Exotic Birds – Magnum Amazon

One of the most popular birds, parrots are loved and adored by the young and old alike. Extensively appearing in popular folk and other literary traditions, parrots are a favorite among artists and poets, acting as a recurring motif, possessing an association with portrayal of art and romance. Parrots are also widely illustrated in folk arts and are subjects of paintings.

The parrots are a broader order of more than 350 birds. Macaws, Amazons, lorikeets, lovebirds, cockatoos and many others, are all considered parrots. Though diverse, these birds are all characterized by their individual features, for example their curved beaks and all are zygodactyl; meaning they have four toes on each foot, two pointing forward and two pointing backward. Their diet is rich in flowers, fruits, nuts, seeds, and some small creatures such as insects. Parrots are found in warm climates all over a tropical world. The greatest diversities exist in Australia, Central America, and South America.

Many parrots are kept as pets; especially macaws, Amazons, parrots, cockatoos, parakeets, and lovebirds. These birds have been kept by people throughout history because they are considered to be intelligent, charismatic, colorful, and musical. Some birds are said to imitate many nonhuman sounds, including human speech.

The Department of Posts is pleased to release a set of six stamps on the following six exotic birds:

(i) Blue-throated Macaw / Ara glaucogularis:

The Blue-throated Macaw also known as Caninde Macaw is a species endemic to Central Bolivia. This is predominantly found in the lowland forest. Blue-throated Macaw lives in the savanna forest and is one of the rarest parrots in the world.

Recent population survey for this species estimates that about 350-400 individuals remain in the wild. This species has been broadly categorized by International Union of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List as Critically Endangered. It is also listed in Appendix I of Convention on International Endangered Species (CITES), an international treaty that controls international trade.

Blue-throated Macaw have largely bright yellow underparts with pale blue vent. Upperparts are turquoise blue. Undersides of wings and tailfeathers are blue and have bare facial patch obscured by blue feather-lines merging into blue lower cheek and throat. The under-tailfeathers are bright yellow stripe and bare chin which is the base of the large, black bill. On the face there is a specific feather-patch of skin near the bare of the large dark-colored bill that has five or six horizontal stripes of blue feathers which are unique for every Blue-throated Macaw and can be used to distinguish individual adults.

This species can be differentiated from the slightly larger Blue and Yellow Macaw by their blue throat – the blue crown and the lack of contrast between the remiges and upperwing-coverts. The origin of this bird is in Bolivia.

(ii) Cape Parrot / Poicephalus robustus:

The Cape Parrot also known as Levaillant’s Parrot is a large, temperate forest dwelling parrot endemic to South Africa. It is a short-tailed moderately large bird with a very large beak and is predominantly of a dark brown to reddish.

So there is no uniform view on the classification of this species due to the existence of three geographical separated but closely related forms that differ in habitat, size & plumage. One of the view is that it belongs to three geographically distinct to two species, with the temperate forest dwelling Cape Parrot distinct from Savanna species and located mostly along the Atlantic and Indian Coasts in areas like West Africa, Eastern & Southern Africa. But the Birdlife International taxonomic checklist of the world’s birds considers all three forms as subspecies of a single species Poicephalus robustus.

The Cape Parrot only occurs in South Africa & is closely associated with yellowwood trees as they drill holes in these large trees to make nests for breeding and social interaction. The species is a secondary cavity nests, preferring tall dead yellowwood as nesting sites.

While the climate threat to this species is habitat loss through the degradation and reduction in Afromontane Southern Mistbelt Forest, the more recent population survey estimates that this species has been caused by Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) and (iii) local poaching and trade.

(iii) Hyacinth Macaw / Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus:

Hyacinth Macaw or Hyacinthine Macaw, is a parrot native to central and eastern South America. It is the largest parrot and the largest flying any other species of parrot. It is the largest macaw and the largest flying parrot species. Also known as the ‘Gentle Giant’, Hyacinth Macaw is a large, all-blue parrot. This species has blue feathers and is entirely blue. Lighter above with a long and pointed tail. This species can be confused with the Blue-throated Macaw (see below).

