Black-Billed Parrot — Jamaican Petrel

Scientific Name: Amazona agilis

Other Common Name: Black-billed Amazon

Range: Jamaica

Habitat: Wet Limestone Forest

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Breeding: March - July

Clutch Size: 3-4 eggs

Average Age (In the Wild): 12 years

Description

The Black-billed parrot is an endemic parrot in Jamaica that is primarily emerald green in colour with a lighter yellow/green on its underparts and red primary coverts. Below the red primary coverts are bright blue primaries and dark blue secondaries that can mostly be seen when the bird opens its wings.

The Black-billed Amazon is smaller than the Yellow-billed Amazon and generally grows up to 25 cm in length and can grow up to 12 years old on average in the wild.

Range

Jamaica

Habitat

Wet Limestone Forests, Rural areas*

The Black-billed Amazon can be found in the wet limestone forests in regions of the Cockpit Country in Central Jamaica and Mt. Diablo and the Blue and Johncrow Mountains of Eastern Jamaica.

It can also be found in other more rural areas of the island such as Savanna-la-mar and Hope Gardens that have suitable habitats.

Diet

A variety of fruits, seeds and nuts.

Breeding

Breeding season takes place between March to July producing a clutch size of 3-4 eggs which hatch asynchronously with an interval of up to 48 hours between each egg.

Sound

Loud high pitched screeches and calls.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Black-billed parrots are listed as vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List.

Threats

The major threats to the Black billed parrot are deforestation and habitat alteration.

Sources

BirdLife International 2016. Amazona agilis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22686231A93103793. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22686231A93103793.en. Downloaded on March 22 2020.

Collar, N. & Boesman, P. (2020). Black-billed Amazon (Amazona agilis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/54737 on 18 March 2020).

Hume, J.P & Van Grouw, H. (2014). “Colour abberations in some extinct and endangered birds.” Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 134(3): 168-193

Koenig, Susan. 1999.“The Reproductive Biology of Jamaica's Endemic Black-Billed Parrot (Amazona agilis) and Conservation Implications.” TRI News 18(Spring): 9-12

Koenig, Susan. (2001). “The breeding biology of Black-billed Parrot Amazona agilis and Yellowbilled Parrot Amazona collaria in Cockpit Country, Jamaica.” Bird Conservation International 11(3):205-225. DOI: 10.1017/S0959270901000284

Neotropical Birds Online (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Black-billed Parrot (Amazona agilis). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Accessed March 16, 2020. https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/blbpar1

World Parrot Trust. nd. “Black Billed Amazon (Amazona agilis).” Accessed March March 24, 2020. https://www.parrots.org/encyclopedia/black-billed-amazon/