This parrot (Amazona ventralis) is, as you would expect from the name, endemic the island of Hispaniola —that is, in the Dominican Republic and Haiti—; it is also found in Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands, and the US Virgin Islands, where populations have been introduced.
The Hispaniolan Parrot is classified as a vulnerable species, meaning that it is thought to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. Its habitat (the forests of Haiti and the Dominican Republic) has been reduced by the encroachment of agriculture and the felling of trees for charcoal production. However, good news is that there has been a successful captive-breeding and release programme in the Dominican Republic. Also, the number of Hispaniolan Parrots in Puerto Rico seems to be on the increase.
More information about the Hispaniolan Parrot is available from BirdLife International, and at Arkive.
This post is part of a series to celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.
[Photo: Patrick Hawks]
