Increasing Survival of Wild Macaw Chicks Using Foster Parents and Supplemental Feeding

The use of foster parents has great potential to help the recovery of highly endangered bird species. However, few studies have shown how to successfully use these techniques in wild populations. Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao macao) in Perú hatch 2–4 chicks per nest but about 24% of all chicks die of starvation and on average just 1.4 of them fledge per successful nest. In this study we develop and test new techniques to increase survival of wild Scarlet Macaw chicks by reducing chick starvation. We hypothesized that using foster parents would increase the survival of chicks at risk of starvation and increase overall reproductive success. Our results show that all relocated macaw chicks were successfully accepted by their foster parents (n = 28 chicks over 3 consecutive breeding seasons) and 89% of the relocated chicks fledged. Overall, we increased fledging success per available nest from 17% (2000 to 2016 average) to 25% (2017 to 2019) and decreased chick death by starvation from 19% to 4%. These findings show that the macaw foster parents technique and post relocation supplemental feeding provide a promising management tool to aid wild parrot population recovery in areas with low reproductive success.

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The Chimalapas Region, Oaxaca, Mexico: a high-priority region for bird conservation in Mesoamerica

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270903003186 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 227-253 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

A. Townsend Peterson ◽

Adolfo G. Navarro-Sigüenza ◽

Blanca E. Hernández-Baños ◽

Griselda Escalona-Segura ◽

Fanny Rebón-Gallardo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bird Species ◽

Bird Conservation ◽

Cloud Forests ◽

Important Species ◽

Good State ◽

Harpia Harpyja ◽

Resplendent Quetzal ◽

Lowland Rainforest ◽

Ara Macao ◽

Scarlet Macaw

The Chimalapas region, in eastern Oaxaca, Mexico, holds lowland rainforests, tropical dry forests, and cloud forests typical of the Neotropics, as well as montane pine and pine-oak forests more typical of the Nearctic. Totaling more than 600,000 ha, much of the region is forested, and in a good state of preservation. The Chimalapas avifauna is by far the most diverse for any region of comparable size in the country, totalling at least 464 species in the region as a whole (with more than 300 species in the lowland rainforest) representing 44% of the bird species known from Mexico. Within the region, the humid Atlantic lowlands hold 317 species, the montane regions 113 species, and the southern dry forested lowlands 216 species. Important species present in the region include Harpy Eagle Harpia harpyja and several other large eagles, Black Penelopina nigra and probably Horned Oreophasis derbianus Guans, Scarlet Macaw Ara macao, Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow Aimophila sumichrasti, Rose-bellied Bunting Passerina rositae, and Resplendent Quetzal Pharomachrus mocinno. The area holds immense lowland rainforests and cloud forests that rank among the largest and best preserved in all of Mesoamerica, including a complete lowland-to-highland continuum, with entire watersheds preserved more or less intact.

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Effects of research disturbance on nest survival in a mixed colony of waterbirds

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.7844 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. e7844

Author(s):

Jocelyn Champagnon ◽

Hugo Carré ◽

Lisa Gili

Keyword(s):

Survival Rate ◽

Reproductive Success ◽

Bird Species ◽

Daily Survival Rate ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Control Zone ◽

Daily Survival ◽

Disturbed Zone ◽

Breeding Seasons

Background Long-term research is crucial for the conservation and development of knowledge in ecology; however, it is essential to quantify and minimize any negative effects associated with research to gather reliable and representative long-term monitoring data. In colonial bird species, chicks are often marked with coded bands in order to assess demographic parameters of the population. Banding chicks in multi-species colonies is challenging because it involves disturbances to species that are at different stages of progress in their reproduction. Methods We took advantage of a long term banding program launched on Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) breeding in a major mixed colony of herons in Camargue, southern France, to assess the effect of banding operation disturbance on the reproductive success of the three most numerous waterbirds species in the colony. Over two breeding seasons (2015 and 2016), 336 nests of Glossy Ibis, Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) and Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) were monitored from a floating blind in two zones of the colony: one zone disturbed twice a year by the banding activities and another not disturbed (control zone). We applied a logistic-exposure analysis method to estimate the daily survival rate (DSR) of nests and chicks aged up to three weeks. Results Daily survival rate of Glossy Ibis was reduced in the disturbed zone while DSR increased for Little and Cattle Egrets in the disturbed zone. Nevertheless, DSR was not reduced on the week following the banding, thus discarding a direct effect of handling on breeding success of Glossy Ibis. The protocol and statistical analysis presented here are robust and can be applied to any bird species to test for the effect of a research disturbance or other short and repeated temporal events that may affect reproductive success over one or more breeding seasons.

