Black-billed Amazon
Parrot
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Psittaciformes
Superfamily:
Psittacoidea
Family:
Psittacidae
Subfamily:
Arinae
Tribe:
Androglossini
Genus:
Amazona
Species:
A. agilis
Binomial name
Amazona agilis
Description
This parrot is smaller than the Yellow-billed parrot (Yellow-billed Amazon) and measures between
10.5 and 11.5 inches (27–29 cm). In males, the bill is very dark
grey, almost black, becoming paler towards the base. The care is very dark
grey, as is the skin around the eyes and the iris is dark brown. This
bird's plumage is
completely green but paler and more yellowish on the under parts. The feathers of
the neck are edged with dusky black. Ear-coverts are blackish and primary
coverts are red. Primaries are violet-blue and black; secondary are blue at the
tips, becoming green towards the base. The tail is mostly green and lateral
feathers are marked with red, while outer feathers are margined with blue. The
feet are grayish-green.
Females are similar to males but with some primary coverts
green instead of red.
Habitat
The Black-billed Amazon lives in mountainous rainforest,
usually limestone rainforest,
feeding on fruit, seeds, and nuts, and will take cultivated fruit like mangoes, papayas and cucumbers
as well as wild fruits.
Population
The Black-billed Amazon was once as common as the
Yellow-billed Amazon, but has become much rarer due to deforestation and hurricane damage
fragmenting its forest, poaching for food and the pet trade in
wild parrots.
Call
The black-billed Amazon’s call is bugling while
in flight however, while perched it growls and rumbles. Oftentimes its calls
tend to be sharp and screechy
