New species of parrot discovered in Mexico

Just when you think that there is nothing more to discover nature throws a curve ball. A new species of parrot has been discovered in Mexico with an unusual blue plumage and a distinctive squawk. The discovery has been made by Ornithologist Dr Miguel Gomez Garza who came across the new species during a visit to a remote part of the Yucatán Peninsula

The blue-winged Amazon is distinguished by it shape, color pattern, call and behaviour. It is being estimated that it evolved from the White-front parrot roughly 120,000 years ago.

The new discovery links the evolutionary chain between two parrots from the Amazon parrot family, the red-crowned amazon and lilac-crowned amazon respectively, which are only found in Mexico.

The small range in which the species is found has led zoologists to already term them as being endangered.

The discovery further sheds light upon the evolution of the parrot in the last five million years.

It is named after its primarily blue covert feathers and is characterised by its unique green crown that contrast to blue in other Amazon parrots.

Add to that, it has a call that is loud, sharp, short, repetitive and monotonous.

The species lives in small flocks of less than 12 and their offspring have a tendency to remain together, and are discernible in groups.

Mitochondrial DNA analysis says that the species emerged fairly recently and like all parrots is a herbivore eating seeds, fruits and all found in tree canopies.