Hispaniolan Parakeet
Encyclopedia
The Hispaniolan Parakeet, Conure Maîtresse, Aratinga De La Española, or Perico (Aratinga chloroptera) is a species of parrot
in the Psittacidae family.
It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola
(Dominican Republic
and Haiti
). Localized feral populations exist in Guadeloupe
, Puerto Rico
and the Miami, Florida
area, where they sometimes associate with Canary-winged Parakeet
s.
The bird is a medium-sized parakeet, evenly colored green, with a long and pointed tail, pale beak and legs, white eye-ring and red patch on the wing's wrist area. Sexes are identical; the bird is highly gregarious, forming flocks which can surpass several dozen individuals. The only similar bird in its native range is the possibly introduced Olive-throated Parakeet
, from which it can be readily differentiated mainly by wing patches that are blue, instead of red.
Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
s, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane
s, and arable land
; nonetheless, there are popupations that live in urban areas, like the ever-increasing one in Santo Domingo
. It, like many psittacids, is threatened by habitat loss and illegal captures for the pet trade.
A subspecies, the Puerto Rican Conure
(Aratinga chloroptera maugei) was previously found on Mona Island, but went extinct circa 1882.
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
in the Psittacidae family.
It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
(Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
). Localized feral populations exist in Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and the Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
area, where they sometimes associate with Canary-winged Parakeet
Canary-winged Parakeet
The White-winged Parakeet , also known as the Canary-winged Parakeet, is a small parrot native to the Amazon River basin from southeast Colombia to the River’s mouth in Brazil...
s.
The bird is a medium-sized parakeet, evenly colored green, with a long and pointed tail, pale beak and legs, white eye-ring and red patch on the wing's wrist area. Sexes are identical; the bird is highly gregarious, forming flocks which can surpass several dozen individuals. The only similar bird in its native range is the possibly introduced Olive-throated Parakeet
Olive-throated Parakeet
The Olive-throated Parakeet , also known as the Olive-throated Conure in aviculture, is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family...
, from which it can be readily differentiated mainly by wing patches that are blue, instead of red.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
s, and arable land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
; nonetheless, there are popupations that live in urban areas, like the ever-increasing one in Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. It, like many psittacids, is threatened by habitat loss and illegal captures for the pet trade.
A subspecies, the Puerto Rican Conure
Puerto Rican Conure
The Puerto Rican Conure was a subspecies of the Hispaniolan Parakeet. It was found on Mona Island and possibly in Puerto Rico.- Appearance :The bird was similar to the Hispaniolan subspecies...
(Aratinga chloroptera maugei) was previously found on Mona Island, but went extinct circa 1882.