Hispaniolan parakeet

The Hispaniolan parakeet (Psittacara chloropterus) (Spanish: perico or periquito) is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae that is endemic to the island of Hispaniola (split between the Dominican Republic and Haiti). Localized feral populations also exist in Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, and the Miami, Florida area, where they sometimes associate with canary-winged parakeets. It is often captured for the parrot trade.

Hispaniolan parakeet
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittacidae
Genus: Psittacara
Species:
P. chloropterus
Binomial name
Psittacara chloropterus

Description

The bird is a medium-sized parakeet, evenly colored green, with a long, pointed tail, pale beak and legs, white eye-ring, and red patch on the wing's wrist area. The sexes are identical; the bird is highly gregarious, forming flocks which can surpass several dozen individuals. The only similar bird in its native range is the possibly introduced olive-throated parakeet, from which it can be readily differentiated, mainly by wing patches that are blue, instead of red.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and arable land; nonetheless, there are populations that live in urban areas, like the ever-increasing one in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic.

Conservation

It is much more common in the Dominican Republic than in Haiti, where loss of habitat and persecution for the pet trade has made it rare. It is also persecuted in both countries as a crop-pest.

Taxonomy

The Puerto Rican parakeet (Psittacara maugei) was previously found on Mona Island, but became extinct circa 1882. It was considered a subspecies of the Hispaniolan parakeet before being considered as a distinct species.[2]

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Psittacara chloropterus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Day, David (1989). The Encyclopedia of Vanished Species. Hong Kong: Mclaren Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-947889-30-2.
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