Rodriguez island parrot (Necropsittacus rodericanus equal Lophopsittacus rodericanus) was found on Rodrigues Island in the Mascarene Islands. The Mascarene Islands are in the Indian Ocean. The Mascarene Islands are NE of Madagascar. This parrot is now extinct. This was about 16 inches long. The color was grey, but tinged with green. This probably became extinct a few years after 1870.
There is a document written about 1730 that describes a green long tailed parrot from this island group that was larger than the common pigeon.
In the book of extinct Birds by Errol Fuller, he describes Necropsittacus rodericanus. He names this the Rodrigues parrot. This book was first published in 1987 and republished in 2001.
In H-M they list Psittacula exsul entitled the Rodriguez Parakeet.
Parrots (Family) is the single family in the Parrot order. This family has experienced quite a few fairly recent extinctions, including the Carolina Parakeet and several species that were previously found on the Caribbean Islands. The 128 species of parrots in the New World are particularly threatened.
Extensive rain forest clearing and bird capture for the pet trade remain important issues.
We have divided this very large family into groups to facilitate identification and study. We have used the Bates-Busenbark system that divides this family into 5 subfamilies. Owl parrots, Kea parrots, Lorikeets, Pigmy parrots, and the balance into the main family which includes the Macaws, Conures, Parrots, and Parakeets We have further divided the main sub family into three groups based on geography: New World, Eurasian to Australia, and African.
The following (incomplete and abbreviated) list of New World species are rare, threatened, endangered or extinct:
Threatened - Puerto Rican Amazon - Amazona vittata
Rare - Red spectacled Amazon - Amazona pretrei
Threatened - Red Tailed Amazon - Amazona brasiliensis
Rare - Red browed Amazon - Amazona rhodocorytha
Endangered - St. Lucia Amazon - Amazona versicolor
Endangered - Red Necked Amazon - Amazona arausiaca
Endangered - Imperial Amazon - Amazona imperialis
Endangered - St. Vincent Amazon - Amazona guildingi
Endangered - Indigo Macaw - Anodorhynchus leari
Endangered - Hyacinth Macaw - Anodorhy hyacinth
Extinct - Glaucus Macaw - Anodorhy glaucus
Extinct(?) - Blue Throat Macaw - Ara glaucogularis
Extinct - Cuban Red Macaw - Ara tricolor
Vulnerable - Golden Conura - Aratinga guarouba
Unknown - Rufous front Parakeet - Bolborhynch ferrugin
Extinct - Carolina Parakeet - Conurposis carolinensis
Endangered - Little Blue Macaw - Cyanopsitta spixii
Unknown - Rusty Faced Parrot - Hapalopsittaca amazonina
Threatened - Gold Plumed Conura - Leptositt branickii
Vulnerable - Yellow Ear Conura - Ognorhynchus icterotis
Rare - Blue Chest Parakeet - Pyrrhura cruentata
Rare - Brown Backed Parrotlet - Touit melanonota
Unknown - Golden tailed Parrotlet - Touit surda
Parrots (Order Psittaciformes) are an order of over 330 species of birds that are found in the warmer parts of the world. (Craig Robinson in his book of SE Asian birds estimates worldwide parrot species at about 358 species.) Many of the species are brightly colored. Characteristics of this order include a top bill which hooks downward, and two toes pointing forward and two toes pointing to the rear. Most students place all the species in this order in a single family.
Many of the species in this family are desirable cage birds, which adds to their vulnerability in their native habitat. For example, a captured Hyacinth Macaw may sell for over $20,000 retail. While most of the species are protected, the various laws seem to have little effect on the trade. However, captive breeding may help protect them.
Aves contains about 8,650 different species of living birds known to science. Each year about one new species is discovered in some remote rain forest or remote island. In addition, scientists have been raising many subspecies to full species status which may raise the species count to 10,000. Birdlife recognizes 10,027 species as of 2011.
However, each year about one species goes extinct. The rate of extinction is increasing, and the rate of new discovery is decreasing, so that the number of bird species will soon begin to decline rapidly. Although different taxonomists would organize the birds differently, there are approximately twenty-seven orders of birds. These orders are broken down into about one hundred and fifty-five different families.
Recent research of the genetic structure of some of the shore birds and owls would indicate that the present organization of orders and families should have some modification.
The birds are a worldwide group of animals that are characterized by having the front limbs modified into wings that are used for flying. Perhaps the most unique feature of the birds is the feathers. These feathers are made up of a central support called a quill and a series of small filaments that are hooked together as barbs.
For many years it was believed that Archaeopteryx discovered in Bavaria was the oldest bird from about 150 million years ago. However, in l986, Sankar Chattterjee, a Texas paleontologist, reportedly discovered a bird in the genus Protoavis that lived about 225 million years ago.
When this project was begun in 1978, we used Austin & Singer for bird taxonomy. Since then, we have adopted many changes, but have kept some older concepts that are still found widely in the literature. Recently, we have used Clements and Howard & Moore. Very recently, we have used Monroe and Sibley for the higher taxonomy of the perching birds.
Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.
Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.
Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
