“Parrots Over Puerto Rico” by Susan Roth,
Collages by Susan Roth.
Lee & Low Books Inc., New York, 2013, 32 pages, Grades 2-4.
Many species of animals, plants and birds have disappeared throughout history. Sometimes this is the natural course of events. For example, wooly mammoths and sabertoothed tigers simply could not adapt to changes in the environment.
But too often, the extinction of a species is caused by the destruction of the natural habitat by people or by overhunting of animals. The passenger pigeon once darkened the sky during pioneer days, but were hunted to extinction by the early 1900s. The beautiful island of Puerto Rico is home to some amazing tropical wildlife. The colorful Puerto Rican Parrot nearly suffered a similar fate.
Susan Roth tells the tragic story of the decline of the Puerto Rican Parrot and the amazing comeback in the species after 1970. The Puerto Rican Parrot has lived for centuries on the island of Puerto Rico. There are hundreds of thousands of parrots at the time of the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadores. Throughout the nearly 400 years that Spain controlled the island, the parrots are little effected. But during the 20th century, the population of Puerto Rico expands. Plantations replace forests in the last hundred years and the tranquil environment is transformed.
While crops can now be grown on the land, the felling of trees quickly destroys the ability of the parrots to live and reproduce.
This causes a massive decline in the population of the Puerto Rican Parrot. As cities continue to grow and expand, the parrots are attacked by the Red-Tailed Hawk and the Pearly-Eyed Thrasher. While these two species of birds had always challenged the parrots for food and nesting sites, the clearing of forests leaves the parrots near extinction.
The Puerto Rican Parrot is a beautiful bird. It is nearly a foot tall and is arrayed in a gorgeous combination of green and blue feathers. In flight these parrots look quite magical as their colors blend into the tropical jungle. Their strong beak is outlined by red bordering feathers while large white rings surround their eyes. All these beautiful colors make them extremely attractive. By 1975, only 13 parrots could be found in the rain forest. If decisions weren’t quickly made, the future of the parrot would be grim.
But at the 11th hour, a group of scientists banded together to save this majestic parrot. What might happen if parrot eggs were hatched in captivity and then released into the wild? It is something of a desperate gamble, but time is running out. The scientists quickly move into action.
What happens? Is the program successful? What do the scientists learn about reintroducing birds raised in captivity into a jungle?
Have you ever seen a parrot? Would you like to own one as a pet? What would our world be like without attractive birds like the Puerto Rican Parrot? To find out the answers to these questions, go to the library and check out this beautiful book, “Parrots Over Puerto Rico” by Susan Roth.
The author tells the important story of the recovery of the Puerto Rican Parrot, and this book won the Robert F. Sibert Medal for Nonfiction in 2014. The collages used by Susan Roth are vibrant, interesting and beautiful. Readers will be drawn into the artwork and should take their time looking at each page. There are so many things to see that there is a certain magic in the collages. This is an excellent book to read with the younger members of your family, or a fine title to be individually read. So I hope you get a chance to read this award winning book, “Parrots Over Puerto Rico” by Susan Roth. Enjoy!
