...to su rvive in th e wild ...to th rive in o u r h omes A WO R LD P ARR OT T RUST C AMP AIGN Twelve ww w . w o r l d p a r r o t t r u s t . o r g that highlight the threats to all and all of nature In its twelve year history the World Par rot Trust has been able to help Conservation Union. This global plan was progressed and lar gely fund conservation work for 37 species in 22 ‘parrot range’ countries funded by the World Parrot Trust. such as , , Mauritius, South Africa. It has formed Please study these twelve , each of which has a brief updated support gr oups in 13 countries and won thousands of members status report. Every one of these parrots has r eceived support from among thoughtful people in the global ‘parrot community’. In all its WPT, but much more is needed. We suggest that individual members, activities the interests of par rots Ð not people Ð are paramount. clubs or zoos might like to select a particular favourite and raise WPT has now chosen twelve species to illustrate the reasons why funding to help ensure its survival in the wild. This is a golden PARROTS NEED HELP to survive in the wild. With one exception, the opportunity for WPT members to participate directly in the future parr ots shown here are included in the 90 species given priority in prospects of a particular parrot species. PsittaScene will list all the Parrot Action Plan, a vital document published by IUCN, the World donations received for The WPT 12. Lear ’s Photo: M. Reynolds Echo Parakeet Photo: L. Woolover Numbers reduced to around 150 by At last, a success story! This Mauritian trapping for collectors. Also threatened species was reduced to about 12 by shor tage of palm , its primar y individuals, but Carl Jones and his team food source, and shooting by far mers. have used their exceptional skills to bring WPT funds r esearch and protection numbers back to well over 100 and activities by BioBrasil, an effective climbing. WPT has funded this work since Brazilian NGO. 1990, providing over US$150,000.

Golden Conure Photo: K. Ewart African Grey Parrot Photo: R. Low Threatened by loss of and trapping for Although not globally threatened by IUCN the domestic and international pet trade. Its criteria, the Trust believes its ruthless trapping nesting and roosting trees are being logged, it and exporting from West Africa will lead to the needs the purchase of key areas to help it extirpation of this species throughout much of survive. WPT is working with Dr. Carlos its range in the near future. Enforcing existing Yamashita, aided by the 'Golden Conure protected ar eas and eliminating unsustainable Survival Fund' which has now raised over trade in this species are both desperately US$25,000 for this species. needed.

Gr eat Green Macaw Photo: S. Winter Photo: R. Low Numbers reduced to double figures in Costa Much sought after in aviculture, this r emarkable bird is heavily trapped and traded in and Rica and extinct in much of its historic range. around New Guinea, both for illegal export and This bir d relies on the large Almendro tree for for internal Indonesian markets. WPT is funding nesting and these vital trees are being logged basic biological research on this little known out. WPT is supporting solid conservation work species in Cape York, Australia and has recently in Costa Rica which is supervised by Dr. George launched the ‘Palm Cockatoo Conservation Powell. WPT’s ‘ Fund’ has Fund’ with plans to support future conservation now raised over US$15,000 for this species. work in New Guinea.

St. Vincent Amazon Photo: M. Reynolds Photo: D. Merton This spectacular bird, like all Caribbean Officially listed as ‘extinct in the wild’, Amazona, is regarded as globally threatened by the Kakapo is one of the most remarkable the IUCN. Another conservation success story, birds on Earth. Only 62 remain, car efully its numbers are up to around 800, but support tended and bred by the NZ Department of is still needed to restor e degraded habitat. WPT Conservation on of f-shore islands. WPT has provided veterinary help, funds to carry has provided veterinary input to the out surveys, and aviar y construction. programme.

Imperial Amazon Photo:M. Reynolds Red-throated Lorikeet Picture: D. Watling Fou nd only o n the island o f Domin ica in the Wes t Ind ies. Imperial numb ers hover near 100 This is a mysterious bird from Fiji, hardly individuals. A new National Park has ju st been seen for a century , but with recent cr eated, and th is will be a gr eat help to th e reports of flocks of 2 to 6 birds. WPT is Imperial's sur vival. WPT contributed towards the working with the Fiji National Tr ust to land p urchase cost of this new par k and intend s to organise and fund r esearch, and help to fo llow th roug h with support of cons ervation action protect the five parrot species there. to aid the rec o v e r y of this critically endangered bir d.

Hyacinth Macaw Photo: WPT Moluccan Cockatoo Photo: WPT The most desired bird in aviculture, this One of the most beautiful cockatoos, the beautiful macaw has been reduced in the wild Moluccan is threatened by domestic and from around 30,000 to no mor e than 5,000 in inter national trade as well as widespread thirty years. Recent work to protect foraging . Supporting the innovative and breeding ar eas is helping and ecotourism work of Project Bird Watch, the Tr ust is to see the wild Hyacinths is doing wonders for encouraging a program to protect cockatoo their protection. WPT’s ‘Hyacinth Fund’ has habitat by harvesting and exporting Molucca supported this conservation work for many Nuts - a delicious and nutritious treat for birds years, but now needs new funding to continue. and their human companions alike.

