The purple-breasted parrot (Amazona vinacea) is a South American bird of the order Psittaciformes and of the Psittacidae family. In Brazil it occurs from southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul, and is also present in northern Argentina and Paraguay. It is endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest, being associated with the Araucaria forests in southern Brazil.
The feeding of the purple-breasted, as well as other psittaciformes, is frugivorous, i.e., it feeds mainly on fruits, but also consumes seeds, leaves, flowers and their shoots. Pine nuts, the seed of the Araucaria tree, is the main item consumed by the purple-breasted parrot in southern Brazil (Kilpp et al., 2015). Habitat loss is one of the main threats facing the purple-breasted parrot, restricting its main food sources and sites for roosting and nesting.
The species is threatened with extinction, being classified as Endangered (EN) worldwide by the IUCN and as Vulnerable (VU) in Brazil. Researchers point out as the main factors of threat to this species the destruction of environments of Araucaria Forests, capture and the problems of small genetic variability, typical of small and isolated populations reproductively. It is estimated that there are less than 10,000 mature individuals, with an estimated continued population decline of 10% over three generations due to capture and loss of habitat quality. We must seek to know our psittaciformes in order to protect them.
REFERENCES
KILPP, J. C.; PRESTES, N. P.; DAL PIZZOL, G. E.; MARTINEZ, J. Dieta alimentar de Amazona vinacea no sul e sudeste de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Atualidades Ornitológicas, 183, 2015.
Livro Vermelho da Fauna Brasileira Ameaçada de Extinção: Volume III – Aves. 1. ed. Brasília, DF : ICMBio/MMA, 2018. Disponível em: https://www.icmbio.gov.br/portal/images/stories/comunicacao/publicacoes/publicacoes-diversas/livro_vermelho _2018_vol3.pdf.
Censo do Papagaio-e-peito-roxo. CENTRO NACIONAL DE PESQUISA E CONSERVAÇÃO DE AVES SILVESTRES. Disponível em: https://www.icmbio.gov.br/cemave/destaques-e-noticias/87-censo-do-papagaio-de-peito-roxo.html
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