Black-billed Parrot Amazona agilis Scientific name definitions

The Black-billed Parrot is the smaller and rarer of the two parrots endemic to the island of Jamaica. The Black-billed Parrot is readily identifiable in flight, as it flies with distinctively fast and fluttery wingbeats. The Black billed Parrot is largely restricted to we limestone forest in cockpit country in central Jamaica, where it moves in small flocks, and roosts communally, often with Yellow-billed Parrots (Amazona collaris) and Olive-throated Parakeets (Aratinga nana).  The Black-billed Parrot is emerald green, with blue in the flght feathers and red primary coverts, and has a relatively small black bill.

25–26 cm; 178–220 g. Green , paler on underparts and yellowish green on undertail-coverts ; often red flecks on forehead; feather edges on nape dark, giving slight scaled effect ; primary-coverts red, primaries soft blue, darker at tips, secondaries green and distally dark blue; tail green, outer feathers with red basally and margined blue. Female has some primary-coverts green. Immature has all primary-coverts green.

Jamaica, from Cockpit Country E to Mt Diablo and E slopes of the John Crow Mts (2 BirdLife International (2013). IUCN Red List for birds. URL: http://www.birdlife.org (download Aug 2013). Close ).

Fruit , seeds, nuts, berries, blossoms and leaf buds, species including Cecropia, Ficus, Annona, Nectandra, Bryophyllum, Pithecellobium, Melia and Blighia; also cultivated plants such as papaya, mango, cucumber and maize.

A variety of screeches and calls  , most with a very nasal tonal quality.

VULNERABLE. CITES II. Restricted-range species: confined to the Jamaica EBA. Formerly considered as common as sympatric A. collaria, but now less so and has become very rare in E. Forest clearance and fragmentation, hurricane damage to habitat, poaching for food and trapping for local trade are causing a decline in a population thought to number well under 10,000 mature individuals.