All enquiries about ‘The WPT 12’ to: World Parrot Trust, Hayle, Cor nwall, UK TR27 4HB ■ 5 Email: uk@worldparrottr ust.org ¥ Website: www.worldpar rottrust.or g Parrot Society of Los Angeles Trip The 2001 PSLA Brazil Trip was a tremendous success. The Group visited Hyacinth Cliffs, the Gabriel's Valley and enjoyed themselves observing some 50 Hyacinth in the Hyacinth Valley. Red-bellied Macaws, Green- winged, and Janday Conures. Many other representatives of avifauna had been Hyacinth Macaws feeding on fallen Licuri Palm nuts. Photo: Gil Serique frequently observed by the group. breathtaking parr ot print that I World Parr ot Tr ust. trustees (directors in the USA) are Subsequently we visited Fazenda have ever seen. I am anxious to One of the major expenses is the as follows: Mike Reynolds, Audrey Serra Branca in which BioBrazil get it mounted and hung on the necessary purchase of two Suzuki Reynolds, Andrew Gr eenwood, Foundation carries a conser vation wall where everyone can see it. TS 185ER or Yamaha trail bikes, David Woolcock, Alison Hales, project on Lear's Macaws, which is We have a Golden Conure, and her one for Kirsty and one for her Victoria Ewart, Nick Reynolds (all being sponsored by The World name is Hanna, and she is the Fijian colleague. These cost about UK), Charles Munn, Steve Martin, Parrot Trust. The Parrot Society of most loveable little girl that we £1,600 each, and we would be Glenn Reynolds (all USA), Los Angeles granted us with funds have. I just wanted to let you most grateful for any Cristiana Senni (Italy). for the whole improvement of know how much we love this contributions towards this part of Hyacinth Valley, which includes piece of work that you did, and I the budget. This is a most Eastern Ground the purchase of a generator, the am happy that our purchase is exciting pr oject, seeking to construction of a water-well and helping the Golden Conures. establish the present status of Parrots still out landscaping at the lodge area. The A parrot lover, this mysterious little lorikeet. west 2002 PSLA Brazil Trip is scheduled Chris Posey Here's a chance to play an active for next June. One can obtain part in it. Fr om ‘WINGSPAN’ Vol 11, No 1, more information by accessing March 2001 the membership www.parrotsocietyoflosangeles.or g New Fiji Project magazine of Birds Australia. Fundação BioBrasil needs Help Eight Eastern Gr ound Parrots have Ecotourism Division In November, Kirsty Swinnerton been 'r ediscovered' near Nelson +55-71-374-7601 will be setting out to do a survey on the Vic. -South Australian +55-71-374-1354 of the Red-throated Lorikeet border . In a survey in October amabilis on Fiji and 2000 initiated by the Portland Thanks for Golden other islands. Kirsty is well known Field Naturalists Club and co- for her long term work with the ordinated by the Victorian Conure Print Echo Parakeet and Pink Pigeon Depar tment of Natural Resources Dear Mr. Hacking teams on Mauritius. This survey and Environment (NRE), birds will take a minimum of three New Trustee for were heard calling at late dusk. We just purchased your Golden months, and the majority of the Andy Govanstone of NRE r eports: Conure print from the WPT, and I funding will be provided by the 'It was extremely pleasing to find must say that it is the most WPT the birds here again. With The board of trustees of WPT has populations in trouble in most appointed a new trustee, Glenn places on the mainland, Reynolds (USA). Glenn (no relation particularly at the margins of to other Reynolds's in the UK) has their range - for instance they are been working tirelessly for the almost cer tainly extinct in South trust for four years, and has been Australia, and there ar e no recent responsible for setting up and records from the Otways - we running our successful Golden feared we may have lost them Conure Survival Fund. He is now from the western edge of their working on our Gr eat Green range. Macaw Fund, and keeps a busy 'It's good that the bir ds were schedule of talks to bird clubs located within the Discovery Bay about WPT's activities. Coastal Park, so we can work on WPT-UK and WPT-USA are separate appropriate management regimes charities, but we have appointed for fir e and feral predators. We the same list of trustees to both ar e also looking forward to follow- of them, so as to ensure that they up surveys to determine the full Hyacinth Macaws from Parrot Society of L.A. Trip. Photo: Gil Serique work together effectively. The extent of this isolated population.

16 ■ PsittaScene Volume 13, No 3, August 2001