The Red spectacled amazon (Amazona pretrei) is a species of parrot in the genus Amazona of which it is one of the most endangered. It is found in Brazil Paraguay and Argentina.
Description
The Red spectacled amazon measures about 32 cm. Its plumage has a bright green base coloration with a wavy effect produced by the black border of the feathers. The eyes are surrounded by white eye circles but are encompassed in a bright red area that also includes the forehead. This coloration is found in the panties and also marks the shoulders1.
Distribution
The range of the Red spectacled amazon extends from the south of the Brazilian region of Rio Grande to the Argentine province of Misiones but also covers Uruguay and southeastern Paraguay.
Diet
The fruits of Araucaria form the basis of its diet.
Feeding
The Priest’s Amazon preferably feeds on coniferous seeds of the Parana Pine (Araucaria Angustifolia) but it consumes, in addition to pine seeds, fruits of cinnamon, medlar, pear tree but also seeds and flower buds of eucalyptus.
The species is closely associated with the Araucaria forests of northeastern Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina South during the ripening of Brazilian pine seeds, especially between March and July, when pine nuts are the main food of these parrots.
For the rest of the year, this parrot is spread over a wide area, especially in the Northeast, Center, and South of Rio Grande do Sul.
Reproduction
The reproduction of the Red spectacled amazon takes place between January and September. The female will lay 3 to 4 eggs that she will incubate alone for 26 to 27 days. Thereafter the parents will both raise their little ones for 7 weeks.
Retention
The almost total destruction of the forests of araucarias, the characteristic habitat of this Psittacidae due to its diet, combined with massive catches of birds has led this species to the brink of extinction. The wild population of this species is currently between 7,500 and 8,000 individuals.
Natural habitat
The Red spectacled amazon parrot extends from the Argentine province of Misiones to the south of the Brazilian region of Rio Grande but also covers the South-East of Paraguay and Uruguay.
A Red-spectacled Amazon (Amazona pretrei) at Loro Parque
SOURCE:Video Ark
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