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The effects of an ectoparasite on reproductive success in the great tit: a 3-year experimental study

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z97-162 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 76 (1) ◽

pp. 19-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Klas Allander

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Body Mass ◽

Bird Species ◽

Parus Major ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Parasite Abundance ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Size Number ◽

Social Habits ◽

Breeding Seasons

The effects of ectoparasites on host reproductive success have been studied in a variety of bird species. Most of these studies concern either colonial or hole-nesting birds, which have been suspected of being particularly susceptible to parasites because of their social habits and (or) reuse of old nests. The effects of a horizontally transmitted flea, Ceratophyllus gallinae, on the reproductive success of hole-nesting great tits,Parus major, were experimentally studied over 3 years. Leaving nests in nest boxes in the intervals between breeding seasons does not result in a significant increase in parasite abundance in comparison with nest boxes cleaned between seasons. Flea abundance was reduced by spraying random nests with an insecticide during host egg laying. There were no significant effects of ectoparasite removal on clutch size, number of fledged young, hatching success, or fledging success in any of the 3 years, although a significant interaction between year and treatment in nestling body mass was observed. Thus, in 1 of the 3 years, body mass of nestlings in the sprayed boxes was, on average, significantly greater than that of controls. There was also a negative correlation between flea abundance and mean body mass of the brood. In addition, nestlings produced in flea-free boxes had a significantly higher probability of recruiting locally than nestlings from control nests. The effects of ectoparasites seem to vary over time and also among host populations, which implies that the effects of parasites may interact with other environmental factors.

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Scanning electron microscopic study on the tongue in the scarlet macaw (Ara macao)

Okajimas Folia Anatomica Japonica ◽

10.2535/ofaj.89.57 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 89 (3) ◽

pp. 57-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Shoichi EMURA ◽

Toshihiko OKUMURA ◽

Huayue CHEN

Keyword(s):

Microscopic Study ◽

Electron Microscopic Study ◽

Electron Microscopic ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopic Study ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopic ◽

Ara Macao ◽

Scarlet Macaw ◽

Scanning Electron

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Effect of exogenous progesterone treatment on ovarian steroid hormones and oxidant and antioxidant biomarkers during peak and low breeding seasons in dromedary she-camel

Veterinary World ◽

10.14202/vetworld.2019.542-550 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 542-552

Author(s):

Amal M. Abo El-Maaty ◽

Ragab H. Mohamed ◽

Heba F. Hozyen ◽

Adel M. El-Kattan ◽

Mona A. Mahmoud ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Steroid Hormones ◽

Breeding Season ◽

Management Tool ◽

Seasonal Effect ◽

Glutathione S Transferase ◽

Sod Activity ◽

Blood Concentrations ◽

Exogenous Progesterone ◽

Antioxidant Markers ◽

Breeding Seasons

Background: Research about the effects of progesterone (P4) and the relationship of P4 to oxidative stress has been achieved in ruminants but not enough in camels Aim: This study evaluated the effect of exogenous P4 hormone using CIDR for 7 days on blood concentrations of steroid hormones and oxidative status of dromedary she-camels during peak and low breeding seasons. Materials and Methods: The present work was conducted on ten dark dromedary she-camels which were synchronized using a controlled internal drug release (CIDR) for 7 days as a reproductive management tool during peak breeding (November-April) and low breeding season (May-October). The blood samples were collected each other day from CIDR insertion until the end of experiment 5 days after the removal of CIDR. Camels were examined for P4, estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T) as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) as indicator of lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione-S-transferase as antioxidant markers. Results: Results revealed that P4 was higher during peak breeding season than low breeding season. While the levels of P4 increased during CIDR insertion and declined at CIDR removal and thereafter during breeding season, its concentrations declined after CIDR application during the non-breeding season. On the other hand, blood E2 and testosterone levels decreased after CIDR insertion in both high and low breeding seasons with higher serum E2 concentrations during the peak than the low breeding season. MDA concentrations and SOD activities were significantly (p<0.05) high on day 3 after CIDR insertion during the breeding and non-breeding seasons. During both the seasons, GSH levels decreased after CIDR removal in camels. However, MDA was lower during non-breeding season than high breeding season with no seasonal effect on SOD activity. Conclusion: Exogenous P4 treatment through CIDR in dromedary camels could be more efficient during breeding season than non-breeding season, and effects on circulating oxidant/antioxidant biomarkers and their return to normal levels might refer to the adaptation of camels to CIDR by modulating their oxidant and antioxidant levels.

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Videographic evidence of endangered species depredation by feral cat.

Pacific Conservation Biology ◽

10.1071/pc120293 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 293 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Seth Judge ◽

Jill S Lippert ◽

Kathleen Misajon ◽

Darcy Hu ◽

Steven C Hess

Keyword(s):

Direct Evidence ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Bird Species ◽

Feral Cat ◽

Feral Cats ◽

Video Cameras ◽

Infrared Video ◽

Available Technology ◽

Visual Confirmation ◽

Breeding Seasons

Feral cats (Felis catus) have long been implicated as nest predators of endangered ‘Ua‘u (Hawaiian Petrel; Pterodroma sandwichensis) on Hawai‘i Island, but until recently, visual confirmation has been limited by available technology. ‘Ua‘u nest out of view, deep inside small cavities, on alpine lava flows. During the breeding seasons of 2007 and 2008, we monitored known burrows within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. Digital infrared video cameras assisted in determining the breeding behaviour and nesting success at the most isolated of burrows. With 7 cameras, we collected a total of 819 videos and 89 still photographs of adult and nestling ‘Ua‘u at 14 burrows. Videos also confirmed the presence of rats (Rattus spp.) at 2 burrows, ‘Ôma‘o (Myadestes obscurus) at 8 burrows, and feral cats at 6 burrows. A sequence of videos showed a feral cat taking a downy ‘Ua‘u chick from its burrow, representing the first direct evidence of ‘Ua‘u depredation by feral cat in Hawai‘i. This technique provides greater understanding of feral cat behaviour in ‘Ua’u colonies, which may assist in the development of more targeted management strategies to reduce nest predation on endangered insular bird species.

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Evidence of breeding activity of subadult Turdus thrushes in Argentina

Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia ◽

10.1007/bf03544463 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (3) ◽

pp. 149-152

Author(s):

Exequiel Barboza ◽

Patricia Capllonch ◽

Fernando Diego Ortiz ◽

Alex E. Jahn

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Life History ◽

Bird Species ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Brood Patch ◽

Breeding Condition ◽

Different Populations ◽

Males And Females ◽

Breeding Seasons ◽

Subadult Female

AbstractLittle is known about the age at which many Neotropical bird species first attempt to breed. We evaluated the breeding condition of 515 adult and subadult males and females among four species of Turdus thrushes (T. nigriceps, T. chiguanco, T. amaurochalinus and T. rufiventris) in Tucumán, Argentina during three breeding seasons (2015 to 2018). We registered a total of 126 individuals with brood patches and cloacal protuberances, which accounted for 24.5% of thrushes in breeding condition that we sampled. Forty thrushes had a brood patch (31.7% of those in breeding condition), of which 11 were subadults (8.7%). Eighty-six thrushes (68.3%) had a swollen cloacal protuberance, 18 of which were subadults (14.3%). Only a few of the subadults in breeding condition built nests, incubated eggs or raised nestlings. Of 130 nests we found, only 3 belonged to a subadult thrush (in all cases, a subadult female with an adult social mate), one of which was successful. Further research on these patterns among various Neotropical bird species could lead to important insights into the life history strategies that characterize different populations, and how these ultimately affect their population dynamics.

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