Tucuman Amazon

Tucuman Amazon

The plumage of the Tucuman Amazon is mainly green in colour. The forehead and flight feathers, on the other hand, are red, while the tail feathers are a yellowish green colour. Tucuman amazons also have a white ring around their eyes and a horn-coloured beak.

Nutrition

The diet of the Tucuman Amazon is exclusively vegetarian and consists of seeds, nuts, fruits, berries and flowers.

Distribution

The Tucuman Amazon inhabits the open mountain forests of the Andes, the so-called Yunga forests, at an altitude of between 1600 m and 2600 m above sea level. It only occurs in a small area in southern Bolivia and northern Argentina. Outside the breeding season, however, it is also occasionally found at lower altitudes, between 300 and 400 metres above sea level.

The breeding season of the Tucuman Amazon is between November and January. The nest is usually a cavity in an old or dead tree stump. The clutch usually consists of 3-4 eggs, which are incubated for around 27 days. The hatched young then take 7 to 9 weeks to fledge and leave the nest. Tucuman amazons can reach an age of up to 50 years.

The population of the Tucuman Amazon is already vulnerable to various disturbances due to its very small distribution area. In addition, their habitat is constantly being destroyed by deforestation and the trade in the animals is flourishing, especially overseas. Between 1985 and 1989, around 20000 birds were exported. Since the 1990s, trade in this parrot species has therefore been strictly prohibited. Despite this, it is estimated that only 6000 to 10,000 specimens still live in the wild.