Use of Clay Licks by Maroon-Fronted Parrots (Rhynchopsitta terrisi) in Northern Mexico

Geophagy has been documented in many species of birds, including many parrots, and its proposed functions include detoxification of dietary poisons, mineral supplementation, and acid buffering. Most geophagy reports involve tropical South American species; we present the first published report of clay-lick use by the Maroon-fronted Parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi), a species inhabiting high elevation temperate pine-oak (Pinus spp.–Quercus spp.) forest of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Thirty-six observation sessions were made at the four dispersed licks known from the restricted breeding range of this species. All known licks were near valley bottoms far below most nesting cliffs. Parrot visitations to ingest clay were characteristically in groups and the average number of parrots per group was nine individuals. Group visits averaged 18.3 min in duration and peaked between 0900 and 1100 hrs. The total number of parrots visiting licks during any day represented only a fraction of the known population of the species, suggesting that unless additional licks have yet to be discovered, visits of individuals to licks are relatively infrequent.