Pacific Parakeet
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Parakeet or Nicaraguan Green Conure (Aratinga holochlora strenua) is a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...

 of the Green Parakeet
Green Parakeet
The Green Parakeet , is a medium-sized parrot that is native to Central America, from Mexico south to northern Nicaragua. These birds have established self sustaining populations in some cities in southeast Texas in the United States. It is unclear if the US population are feral released birds...

. It was long considered a distinct species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

.

This bird is endemic to a small area in western Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...

, the El Chocoyero - El Brujo Protected Area. Nesting sites lie within this protected area, but the birds still face threats from the outside world when they leave the reserve to feed. Nonetheless, its population is considered not immediately threatened (especially compared to some of its relatives such as the Socorro Parakeet
Socorro Parakeet
The Socorro Parakeet is a subspecies of the Green Parakeet. It was formerly considered a distinct species, and some taxonomists still consider it so. It is endemic to Socorro Island in the Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests...

), and when it was still considered a good species, it was listed as Most Concern by the IUCN.
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK