Sierra Madre, and are sometimes called snow parrots because of their high-altitude habitat. They show seasonal migration patterns, generally breeding in the northern parts of their range and overwintering in the southern. The thick-billed parrot nests in tree cavities, while the maroon-fronted parrot is a cliff cavity breeder. The parrots roost at night in large flocks, while they forage during the day in smaller flocks over a large area. They feed primarily on pine seeds, which they extract by systematically stripping the cones from the base to the top. They also eat other seeds such as acorns, as well as softer foods such as fruits, bark, nectar, other vegetable matter, and insects. Status Both the thick-billed and the maroon-fronted parrot are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are listed on CITES Appendix I, trade forbidden except for legitimate conservation, scientific or educational purposes. They are also protected under Mexican General Wildlife Law (2008), import and export prohibited. The populations of both species have declined primarily due to habitat degradation, and now both are restricted to a few small areas in the mountains of northern Mexico. The range of the thick-billed parrot formerly extended into Arizona and New Mexico, and attempts are being made to breed the species in captivity for release into the wild in their former range their. An earlier attempt in the 1980s and 1990s to reintroduce thick-billed parrots to Arizona failed because the captive-bred birds had not learned to avoid their natural and human predators, but new plans for the reintroduction of this species include the use of wild-caught individuals. Species References Natural history of Nuevo León Bird genera Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte