City Parrots of Kingston Jamaica
Jamaica is home to two endemic parrots, the Yellow and Black-billed Parrots. They live mainly in undisturbed forest areas, such as the Cockpit Country in Trelawny and John Crow Mountains in Portland. Despite illegal activities to capture and sell them, they survive because of the remoteness of much of their habitat.
There is, however, a flock of about 50 Yellow-billed Parrots (Amazona collaria) that live permanently in Hope Gardens, Kingstons Royal botanical gardens. They are fairly tame, and in the mornings, you can hear them in the trees. Hope Gardens is a very good place to get a good view of these beautiful birds.
They have brilliant red, yellow and blues outer feathers. They make their nests in hollow trees to protect them from predators, such as rats, snakes and other birds, such as the Jamaica Crow. Hunters trying to capture the young birds sometimes cut down nesting trees. Often injuring the young and depriving them of a future nesting site. In recent years, the authorities have become more aware of the dangers of these illegal activities and have brought some people before the courts.
Wayne Sutherland (images) reports Black-billed Parrots (Amazona agilis) frequenting the Constant Spring Golf Course in Kingston. About two dozen of them make it their permanent home. This species is les colourful but normally much more elusive.
We at City Parrots are happy to learn about these endangered and endemic Caribbean parrots adapting to local urban habitats. Suburbs in southern California and Florida are home to many thousands Amazon parrots that have adapted to this urban niche after escaping captivity in the later half of the 20th century. As forests in the Caribbean get more and more depleted, urban areas become more and more important for the conservation of these species.
The Jamaican or Olive-throated parakeet is an endemic subspecies (Aratinga nana nana) of Jamaica and is sometimes treated as a separate species although the differences with its mainland congeners are slight. Although probably not breeding in Kingston this species is considered common and is observed foraging in backyards. However potential competition for this parakeet has been spotted in Kingston. Wayne Sutherland (images) reports flocks of up to 17 Ring-necked parakeets (Psittaculla krameri), urban coloniser N°1, passing over his garden in Kingston.
International trade brought these birds to Jamaica, which normally occur on the Indian subcontinent. Birds escaped or were released and established a breeding population in Kingston as they have done in many cities around the world. The ring-necks could potentially compete with Jamaica’s native parrots making it harder establishing themselves in urban niches or ultimately even compete with them in their native forest habitat. Threats these already rare species surely could do without.
Governments of Island nations like Jamaica with fragile endemic wildlife are advised to restrict the imports of non-native wildlife to fuel their pet industry. The consequences of such imports could be dire.
Introducing and establishing native parrots to urban areas is another measure that would help their conservation and prevent colonisation of these areas by alien invaders. City Parrots hopes the Jamaican or Olive-throated parakeet will soon be an established breeder in Kingston.
Source: Our feathered friends, Wayne Sutherland