Puerto Rican Parrot

Amazona vittata

Pulled back from the brink with fewer than 13 birds. Each delivery is a conservation victory.

Population: ~500 individuals total (wild + captive) as of 2021; wild-only numbers are much smaller and volatile — roughly 30-50 birds in recent years across the El Yunque, Rio Abajo, and Maricao release sites, down further after Hurricane Maria (2017) cut the wild population by ~90%; historical low was 13 wild birds in 1975
Habitat: Mature/old-growth montane forest, historically at elevations of roughly 400-825 m (FWS gives 396-823 m), requiring large open-cavity trees for nesting; reintroduced populations now also occupy karst forest (Rio Abajo) and other forest reserves
Fun fact: The Puerto Rican Parrot's recovery program, begun in 1968, is one of the longest-running endangered species recovery efforts in the United States, having brought the species back from a low of just 13 wild individuals in 1975.
Range: Endemic to Puerto Rico; historically also occurred on nearby Vieques and Mona Islands, but current range is confined to a few forest reserves covering about 16 km^2 - roughly 0.2% of historical range
Diet: Herbivorous - feeds on wild fruits (especially sierra palm and tabonuco), flowers, leaves, bark, and nectar; recorded consuming 50-60+ different plant food items
Size: 0.29 m

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