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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Recurso digital |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Zenodo
1994
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2307/1369097 |
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Table of Contents:
- <p>Thick-billed Parrots (<em>Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha</em>) once ranged as far north as central Arizona, but have rarely been seen outside Mexico since the 1920s. Extirpation from the United States may have resulted mainly from widespread shooting. Experimental releases of the species in Arizona since 1986 have yielded mixed results. Birds obtained as wild caught adults have exhibited good survival and some reproduction in the wild. Captive-reared birds have had, poor survival rates due mainly to deficits in foraging and socialization, and to heavy losses to predators. Although parent-reared, captive- bred birds have performed better than hand-reared birds, and young captive-bred birds have done better than older captive-bred birds, the only birds showing good potentials for reestablishment have been translocated wild-caught adults. Present habitat quality in southern Arizona appears adequate to support a population of these parrots, but it is questionable that the species might sustain consistent populations north of the range of Chihuahua pine (<em>Pinus leiophylla</em>). Thick-billed Parrots appear to be highly dependent on flocking for security from predation, so their successful reestablishment may depend directly on the numbers of birds released. Principal natural enemies of the species in Arizona have been Goshawks (<em>Accipiter gentilis</em>), Red-tailed Hawks (<em>Buteo jamaicensis</em>), and ring-tailed cats (<em>Bassariscus astutus</em>)--species that also occur through much of the Thick-billed Parrot's range in Mexico</p>