Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
While this species declined rapidly in the past due to the loss and degradation of its Araucaria forest habitat and poaching for the pet trade, declines appear to have slowed down in recent years as deforestation rates and trapping pressure have reduced. Nevertheless, despite the current recovery, the population is projected to decline rapidly in the future as a consequence of habitat loss, trapping and diseases. The species is therefore listed as Vulnerable.
Population justification
The population is estimated at 22,300 individuals, of which 15,600 are thought to be mature individuals (Vannucchi et al. 2022).
Trend justification
Once common, the species declined drastically during the 20th century. Population declines are attributed to the loss and degradation of Araucaria forests through logging and cattle grazing and to poaching for the bird trade. In 1971, the Aracuri roost was estimated at c.30,000 individuals, but declined to 7,500-8,500 individuals in the early 1990s, c.10,000 in 1994, c.12,600 in 1996 and c.16,300 in 1997 (Snyder et al. 2000). Rapid declines however appear historical and the species is showing signs of recovery, as monitoring suggests that the population may have been locally stable or even increasing over recent years, with a currently estimate of 22,300 individuals (ICMBio 2018, Fernandes et al. 2019, N. Prestes and J. Ramirez in litt. 2022, Vannucchi et al. 2022).
Between 1982 and 2018, the overall population decline is estimated at 36% (ICMBio 2018); this equates to a decline of 32% over the last three generations (31.2 years). Despite signs of recovery in recent years however, the population is projected to decline in the future as a consequence of habitat loss together with a decrease in nesting site and food availability, illegal trade, and the potential risk of emergent diseases (Vannucchi et al. 2022). The best estimate scenario projects a small population increase over the next years to c. 2025, followed by a rapid decline at a rate equivalent to 36% over the next three generations (Vannucchi et al. 2022).
Amazona pretrei breeds in Rio Grande do Sul, south Brazil, with main populations in the Campo de Cima da Serra, Planalto Médio, Depressão Central, Serra do Sudeste and Alto Uruguai (Prestes et al. 1997). The species migrates north in the austral winter; most of the wintering population formerly roosted at Aracuri but, since 1991, there has been a shift to south-east Santa Catarina (Snyder et al. 2000). In 1994, there were 15 roost sites in use seasonally, but large roosts at Aracuri and Rincão dos Pereira had disappeared.
Wandering birds may occur in Argentina and Paraguay, but there are only three recent records (Brooks et al. 1993, Lowen et al. 1996, Chebez et al. 1998) and despite comprehensive surveys in Argentina the species could not be confirmed since 1991 (N. Prestes and J. Martinez in litt. 2020).
It breeds in open savanna woodland and riverine forest below 1,000 m, with tree-hollow nests recorded in over 30 tree species (Prestes et al. 1997). Breeding occurs in late September-January, with young generally fledging by late December. The density of nests is 3.3 per km2 (Martinez 2004). The species is closely associated with Araucaria angustifolia, particularly during the non-breeding season, but it also roosts in Acacia, Pinus and Eucalyptus plantations.
The diet includes seeds of A. angustifolia (which are especially important between April and August) and Podocarpus lamberti (important between January and February in some areas), but also fruit, seeds leaves or flowers of 72 tree species (N. P. Prestes and J. Martinez in litt. 2020).
Radiotelemetry studies found that during the breeding period the species moves on average 14 km per day over an area of c.400 ha, while during the non-breeding period movements average to 37 km per day over an area of 48,000 ha (Martinez 2004).
