COTINGA 5 Distribution, variation, and conservation of Yellow-headed Parrots in northern

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 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 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. obs.). There is also a it or said they used to see it years ago. S. Thorn report in September 1993 of belizensis-type birds and V. Roth (pers. comm.) saw two birds in the from the pine savannas of Petén, N Guatemala late 1980s at Lago Tikamaya, near San Pedro (R. Clay in litt.), in addition to an old report of Sula, and one near Puerto Cortes, but we know Yellow-headed Parrot (in the broad sense) from of no other recent reports. SAL and Morales Petén6; the presence of belizensis in this area, finally located a remnant population of ecologically similar to pine savanna in Belize, is “hondurensis” just south of Punta Sal (a few kilo­ not unexpected. metres east of where the Río Ulua/Sula joins the Typical mature belizensis (Fig. la) are yellow­ sea), in similar coastal scrub habitat to where faced with relatively extensive yellow on the they found “guatemalensis” on the Honduras- crown, lores, and auriculars. Some birds also Guatemala border. At a slightly elevated roosting have yellow nape feathers, e.g. MCZ specimen site of patchy trees amid some cleared agricul­ 119739 from southern Belize, with relatively tural land they saw c. 75 “hondurensis” extensive yellow in its nape (Fig. 3). Interest­ assembling for the night in loose conjunction ingly, green nape flecks are found frequently in with about 30 Red-lored Parrots A. autumnalis. adult oratrix Yellow-headed Parrots (e.g. Fig. 3), This may be a traditional roosting area that the and may almost delineate a yellow nape patch. birds are still using despite severe habitat al­ In “guatemalensis”, the yellow is usually re­ teration, as noted for Red-tailed Amazon A. stricted to a crown patch and broad eyering (Figs. brasiliensis10. 1b, 2a), and a significant number of adult birds “Hondurensis” always have yellow crowns also have a yellow nape patch of variable extent (Figs. 1 d/e, 2c/d), frequently in a broad, rounded (Figs. 1c, 2b). For example, SAL and Morales or triangular shape that covers most of the fore­ visited the Punta Manabique area in 1994 and head. As adults, about 67% of birds also have saw c. 100 “guatemalensis” coming to roost at a full yellow napes (Fig. 1e) although some 20% group of half-dead mangroves on a remote beach have either no yellow nape or just a few flecks near the Honduras border: three pairs of birds (Fig. 1d); the remainder are intermediate, with were observed clearly, one of which comprised spotty nape patches. Among captive birds these two birds with sizeable yellow nape patches two morphs appear to occur in somewhat along with somewhat reduced belizensis-type face opposite proportions to the “guatemalensis” popu-

49 COTINGA 5 Yellow-headed Parrots in Central America

Table 1. Typical characters of adults of the Amazona ocrocephala complex found in Middle America

bill cere/ orbital ring/ head bend of thighs claws bristles eyelid edge wing Yellow-headed group

Mexican Birds very pale pale/pale pale/pale yellow head, often extensive red, green pale (tresmariae, with green flecks often with and oratrix, magna) some yellow yellow

belizensis very pale, pale/pale pale/pale extensive, yellow face, relatively extensive mainly pale occas. with some red, often some green, some yellow nape feathers yellow flecks yellow

“guatemalensis” very pale, some pale/pale pale/dark reduced yellow face, relatively extensive mainly dark, with dark tips/ or with some with yellow red, often some green, some some streaks some dusky nape patch yellow flecks yellow pale Yellow-naped and Yellow-crowned group

“hondurensis” very pale, pale-light grey/dusky generally a wide yellow red patches, green, dark occasional grey/pale- -dark forecrown patch and occas. yellow occas. a darker tips/ dusky yellow nape; some birds flecks little streaks solely yellow-crowned yellow

caribaea pale, often dark/dark grey/dusky yellow forecrown red patches, green, dark with dark -dark (narrower than occas. yellow occas. a tips/narrow “hondurensis”), flecks little streaks yellow nape patch yellow

parvipes variable, pale- grey-dark/ grey/dusky yellow nape patch, red patches, green, dark dark, usually dark -dark forehead green or rarely yellow occas. a with dark tips yellow (less than flecks little /broad streaks caribaea) yellow

auropalliata dark, dark/dark grey/dusky yellow nape patch, green, green dark rarely -dark some with yellow fore­ rarely red paler head patch, esp. in N flecks