Hyacinth Macaw prefers palm swamps, woodlands, and other semi-open, wooded habitats. It usually avoids dense, humid forest. It is generally restricted to the areas where large palm trees, especially where it can find groves of buriti and other in Savannah grasslands. In dry thorn forest known as caatinga, and in Palm strands. Hyacinthine Macaw is kept as pets in the world for its kind behavior, for which it is known to be so hard and difficult to break, are easily crushed by their powerful beak.

Nesting takes place between July and December, nests are constructed in tree cavities or cliff faces depending on the habitat.

Habitat loss and trapping of wild birds for the pet trade has taken a heavy toll on their wild population. This species has been categorized as Vulnerable and has made it one of the most sought after – and also one of the most abused – of all parrots.

To provide full protection, it is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and as Endangered and has made it listed in Appendix I of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) for International Trade.

(iv) Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo / Cacatua sulphurea sulphurea

Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is also known as the Yellow-crested Cockatoo. The Lesser Sulphur-crested is found in wooded and cultivated areas of East Timor and Indonesia and in the Solomon Islands in the West Pacific.

The Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a critically endangered species. Numbers have declined dramatically due to illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade. They are listed on Appendix I on CITES.

It is medium-sized cockatoo with white plumage, bluish-white bare orbital skin, gray legs, and a black beak. The crest is yellow, and the bill is black. This species is found in tree cavities. Their wild population is declining due to habitat destruction and traps.

There are 6 subspecies of the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. The most well known subspecies is a Citron crested Cockatoo. This species has an orange crest and a black beak. This species is found only on the islands of Sumba. Other species are found on islands of Indonesia.

Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo can also be easily confused with the larger and more common Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo. Citron crested Cockatoo has a limited distribution and can be distinguished by the size and presence of large yellow ear patch on the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo.

(v) Sun Conure / Aratinga solstitialis

Sun Conure, also known as Sun Parakeet, is a medium-sized brightly colored parrot native to northeastern South America. The adult male and female are similar in appearance, with a predominantly yellow-orange plumage with green and black underparts. Sun Conures are very social birds, typically living in flocks. They have a gregarious nature and are very vocal. Sun Conures are typically in a constant strenuous life of loss of habitat and trapping for the pet trade and listed as endangered by the IUCN. They are also considered as near threatened and of least concern and curious nature. They are commonly bred in aviculture and may live up to 30 years.

Sun Conures are mostly found in tropical habitats occurring where dry savanna woodlands and various forest ecosystems are present. These areas range from humid forests growing in foothills. Like other members of the genus Aratinga, the Sun Conure lives in tropical and semi-tropical habitats up to 1200 meters.

Sun Conures have a rich yellow crown, nape, mantle, lesser wing-coverts, tips of the greater wing-coverts, chest and underwing-coverts. The face and belly are orange with reddish-orange tints. Back, rump and upperwing-coverts, primary coverts and the primaries are green, while the secondaries, tips of the primaries, and most of the greater primary coverts, inner webs of the primaries are blue. The feathers of the flight feathers are dark grayish. The bill is black. Juvenile Sun Parakeets display a predominantly green plumage, with a gradual change to yellow and orange as they mature. The distinctive yellow, orange, and reddish coloration on the back, abdomen, and head is attained with maturity.

(vi) Yellow-headed Amazon / Amazona oratrix

The Yellow-headed Amazon is an endangered parrot of Mexico and northern Central America. It prefers to live in mangrove forests or riparian forests near rivers or other water bodies.

This species is famed for its ability to mimic, both in speech and even ‘song’ making it an excellent talker. For centuries they have been revered as highly desirable pets worldwide.

The popularity of these parrots as pet continues to fuel greed and trapping of wild birds for the pet trade. Recent population survey for this species estimates that their wild population has declined from 50,000 to 7,000 in the past two decades alone.

The Yellow-headed Amazon is a stocky short-tailed green parrot with a yellow head. The immature birds attain full adult head color at 5 of more years. As in other Amazons, its bill has a dark gray to black at the culmen, and the lower half of the bill body. The body is bright green, with yellow on the head, red at the bend of the wing, and yellow thighs. The flight feathers are blackish to bluish violet with a red patch on the outer primaries. The inner webs of the primaries are blackish to bluish violet with a red patch on the outer primaries. The flight feathers are blackish to bluish violet with a red patch on the outer primaries. The tail feathers have yellow tips. The yellow headed Amazon is considered as Endangered by IUCN & is on the CITES Appendix I.