Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has declined rapidly, and now has a small and fragmented range and population. The species is trapped for the cage-bird trade and habitat loss continues. It therefore qualifies as Vulnerable.
Population justification
The population is estimated to number 2,500-9,999 individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. This is consistent with recorded population density estimates for congeners or close relatives with a similar body size, and the fact that only a proportion of the estimated Extent of Occurrence is likely to be occupied. This estimate is equivalent to 1,667-6,666 mature individuals, rounded here to 1,500-7,000 mature individuals.
Trend justification
The species is undergoing a decline, which is mainly caused by trapping for the local cage-bird trade and habitat degradation. Over the last 50 years, the species has declined by 20% (M. Cañizares in litt. 2020), which equates to a decline of 7% over three generations (16.2 years).
Psittacara euops was formerly one of the most common endemic birds on Cuba, but is now rare throughout the island. It survives in more remote regions, including the Zapata peninsula, the Trinidad Mountains, the south savannas from Sancti Spíritus to Ciego de Avila, the Sierra de Najasa, Delta del Cauto Wildlife Refuge and the mountains of northeastern Cuba (Juniper and Parr 1998, Raffaele et al. 1998, Snyder et al. 2000, Cañizares 2012). Suggestions that the species occurred in the Sierra Maestra appear unfounded (A. Mitchell in litt. 1998). It has been extirpated from the western provinces (excluding Zapata) (Raffaele et al. 1998) and Isla de la Juventud, where it was once abundant. Recent studies of 14 populations have found that most populations are in serious decline (Snyder et al. 2000, Berovides and Cañizares 2004). Even the population within Ciénaga de Zapata National Park appears to have declined, with surveys finding no flocks larger than 18 birds (Mitchell and Wells 1997, A. Mitchell in litt. 1998). The total population is now thought not to exceed 5,000 individuals (A. Kirkconnell in litt. 2007).
It has been recorded in semi-deciduous woodland, palm-savanna habitat, trees on cultivated land and the edges of woodland. It nests in tree-cavities or holes in arboreal termite nests, and is mostly restricted to dead royal Roystonea regia, sabal Sabal palviflora and Copernicia palms (Snyder et al. 2000, M. Cañizares in litt. 2016). A significant population is breeding in limestone cliffs in Central Cuba mountains (Cañizares 2012). Breeding takes place in colonies from late April or early May, coinciding with maximum fruit availability, and runs through to August (A. Kirkconnell in litt. 1999). The species seems somewhat nomadic, ranging widely in search of food (Raffaele et al. 1998), but returning to the same nesting location each breeding season (M. Cañizares in litt. 2016).
Habitat loss and in particular trapping for the cage-bird trade explain the species's current rarity (A. Kirkconnell in litt. 2007). In the past, it was persecuted as a crop-pest (M. Cañizares in litt. 2020). Another significant threat is loss of nesting-trees (Snyder et al. 2000) as a result of poaching activity and hurricane damage (such as caused in Zapata by Hurricane Lilli in 1996) (A. Mitchell in litt. 1998, M. Cañizares in litt. 2016). Pressure for the illegal export of this species, mainly to the USA and Europe, has increased considerably in recent years (M. Cañizares in litt. 2016, 2020).
Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. It is legally protected. Most populations occur within protected areas, including Ciénaga de Zapata National Park, Topes de Collantes National Park, Pico San Juan Ecological Reserve, Delta del Cauto Wildlife Refuge and Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (Snyder et al. 2000, M. Cañizares in litt. 2016, 2020). The feeding ecology and reproduction of the species have been studied in Central Cuba. Ecotourism programmes have been initiated in some areas (Snyder et al. 2000). A campaign of environmental education and community participation has been developed in Central Cuba with voluntary counts conducted since 2009 in Comunidad La 23 (M. Cañizares in litt. 2016). A nest box provisioning scheme has been successfully developed in Lomas de Banao ecological reserve, Pico Juan ecological reserve and Hanabanilla. In these locations, most nesting attempts occur in artificial nest boxes. A range of designs and materials have been used for artificial nest boxes and the most effective are the jute - cement and clay boxes (M. Cañizares in litt. 2016).
26 cm. Plain green parakeet with red bend of the wing. Scattered red feathers on head and breast, bare white orbital ring, red carpal and underwing-coverts, yellowish-green underside of flight feathers and tail. Similar spp. The only parakeet on Cuba. Voice Loud crick-crick-crick in flight, soft calls when perched.
Text account compilers
Wheatley, H., Hermes, C.
Contributors
Benstead, P., Cañizares, M., Isherwood, I., Kirkconnell, A., Mitchell, A., Sharpe, C.J. & Wege, D.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Cuban Parakeet Psittacara euops. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/cuban-parakeet-psittacara-euops on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.