Once flocks of up to several hundred thick-billed parrots could be seen visiting the mountains of Southeastern Arizona and Southwestern New Mexico. This information was based on observations of these parrots during the early 1920’s. New observations indicate these birds have been located only as far north as the Sierra Madre Occidental in Chihuahua and Sonora with a range extending south to Jalisco and Michoacan. These birds inhabit the pine oak forests. Flocks have been seen nesting in the north during the summer months and then heading south in the winter. It is felt they are going where the pine seed production is higher.

Thick-billed parrots live in large groups. While feeding in smaller groups during the day, they will flock in the early evenings, roosting closely together. In the wild they have been seen eating mainly pine seeds of various species.

Nesting in the wild appears to occur from June until July, with chicks fledgling from September until late October. Large pine trees and snags are where these birds nest. Nests produce one to three chicks (occasionally 4 chicks). Weaning duration is unknown but thick-billed parrots in captivity have been seen feeding chicks until the next nesting season. It has been observed that if chicks from the previous season are left in the exhibit with the adults the pair does not always nest.

The number of thick-billed parrots in the wild is thought to be in the thousands, but no real long term census has been done. The terrain where the birds live makes it very difficult to access the numbers. It is thought that the population has declined somewhat from the original studies done in 1980 by Lanning and Shiflett and a few week study done by Noel Snyder in 1991. In 1973 CITES declared the thick-billed parrot an endangered species and classified them in Appendix I. During nesting season the researchers believe they are only seeing 1/3 of the population. They are unsure where the rest of the birds are. One of the big projects in the future is to satellite track some of the birds. Currently the telemetry devices are too heavy.

Logging is a way of life in the forests where thick-billed parrots live. Even though this parrot is protected in its habitat, it is difficult to enforce the laws in these remote areas. Numerous logging projects and forestry practices in Mexico have lead to the reduction in trees and snags as well as adding to the fire hazard (Enkerlin, 2001). Adequate forest reserves need to be established and the initiation of a forest management policy needs to be in place. This would preserve the mature pine trees and snags which are needed to provide the nesting sites essential to this species (Lanning and Shiflett, 1980).

In 2000 all the hard work of Dr. Enkerlin and his team was realized in the formation of the Tutuaca Forestry Reserve at Cebadilla. This is one of the best thick-billed parrot nesting sites. The agreement gives a 15 year moratorium on the cutting of timber in this important area. There is great hope that the other nesting areas can also be protected in this manner. If all the prime breeding areas can be protected this could allow the birds to get reestablished in greater numbers. Some day they might fly back on their own into the Chiricahua Mountains.

Never popular as pets, the thick-billed parrots are a psittacine whose past decline in the wild has not been influenced to a great degree by the pet trade. Regarded as a rarity in aviculture, new interest in this species has made it more in demand by private collectors, resulting in increased international traffic. The extent of the traffic is unknown, however a large confiscation in the 1980's by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was an indication of increased illegal trade, an obvious threat to further depleting wild stocks of these birds. Currently the birds appear to be going into trade outside North America.

Thick-billed parrots were probably unknown in aviculture until 1918 when a single bird was held by the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Dealers found specimens difficult to sell and the birds proved to be unpopular with aviculturists and pet owners probably due to their loud calls, powerful bill and destructive habits. In 1959 the San Diego Zoo possessed the only pair known to exist in captive population in the United States. By 1963 several pairs were being kept in California and Arizona. Breeding success of the thick-billed parrot was made in 1965 at the San Diego Zoo and the Los Angeles Zoo (International Zoo Yearbook). Since 1963 there have been 458 chicks hatched in the US Facilities (Thick-billed Parrot Studbook, 2003).

Before the formation of a studbook (1985, SSP 1988) only 9 pairs of thick-billed parrots had had young prior to 1985. Very few institutions had these birds and most often were not set up for breeding. Interest in these birds was lacking, but with the establishment of the studbook zoos wanted to work with them. The first studbook was published in 1988. At that time there were only 68 thick-billed parrots registered with 11 facilities participating. In the 2007 studbook there are now a total of 120 birds held in 23 facilities. All of these facilities are dedicated to breeding this species to reinforce the captive breeding population.

The thick-billed parrot was one of only two parrot species known to be native to North Arizona and New Mexico on a seasonal basis. Unfortunately the birds had vanished by the 1920's, probably victims of hunting pressure and habitat destruction. Foraging primarily upon the seeds of various pine species, their population may have been affected by extensive lumber harvests within the region as well as the knowledge that the lumberjacks were killing them with great frequency for sport and to eat (Snyder, 1989).

In 1986 the Arizona Game and Fish Department started a release program in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona. This was part of the historical range of the thick-billed parrot. The United States Forest Service manages the mountain areas where a majority of wildlife lives. The protection of this area has allowed the vegetation to re-establish itself. When a few larger groups of thick-billed parrots were confiscated, Dr. Noel Snyder was contacted about starting a release program for this species. The last birds were released in 1993 after which it was decided to suspend the program, and work on the translocation of birds within Mexico.

Although, there has been a great deal of publicity over the past re-release program, the conclusions as to the “success” of that release are mixed at best. There were inherent problems with the basic methodology of the release such as the time of year used, predator migration patterns and proper parrot acclimation. What can be learned from that program is how it can be improved upon. The immediate goal, before taking on another re-release project, is to understand the wild population, preserve Mexican habitat and to continue to breed and research the captive population.

The mission of the Thick-billed Parrot SSP is to ensure the survival of the thick-billed parrot within its historic range. The SSP maintains a viable captive population, educates the public regarding the conservation of this native endangered species, and acts to protect and bolster wild and captive populations by supporting in situ and ex situ research and conservation projects. The captive population serves as a refugium for future options, a resource for increasing our knowledge of thick- billed parrot biology, and as ambassadors for our education programs. Education programs will be conducted in the United States and Mexico to foster a strong conservation ethic. We will work to bolster wild thick-billed parrot populations as well as protect native habitat. The Thick-billed Parrot SSP proposes to address these issues through the continuations of the following Action Plan: 1. Support vital field work and protection of the old growth forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental. 2. Promote communication between zoo programs, field workers, and government agencies. 3. Using information from field studies, manage captive flocks to maintain natural flocking, foraging, reproductive, and predator avoidance behaviors. 4. Identify and support worthy education programs which further the goals of the SSP. 5. Establish baseline medical and nutritional information for captive and free-living populations