panamensis pale, usually pale-dusky/ pale/ yellow forecrown red patches, green gen­ with dark pale grey-dark sim. to “hondurensis”, rarely yellow erally tip/streaks no yellow on nape flecks pale

lation; i.e. the yellow-naped morph of yellow-headed Mexican populations look quite “guatemalensis” may be about as rare as the plain similar but tend to have more yellow on their yellow-crowned morph of “hondurensis”. The bill crowns and have paler bills and ceres; see Plate of “hondurensis” is pale like the belizensis group 21 of Howell & Webb5. Thus, coloration of juve­ (with just occasional dark tips or streaks), while niles in this complex tends to reflect their the cere/bristles range from pale (as in typical parentage. belizensis) to dusky. On most birds, at least a portion of the bristle-like feathers on the cere The parvipes group are pale and hard to see without close inspec­ Yellow-naped birds occur in open pine woods and tion (generally the ratio of blond to dark bristles pine savannas on the Honduras Bay Islands of and underlying skin creates the overall “cere Roatán, Barbareta, and Guanaja, and in the colour”). The shoulders have red patches with Mosquitia of E Honduras and N Nicaragua. occasional yellow flecks, and the thighs also fre­ These birds (Figs. 1f/g/h, 2e/f) differ from the quently have a little yellow. The yellow-crowned “hondurensis” yellow-napes in having dark cere/ and yellow-naped morphs have interbred in cap­ bristles, less yellow on the forecrown, and, espe­ tivity (SAL pers. obs.), as has “hondurensis” with cially in the case of Mosquitia p a rvip es, a belizensis (H. Voren pers. comm.). generally duskier bill. They differ from Pacific Juveniles (Fig. 2d) have variably sized yel­ Slope yellow-napes (auropalliata; see Plate 21 low crowns and no yellow on their napes, and a Howell & Webb5 and Fig. 1i) in their smaller size, colourful “hondurensis” juvenile can look simi­ especially feet (“parvipes”= small feet), commonly lar to juvenile belizensis. Juveniles of the fully paler bills, and red at the bend of the wing. Oc­

