Thick-billed parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha)

Species information

Videos and images

Threats

The population of the thick-billed parrot has been reduced to worryingly low numbers and the species has been lost from much of its former range. The major habitat of this species, old growth conifer forests, has been extensively logged throughout the region, with devastating consequences (2). The illegal pet trade has also targeted these attractive parrots (5).

Conservation

International trade is prohibited by the listing of the thick-billed parrot on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (3). In 2000, a ban on logging operations in Bisalocahic, Mexico came into effect (6). It is estimated that this forest area contains around 10% of the world population of thick-billed parrots, so it was a vital move to protect their habitat (6).