During the summer in Southern California, it is common to hear a flock of croaking birds flying across the sky or squeaking in the trees. Most of these are red-crowned amazon with green feathers. The red-crowned amazon is an endangered amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico and possibly southern Texas in the United States. The main threats to the native bird's survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the United States for the pet trade and the destruction of their natural habitat. They are a resident (non-migratory) species in their native range, but they can wander outside of their breeding range to follow a food source. Their diet consists of seeds, fruits, flowers and nectar. They gather in large flocks being noisiest in the morning and evening. The characteristic screeching heard of these birds usually occurs when they travel in a large flock to a new feeding area. Their nests are set in natural tree cavities or in old woodpecker holes. Red-crowned Parrots have high nest fidelity and will return to the same nest location year after year, but only if they successfully raise chicks. Red-crowned Parrots pair for life. Females do not breed until about the age of five. A pair of Red-crowned Parrots usually produces one brood per breeding season. The female begins to incubate after her laying her first egg, eventually producing a clutch of two to five eggs.
在美國南加州的夏天，常會聽到一大群呱噪的鳥飛越天空，或是在樹上吱吱喳喳不停，這多半是有著綠色羽毛的紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡。紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡是一種瀕臨滅絕的亞馬遜鸚鵡，原產於墨西哥東北部，可能也產於美國德州南部。對原產地鸚鵡存活的主要威脅是來自於將這些被設陷阱捕捉的鸚鵡，非法從墨西哥出口到美國，用於寵物貿易，以及其自然棲息地被破壞。它們在原生範圍內是留鳥(非遷徙)，但它們可以為了考慮食物的來源而徘徊在繁殖範圍之外。它們的食物包括種子、水果、花朵和花蜜。它們成群結隊，早上和晚上最吵鬧，尤其當它們到達一個新的覓食地方時，通常會聽到這些鳥特有的尖叫聲。它們的巢穴設於天然樹洞或老的啄木鳥洞中。紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡對它的巢有很高的忠誠度，會年復一年地回到同一個巢穴位置，但前提是它們能成功養育雛鳥。紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡終生配對。雌性要到五歲左右才會繁殖。一對紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡通常在每個繁殖季節產下一窩鸚鵡，母紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡在產下第一個蛋後才開始孵化，最終產下一窩兩到五個蛋。
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They gather or travel in a large flock. You won’t miss them because they are very noisy.
它們成群結隊地聚集或飛翔。你絕對不會錯過它們。因為它們很吵。
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| Source: All About Birds |
Notes 筆記
- The red-crowned amazon, also known as the red-crowned parrot, green-cheeked amazon or Mexican red-headed parrot, is an endangered amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico and possibly southern Texas in the United States.
- The IUCN Red List considers Red-crowned amazon a globally endangered species with a decreasing population. The main threats to the native bird's survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the United States for the pet trade and the destruction of their natural habitat, the lowland forests of northeastern Mexico.
- Their appearance is generally green with the most notable features being a bright red forehead and crown, dark blue streak behind the eyes, and light green cheeks. They are not sexually dimorphic, so the only true way to know a parrot's sex is by genetic testing.
- Their natural range is across the lowlands of northeastern Mexico, and possibly the southern tip of Texas. Red-crowned amazons are a resident (non-migratory) species in their native range, but they can wander outside of their breeding range to follow a food source. Feral birds have bred in urban communities of southern California, southern Florida and the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
- They gather in large flocks being noisiest in the morning and evening. The characteristic screeching heard of these birds usually occurs when they travel in a large flock to a new feeding area.
- Their diet consists of seeds, fruits, flowers and nectar. They tend to land high in a tree and then quickly vanish into the vegetation as they search for food. When feeding among other Amazona, there is rarely evidence of aggression.
- Nests are set in natural tree cavities or in old woodpecker holes. Nest trees are mostly in open, disturbed habitats and along forest edges rather than inside dense forest. The female chooses the nest site.
- Red-crowned Parrots pair for life. Just before mating and nesting, females often beg food from the males, which respond by feeding the female as though she were a chick. Females do not breed until about the age of five. Male and female investigate potential nest cavities together, communicating with special calls. Pairs generally remain in their home range for life but often travel long distances in search of food, especially after the breeding season, when this species gathers into flocks. A pair of Red-crowned Parrots usually produces one brood per breeding season. The female begins to incubate after her laying her first egg, eventually producing a clutch of two to five eggs.
- Red-crowned Parrots have high nest fidelity and will return to the same nest location year after year, but only if they successfully raise chicks. If a nest site doesn't produce chicks or is poached, the birds will abandon that site permanently.
- 紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡，也稱為紅冠鸚鵡、綠頰亞馬遜鸚鵡或墨西哥紅頭鸚鵡，是一種瀕臨滅絕的亞馬遜鸚鵡，原產於墨西哥東北部，可能也產於美國德州南部。
- 世界自然保護聯盟紅色名錄將紅冠亞馬遜亞馬遜視為全球瀕臨滅絕的物種，其數量正在減少。對原產地鸚鵡存活的主要威脅是來自於將這些被設陷阱捕捉的鸚鵡，非法從墨西哥出口到美國用於寵物貿易，以及其自然棲息地(墨西哥東北部低地森林)被破壞。
- 它們的外觀通常是綠色的，最顯著的特徵是鮮紅色的前額和頭頂、眼睛後面的深藍色條紋和淺綠色的臉頰。它們沒有性別二態性，因此要知道鸚鵡性別的唯一方法是藉由基因測試。
- 它們的自然分佈範圍橫跨墨西哥東北部的低地，也可能在德州的南端。紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡在原生範圍內是留鳥(非遷徙)，但它們可以為了考慮食物的來源而徘徊在繁殖範圍之外。野生種在加州南部、佛羅里達州南部和夏威夷瓦胡島的城市社區繁殖。
- 它們成群結隊，早上和晚上最吵鬧。尤其當它們到達一個新的覓食地方時，通常會聽到這些鳥特有的尖叫聲。
- 它們的食物包括種子、水果、花朵和花蜜。它們往往會待在樹的高處，然後在尋找食物時迅速消失在植被中。當與其他亞馬遜鸚鵡一起進食時，很少有攻擊性的跡象。
- 它們的巢穴設於天然樹洞或老的啄木鳥洞中。巢樹大多位於開闊、干擾生境和森林邊緣，而不是在茂密的森林內。母紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡選擇築巢地點。
- 紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡終生配對。在交配和築巢之前，母紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡經常向公紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡索要食物，公鳥會像餵養小鳥一樣餵養母鳥。母鳥要到五歲左右才會繁殖。雌雄兩性一起探尋可能的巢穴，並藉特殊的叫聲來溝流。交配的鳥通常終生留在它們的棲息地，但經常長途跋涉尋找食物，特別是在繁殖季節之後當紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡聚集成群時。一對紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡通常在每個繁殖季節產下一窩鸚鵡，雌性在產下第一個蛋後開始孵化，最終產下一窩兩到五個蛋。
- 紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡對它的巢有很高的忠誠度，會年復一年地回到同一個巢穴位置，但前提是它們能成功養育雛鳥。如果一個巢穴不能產下雛鳥或是被偷獵過，它就永久放棄這巢穴。
Birds Posts 鳥的帖子
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Red-crowned amazon
- All about birds: Red-crowned Parrot
- American Bird Conservancy: Red-crowned Parrot
- 維基百科: 紅冠亞馬遜鸚鵡