50 COTINGA 5 Yellow-headed Parrots in Central America casional mature birds of both parvipes and needs some explanation. In our experience, yel­ auropalliata lack yellow nape patches (SAL pers. low nape patches may be difficult to see without obs.). optical aid, i.e. binoculars, unless one is above Examination of series of photos, combined the birds; however, since every “hondurensis” has with subsequent field experience of SAL in the a yellow crown, that tends to be a more consist­ Mosquitia and Bay Islands, supports the distinct­ ently noticeable feature. Further, at that time, ness of Bay Island caribaea. The bill of caribaea flocks probably contained larger numbers of (Figs. 1f, 2e) is generally paler than parvipes young birds (without yellow napes) due to less (Figs. 1g/h, 2f), the darker bill of which is not an nest robbing; and lastly, perhaps the yellow- artefact of blood staining, contra P a rk e s8. crowned morph was then simply more common. Parvipes bills do vary more in colour than noted Monroe & Howell8 also described Sula Val­ by Lousada7: c. 20% have fairly pale bills (Fig. ley yellow-crowns as duskier-billed than 1g) but 60% (Figs. 1h, 2f) have bills only slightly, Panamian yellow-crowns. While this may be true if at all, paler than auropalliata (which is also in juveniles, mature “hondurensis” are very pale­ quite variable; Fig. 1i); about 20% are interme­ billed5 (and Figs. 1d/e, 2c) and, apart from their diate between these two extremes. In more than larger size and frequent yellow nape patches, are 200 wild caribaea sightings, SAL has seen none extremely similar to Panama yellow-crowned without a yellow crown other than reduced yel­ birds. low in a few immature birds. Generally caribaea Thus, if one follows the Pacific coast from have long, rather narrow yellow crowns that are Mexico to South America and examines speci­ not as broad at the forehead as “hondurensis” mens of the oratrix, auropalliata, and ochro­ (Fig. 3). Parvipes, on the other hand, frequently cephala groups, the birds appear different enough lack any yellow on the crown or have just spotty to be separate species: Yellow-headed, Yellow- patches. Both parvipes and caribaea have darker naped, and Yellow-crowned parrots respectively1. ceres/bristles than mature “hondurensis” and, However, if one follows the coast and partially due to the paleness of the bill of takes a close look at birds in Guatemala and caribaea, its dark cere is especially contrasting Honduras (Table 1 and Figs. 1, 3), one finds in­ (Fig 2e). While some parvipes have relatively pale termediate populations which confuse the issue bills similar to caribaea, and others have signifi­ and support the view of a single, polymorphic cant yellow on their crown, we have seen no species3 or at best a redefinition of species-lim­ parvipes that combine both the paler bill and its within the three species of the AOU1. Thus, if extensive yellow crown of caribaea. T hus, “hondurensis” yellow-crowns are considered caribaea is somewhat intermediate between conspecific with Panama birds (as by the AOU1), “hondurensis” and parvipes. then Yellow-headed A. oratrix and Yellow- Juvenile caribaea have far less yellow on the crowned A. ochrocephala parrots should be crown than mature birds but some yellow is usu­ lumped. Furthermore, since the Bay Island and ally present; juvenile parvipes often have little Mosquitia “yellow-napes” are intermediate be­ or no yellow on the crown. tween Atlantic slope yellow-headed forms and Pacific slope yellow-naped forms, they could be Discussion placed with either group or used as an argument Monroe & Howell8 considered, but basically re­ to lump Yellow-naped A. auropalliata and Yellow­ jected, the possibility of two colour morphs of headed A. oratrix parrots! “yellow-headed” parrot in the Sula Valley, or that the differences between the birds were sex- or Conservation status age- related. Rather, they guessed it most likely Yellow-headed parrots (in the broad sense) have that the yellow-crowned birds constituted “an suffered extensive habitat loss combined with isolated, undescribed subspecies of A. thorough nest-robbing for the pet trade. The rem­ ochrocephala” and that the yellow-naped birds nant populations noted here are highly “were individuals of parvipes that had wandered vulnerable due to their small sizes. Also, in Hon­ outside their normal range or were escaped cage duras (and no doubt elsewhere) even auropalliata birds.” This explanation overlooks the fact that “has apparently declined very strongly in recent immature birds lack yellow napes and that the years” and “has been nearly extinguished”11. two yellow-naped specimens they examined are True belizensis is uncommon to fairly com­ different from parvipes. The historical record in mon5, although nest-robbing is still quite 1858 of a large flock of yellow-crowned birds still widespread and birds are killed locally as they

