Very little is known about this beautifully colourful species of parrot and they’re known to be one of the RAREST birds in the world!
Ecuadorian Amazon parrots were previously thought to be a sub-species of a common Amazon parrot so were offered very little protection. In 2014, as a result of our research, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) awarded them full species status and listed them as endangered. They gained protection and became a conservation priority, as there’s possibly fewer than 600 individuals left in the wild.
They nest in the cavities of tree trunks and branches, preferring trees with softer bark. They need the
trunk or branch to be wide enough to host a cavity with an entrance hole of 15 cm wide. These
cavities are usually made by woodpeckers then expanded by the parrots before nesting. They’ll roost in mangroves overnight and fly through forests each day to feed using their strong flight feathers to help them travel between roosting and feeding habitats.
WE’VE HELPED CLASSIFY THE ECUADORIAN AMAZON PARROT AS A FULL SPECIES
We’re working to protect them both in the wild and at the zoo and we’ll continue working to protect them.
We send expeditions every few years to survey and monitor their habitats and populations supported by Ecuadorian forest protection NGO Fundación Pro-Bosque.
Together we’re helping local people understand the importance of protecting these parrots by not keeping them as pets. With their help we’ll continue studying these species in the wild and at the zoo.
NOW is the time to ACT FOR WILDLIFE. Conservation is CRITICAL; species are under threat. TOGETHER we can make a BIG difference. Take action TODAY and join us in PREVENTING EXTINCTION.