Justification This species is classified as Near Threatened because, although it is not as rare as once feared, the overall population is still moderately small and continues to decline owing mainly to trapping and destruction of nest sites. it has a small range, but this is not yet severely fragmented or restircted to few locations.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomic source(s) AOU checklist (1998 + supplements), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Identification Cuban Amazon 28-33 cm. A large green parrot with pale red chin, throat and lower face, white forehead and eye-ring and blue primaries. Similar spp. No other Amazona parrot occurs sympatrically. Voice Very noisy; a wide variety of squawks and screeches with variation between populations. Hints Best located by noisy calls, often seen flying over forest.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

unknown

decreasing

17,700 km²

No

Range & population Amazona leucocephala occurs on Cuba (including the Isle of Pines), the Bahamas (where it was formerly widespread but now restricted to Abaco and Great Inagua), and the Cayman Islands (to UK) (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and formerly Little Cayman)^1,4,8. In Cuba, it was widespread but has declined and is now restricted to Guanahacabibes peninsula, Zapata peninsular (where it is still common), Macizo de Guamuhaya, Loma de Cunagua, Sierra de Najasa, and the forests of western Sierra Maestra and Cuchillas del Toa^3,5,6. Surveys in 1988 put the Cuban population at 5,000 individuals² but this was probably an underestimate and the total population there is now thought to be more than 10,000 individuals and perhaps stable. There were 1,900 on Grand Cayman in 1995, an increase (from 1,500 in 1992) possibly associated with legal protection from hunting². Numbers on Cayman Brac, Great Inagua and Abaco are apparently stable at c.300-430 birds^2,6,9, c.400-500, and 1,100-1,200⁹ respectively.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It inhabits different habitats on different islands. In Cuba it inhabits dense woodland, in the Bahamas, native broadleaf and pine woodlands, and in the Cayman Islands (to UK), dry forest on the ridge-top plateau and nearby agricultural land^1,4,8. The population on Abaco is particularly interesting because it nests in natural holes in limestone substrate on the ground¹⁰. There, chicks and adults are completely insulated from the frequent fires required by their fire-dependant pine forest habitat¹⁰. Birds move to native broadleaf forests in the non-breeding season to feed on berries during the non-breeding season¹¹.

Threats It is trapped for the domestic, and formerly at least, international cage bird trade. Nest trees are often pushed over or nest cavities enlarged to extract chicks, rendering them useless for future breeding attempts. Housing development threatens the non-breeding habitat of the Abaco population.

Conservation measures underway Artificial nests have been used in Cuba by over 1,300 birds¹². Those made of artificial materials have proved more durable¹².

Conservation measures proposed Discourage the taking of birds from the wild through public education campaigns. Encourage better bird-keeping practices to increase longevity of captive birds and reduce demand on wild populations. On Abaco, protect vital tracts of broadleaf forests. On Cuba, make and erect more artificial nests. Monitor population trends throughout its range.

References 1. Bond (1979). 2. Collar (1997a). 3. Galvez-Aguilera et al. (1999). 4. King (1981). 5. A. Kirkconnell in litt. (1999). 6. Juniper and Parr (1998). 7. A. Mitchell in litt. (1998). 8. Sibley and Monroe (1990). 9. Snyder et al. (2000). 10. O'Brien et al. (2006). 11. Stahala and Stafford (2004). 12. Waugh (2006).

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Isabel Isherwood (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), David Wege (BirdLife International)

Contributors Arturo Kirkconnell (Museo Nacional de Historia Natural), Andy Mitchell

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Amazona leucocephala. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums