FORAGING ECOLOGY OF PSITTACINES IN THE TAMBOPATA NATIONAL RESERVE

Between May 2004 and April 2005 we observed 15 species of psittacines foraging along transects and during fortuitous encounters in the Tambopata National Reserve. Psittacines fed on 84 plant species from 62 genera and 30 families. We report 51 plant species as new food sources for psittacines in Southeastern Peru. The greatest foraging activity took place from 6:00 h to 7:00 h. The most consumed plant part was the seed (41% of 469 foraging encounters), followed by pulp (15%), whole fruit (13%), flower (12%), aril (10%), leaves (1.5%), bark (0.6%), floral buds (0.4%) and fruit juice (0.4%). We found no preference between ripe and unripe seed consumption (48% and 47% respectively), but other fruit parts were eaten mostly ripe (more than 67%)

Parrot population trends in Nicaragua revealed by long-term monitoring

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Satellite telemetry of Blue-throated Macaws in Barba Azul Nature Reserve (Beni, Bolivia) reveals likely breeding areas

The Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) is a Critically Endangered species endemic to the Llanos de Moxos ecosystem of Beni, Bolivia. To aid conservation of the northwestern population that utilizes the Barba Azul Nature Reserve during the non-breeding season, we set out to learn the sites where these birds breed using satellite telemetry. We describe preliminary tests conducted on captive birds (at Loro Parque Foundation, Tenerife, Spain) that resulted in choosing Geotrak Parrot Collars, a metal, battery-operated unit that provides data through the Argos satellite system. In September 2019, we tagged three birds in Barba Azul with Geotrak collars, and received migration data for two birds, until battery depletion in November and December 2019. Our two migrant birds were tracked leaving Barba Azul on the same date (27 September), but departed in divergent directions (approximately 90 degrees in separation). They settled in two sites approximately 50-100 km from Barba Azul. Some details of the work are restricted out of conservation concern as the species still faces poaching pressures. Knowing their likely breeding grounds, reserve managers conducted site visits to where the birds were tracked, resulting in the discovery of breeding birds, although no birds still carrying a transmitter were seen then. A single individual still carrying its collar was spotted 13 August 2021 at Barba Azul. The work suggests that the Blue-throated Macaws of Barba Azul use breeding sites that are scattered across the Llanos de Moxos region, although within the recognized boundaries of the northwestern subpopulation. We conclude that the use of satellite collars is a feasible option for research with the species and could provide further conservation insights

Parrot count data

This file includes the daily summary data showing the number of groups of each species of parrot seen during the afternoon counts. This was used to obtain the relative abundance of each parrot species in the area