown, aged individuals a decidedly magnificent appear usually with some yellow around the eye. ance. The bill also may vary slightly in colour over time. Sula Valley birds (“hondurensis”) These birds are known locally as Guarará. From The belizensis group previous reports and information gathered dur These birds are known locally as “Loro Real” in ing our recent research it is clear that these birds NE Guatemala, and as “Lora” in NW Honduras. formerly ranged throughout the Sula Valley from Belizean birds (typical belizensis) inhabit the Yojoa to Puerto Cortes, west along the coast to pine savannas and adjacent evergreen forest wards Guatemala (and “guatemalensis”), and east patches of Belize. Another form (which we term towards La Ceiba and perhaps beyond. Due to “guatemalensis”, recognising that it has not been extreme habitat loss through human settlement named formally) occurs in coastal scrub and and agriculture, the distribution of “hondurensis” mangroves at Punta Manabique, in NE Guate has been “very local”8 for at least the past 30 mala (near Puerto Barrios) and through the years. In our extensive searches for this bird, coastal lowlands into extreme NW Honduras, locals interviewed were mostly not familiar with east to Cuyamel (SAL pers.