51 COTINGA 5 Yellow-headed Parrots in Central America eat fruit crops (SNGH pers. obs.). The unique mate may have been excessively high and now coastal “guatemalensis” population is in a more estimates 100–200 birds. Encouragingly, how­ serious condition, being restricted to a narrow ever, in 1994 he noted a healthier balance of coastal strip increasingly encroached upon by young and old birds: about 15 immatures were cattle-ranching. Punta Manabique has a well- seen, including immature pairs. According to lo­ run sea-turtle refuge but other wildlife is not cals, one can now get into trouble for protected. The parrot population there is prob­ nest-robbing, and people are doing so far less ably slightly larger than “hondurensis”, as frequently than in the past. Thus, even a little evidenced by numbers of each in the pet trade, education and enforcement can be quite effec­ but must number in the low hundreds. Local tive, although there does still seem to be a Guatemalans apparently harvest an insignifi­ potential shortage of nest sites. cant number of the birds; unfortunately, it Parvipes is still relatively common in the appears that Hondurans cross into Guatemala Mosquitia due to large expanses of relatively to take nestlings (and other wildlife) and also inaccessible, undisturbed habitat; Wiedenfeld11 harvest heavily from the Honduran end of the estimated a population of about 140 000 indi­ habitat (thus “guatemalensis” are fairly common viduals in Honduras. as pets in NW Honduras but relatively uncom­ mon in Guatemala). In order to safeguard this Acknowledgements population, Guatemala should recognise the We thank Sophie Webb for her colour plate with­ wealth of wildlife on Punta Manabique and out which this paper would not be complete; make strong efforts to protect it, particularly Armando S. Morales III for invaluable and tire­ from its Honduran neighbours. Honduras should less help in the field; Susan Cleary, Sabra Ewing, recognise the presence of “guatemalensis” in that and the late Sir Anthony Lousada for enabling country and also take steps to protect it. SAL to conduct field work; in Guatemala, Jack “Hondurensis” has apparently been in decline Bucklin of FUNDAECO for drawing SNGH’s at­ for over a century. The Sula Valley has been de­ tention to “guatemalensis” and for providing veloped heavily for agriculture for a long period hospitality to SAL and Morales, and Don Rafa and this may be the primary cause. The rem­ and Carmen of San Francisco del Mar for their nant population discovered by SAL and Morales hospitality; in searches for “hondurensis”, the late is fortunate in inhabiting a part of the Punta Jeannette Kawas, Erwin and the other staff of Sal National Park (administered by PROLANSATE, and Francisco Alvarez, Jose PROLANSATE), although much nest-robbing Sarabia, and Vida Roth; on Guanaja, Hans still occurs and, like “guatemalensis”, the popu­ Weller and the staff of Stressfreie, and Spicer lation must be only in the low hundreds. An and Eva-lu Wood; in the Mosquitia, Mavis James employee at the Lancetilla botanical gardens de López; for general help in Honduras, Sherry reported “hondurensis” there occasionally (in Thorn; for access to and loan of specimens, company with Red-lored Parrots); this may sug­ Raymond A. Paynter Jr. (Museum of Compara­ gest that other small populations exist, or may tive Zoology, H arvard University), Kenneth C. reflect seasonal wandering in search of food Parkes (Carnegie Museum), David Agro and (parvipes move 50 km or more according to food Robert S. Ridgely (Academy of Natural Sciences, supply: SAL pers. obs.). For “hondurensis” to sur­ Philadelphia), and Jaap Hillenius (University of vive it is important for PROLANSATE staff to California, Los Angeles); for communicating recognise their bird as unique and to try and their unpublished data, Howard Voren (who sug­ continue to limit nest-robbing and shooting of gested the name “hondurensis”) and Rob Clay; parrots. However, with the tragic February 1995 and for helpful comments on the manuscript, murder by loggers of Jeannette Kawas, head of Thomas R. Howell. This is contribution number PROLANSATE, Punta Sal’s future is far from 698 of PRBO, and we dedicate this paper to the secure. memory of Jeannette Kawas. Caribaea now appears rare on Roatán4; there is a small population on the tiny island of R eferences Barbareta (S. Thorn pers. comm.); and a larger 1. AOU (American Ornithologists’ Union) population on Guanaja. In 1987, SAL estimated (1983) Check-list of North American birds. 200–300 birds on Guanaja and saw only one im­ Sixth edition. Washington, D.C.: American mature in several days of observations; but, after Ornithologists’ Union. fieldwork in 1994, he considers the earlier esti­ 2. Collar, N. J., Gonzaga, L. P., Krabbe, N.,

52 COTINGA 5 Great Green Macaw in Ecuador

Madroño Nieto, A., Naranjo, L. G., Parker, 8. Monroe, B. L. & Howell, T. R. (1966) Geo­ T. A. & Wege, D. C. (1992) Threatened birds graphic variation in Middle American par­ of the Americas: the ICBP/IUCN Red Data rots of the Amazona ochrocephala complex. Book. Cambridge, U.K.: International Coun­ Occas. Papers Mus. Zool. Louisiana State cil for Bird Preservation. Univ. 34. 3. Forshaw, J. M. (1973) Parrots of the world. 9. Parkes, K. C. (1990) A critique of the descrip­ Melbourne, Australia: Lansdowne Press. tion of Amazona auropalliata caribaea 4. Howell, S. N. G. & Webb, S. (1992) New and Lousada, 1989. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 110: noteworthy bird records from Guatemala 175–179. and Honduras. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 112: 42– 10. Waugh, D. (1994) A report from the field. 49. PsittaScene 6(3): 4–7. 5. Howell, S. N. G. & Webb, S. (1995) A guide to 11. Wiedenfeld, D. A. (1993) Status and manage­ the birds of Mexico and northern Central ment of psittacines in northeastern Honduras. America. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Tegucigalpa, Honduras: Corporación 6. Land, H. C. (1970) Birds of Guatemala. Hondureño de Desarollo Forestal; and Wynnewood, Pennsylvania: Livingston Washington, D.C.: TRAFFIC (U.S.A.). Publ. Co. 7. Lousada, S. (1989) Amazona auropalliata Sebastian A. Lousada & Steve N. G. Howell caribaea: a new subspecies of parrot from Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline High­ the Bay Islands, northern Honduras. Bull. way, Stinson Beach, California 94970, U.S.A. Brit. Orn. Club 109: 232–235.

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