The most severe threat to this species currently is the degradation of forested habitat through grazing and trampling by cattle, which is hindering the regeneration of trees important for nesting and feeding (N. P. Prestes and J. Martinez in litt. 2020, Vannucchi et al. 2022). Forest destruction reached highest levels between the 1910s and 1940s (ICMBio 2018, Fernandes et al. 2019). In 1914, 25% of Rio Grande do Sul was forested; by 1988 this area had shrunk to 3% as a result of logging for timber and fuelwood, intense grazing and livestock trampling, as well as over-exploitation of non-timber forest products, notably Araucaria seeds, which possibly explains the range shift to Santa Catarina (Snyder et al. 2000). Currently, tree cover is lost at a rate of up to 10% over three generations (31.2 years; Global Forest Watch 2021, using Hansen et al. [2013] data and methods disclosed therein). A planned wind farm in Santa Catarina may pose a threat to the species during migration (Fernandes et al. 2019).
There is an organised internal trade, with parrots usually taken by cutting the nesting-tree, resulting in permanent abandonment. The illegal pet trade has however reduced in recent years as a result of environmental education and awareness campaigns in local communities (N. P. Prestes and J. Martinez in litt. 2020). Despite a reduction in pressure, poaching and illegal trade are still ongoing locally (Fernandes et al. 2019). Nest monitoring revealed that over ten years about one-quarter of nests were poached (Vannucchi et al. 2022). A further potential threat is the outbreak of diseases including Avian Bornavirus and Psittacine Circoviral Disease, which are currently present in captive populations of parrots in Brazil and may reach wild populations in the near future (Vannucchi et al. 2022).
Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and II. This species is considered Vulnerable at the national level (ICMBio 2018) and is protected under Brazilian law. Population monitoring has been carried out since 1991 by Projeto Charão. There are breeding populations in five reserves and two austral winter feeding sites are protected (Wege and Long 1995). In 2018, the private reserve RPPN Papagaios-de-Altitude was created in Urupema, Santa Catarina, with support from IUCN NL and Rainforest Trust (N. P. Prestes and J. Martinez in litt. 2020). Artificial nests have been provided, but less than 4% were occupied during 2002-2006 (Kilpp et al. 2014). Public awareness campaigns have been in progress since 1991 (Prestes et al. 1997, Snyder et al. 2000). During 2006-2018, Projeto Charão organised environmental education campaigns with local schools, which involved over 10,000 students who took part in setting up tree nurseries at schools and participated in reforestation activities (Martinez et al. 2018).Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct studies to determine the age structure of the population. Continue research to establish a scientific basis for the creation of the Papagaios-da-Serra ecological corridor in Santa Catarina. Continue the population monitoring. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation. Monitor the seed production of Araucaria angustifolia.
Expand the network of protected areas and establish dispersal corridors. Protect nesting sites. Improve protected-area management. Enforce the law against collectors and, especially, dealers by searching vehicles between December and February (Prestes et al. 1997). Continue the environmental education and awareness campaigns. On the long-term, consider establishing a managed captive-breeding population to safeguard against extinction in the wild (Fernandes et al. 2019).
32 cm. Bright, green-and-red parrot. Green throughout with dark, scaly effect. Variable amount of red on forehead, lores and around eyes. Some sparse red spots on head. White periocular. Extensive red carpal area, sometimes partly concealed by other feathers. Blue tips to secondaries and primaries. Pale yellowish bill. Immature has less red on head. Similar spp. Vinaceous Amazon A. vinacea has less red on head and none at carpal joint. Pileated Parrot Pionopsitta pileata is much smaller with no red in wing. Voice Piercing, high-pitched screeches but also lower, hoarse caw caw keeu keeu and repeated hee-o hee-o hee-o.
Text account compilers
Hermes, C.
Contributors
Abreu Bovo, A.A., Alquezar, R., Babarskas, M., Benstead, P., Capper, D., Clay, R.P., Khwaja, N., Martin, R., Martinez, J., Mazar Barnett, J., Prestes, N., Ramirez, J., Sharpe, C.J., Symes, A., Vannucchi, F. & Yamashita, C.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Red-spectacled Amazon Amazona pretrei. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/red-spectacled-amazon-amazona-pretrei on 21/12/2024.
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 21/12/2024.