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ABSTRACT Wildlife trafficking poses a major threat to biodiversity, particularly for species like parrots that are targeted in the pet trade. The Yellow‐headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix), an endangered species native to Mexico and Central America, is frequently poached from unknown geographic locations, hindering the identification of smuggling sources and repatriation of any confiscated individuals. Here, we used population genomic tools to determine the source of 18 Yellow‐headed Parrots confiscated as nestlings during a 2021 U.S.–Mexico border crossing into California. To build a genomic reference map, we extracted and sequenced DNA derived from the toe pads of historical museum specimens from across the range of three out of the four describedA. oratrixsubspecies. Genomic data revealed that the three sequenced subspecies correspond to unique ancestry groups and revealed a substantial genetic divide between Pacific and Atlantic coastal populations ofA. o. oratrix. The smuggled parrots and parrots from the introduced population in southern California both consistently clustered with eastern populations ofA. o. oratrixin genomic analyses. Concordantly, the predicted origin of these smuggled birds was eastern Mexico, based on the genomic reference map derived from historical samples. Kinship analysis reveals multiple cases of sibling‐level relationships among the smuggled birds, suggesting that wildA. oratrixnests continue to be raided for the pet trade despite the species' endangered status. Overall, this study illustrates the power of using museum genomics to trace wildlife trafficking routes, inform conservation policy, and improve taxonomic resolution in species of conservation concern.
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Convergent niche shifts of endangered parrots (genus Amazona ) during successful establishment in urban southern California
Abstract AimIntroduced species offer insight on whether and how organisms can shift their ecological niches during translocation. The genusAmazonaoffers a clear test case, where sister species Red‐crowned (A. viridigenalis) and Lilac‐crowned Parrots (A. finschi) have established breeding populations in southern California following introduction via the pet trade from Mexico where they do not coexist. After establishment in the 1980s, introduced population sizes have increased, with mixed species flocks found throughout urban Los Angeles. Here, we investigate the differences between the environmental conditions of the native and introduced ranges of these now co‐occurring species. LocationSouthern California and Mexico. MethodsUsing environmental data on climate and habitat from their native and introduced ranges, we tested whether Red‐crowned and Lilac‐crowned Parrots have divergent realized niches between their native ranges, and whether each species has significantly shifted its realized niche to inhabit urban southern California. We also analysed data from Texas and Florida introductions of Red‐crowned Parrots for comparative analysis. ResultsThere are significant differences in the native‐range niches of both parrot species, but a convergence into a novel, shared environmental niche into urban southern California, characterized by colder temperatures, less tree cover and lower rainfall. Texas and Florida Red‐crowned Parrots also show evidence for niche shifts with varying levels of niche conservatism through the establishment of somewhat different realized niches. Main ConclusionsDespite significant niche shifts, introduced parrots are thriving, suggesting a broad fundamental niche and an ability to exploit urban resources. Unique niche shifts in different U.S. introductions indicate thatAmazonaparrots can adapt to diverse environmental conditions, with cities offering a resource niche and the timing of introduction playing a crucial role. Cities can potentially serve as refugia for threatened parrot species, but the risk of hybridization between species emphasizes the need for ongoing monitoring and genetic investigations.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1652979
- PAR ID:
- 10505318
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Diversity and Distributions
- Volume:
- 30
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 1366-9516
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13817
