Discovery may save species from extinction

Following a quest spanning 15 years, one of the world’s leading Amazon parrot experts, Dr Mark Pilgrim, has discovered a rare species of parrot in South America known as the Ecuador Amazon.

Dr Pilgrim first came across the species in the late 1980s at Chester Zoo, where he was working as a bird keeper at the time. Previously thought to be an Amazona autumnalis subspecies, Dr Pilgrim believed there was something different about these particular birds.

He began a pursuit to determine whether the Ecuador Amazon is sufficiently different from the other three common subspecies of Amazona autumnalis to be classified as a species in its own right. From 1992 to 2013, he visited museums, bird parks and zoos across Europe to try to find out more.

During his travels, he analysed more than 60 specimens, taking measurements including wing-length, tail-length and beak shape. He then looked at their genetics by extracting DNA from feathers and looking at small differences in specific genes. Finally, he developed an ethogram – a way of cataloguing the birds’ behaviour.

Dr Pilgrim’s extensive investigations have revealed strong evidence that the Ecuador Amazon parrot (A.a lilicina) is morphologically, behaviourally and genetically unique, providing good reason for it to be recognised as a full species.

However, with its impending recognition as a separate species, the Ecuador Amazon parrot is likely to be classified "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), meaning it faces a very high risk of extinction. It has more than a 50 per cent chance of disappearing completely in the next 20 years.

Dr Mark Pilgrim commented: “The Ecuador Amazon parrot was previously included within a group of subspecies of which there may be as many as five million. The main implication of this work is that they are so distinct they are now considered as a full species, of which there are only 600 left. This makes a huge difference to their conservation priority...

“My fear was always that the results of my work would come too late, however there is still time to save it and that’s exactly what we are trying to achieve.”