Bird lovers’ desire to own yellow-headed parrots, orange-fronted parakeets and other beautiful parrots native to Mexico could be a major factor in the birds’ extinction if current trends continue, finds a new report from Defenders of Wildlife (Washington).

Of the top 10 (out of 22) Mexican parrot species that are smuggled into the United States, five are endangered, two are threatened and one is under special protection in Mexico, according to “The Illegal Parrot Trade in Mexico: A Comprehensive Assessment.”

The report also found that populations of high-demand parrot species have decreased by 25 percent to 30 percent—and have disappeared entirely from many regions.

Next to habitat loss, trapping for the pet trade poses the greatest threat to the birds’ survival in Mexico, said Juan Carlos Cantu Guzman, manager of the Mexico program at Defenders of Wildlife and lead author of the report.

The report calls for a permanent ban on trapping and enforcement of existing conservation programs, as well as captive breeding programs focused on parrots not native to Mexico and an effort to convert parrot trappers to eco-tour leaders.

Legally imported birds are subject to health examinations and quarantine, and must be accompanied by proper documentation: a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declaration form and a permit from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The birds also should have an identifying leg band.

The full report can be found at www.defenders.org/mexicanparrot. [May 2007 PET AGE]