PROMOTING HIGH STANDARDS IN CONSERVATION AVICULTURE AND WELFARE

.9Je 9fJodd 9auot .fZitMt Vol. 7 No. 4 Novedtber 1995 -- 'IIIiI!J - LEAKSMACAW: A Second Population Confirmed By Dr Charles A. Munn III In the late 1970's, Lear's Macaw Houston, Texas, who is a dedicated such as Lear's Macaw can watching the to determine if was located in the wild by a macaw lover and conservation survive as adults relatively easily they have active nests and then combination of persons. It seems philanthropist, financed the one- for years or even decades but may observing the adults fly off to that macaw trappers and a macaw year study. The results of the study not be able to breed. To be certain forage can one start to answer breeder from coastal Brazil first suggested that the single known of how severe the food shortage some of these questions. To this found out about a wild population population was short of their main may be and if there will be a lack of date, such a simple study has never of this and then passed natural food, which is the recruitment of young birds to the been done, not because it would this information to scientists at the endosperm or nut meat of the wild population, it is critical to not be easy or important, but University of Rio de Janeiro, who licuripalm (Syagruscoronatus). study breeding birds. In January because Judy Hart decided subsequently took much of the To prove that the known 1993, I observed large numbers of' unilaterally that detailed studies of credit for the "discovery" of this population of Lear's Macaws was licuri nuts in every stage of nesting birds could provoke birds population. It may be hard to suffering from food shortage, development and every age of to abandon their nests or to reduce unravel the truth of this discovery, Brandt and Machado's study really healthy and young and old licuri the amounts they feed to their but for the purpose of setting the required a detailed follow-up study palms in large valleys of thousands nestlings. To make sure that no- record straight and of evaluating of nesting biology, nestling growth of acres of intact dry forest within one was able to carry out such the past conservation significance and survival, licuri nut availability a radius of five kilometers of what obvious and essential studies of of information from trappers, within a few kilometers of active Yamashita believes to be active nesting birds, Dr Hart repeatedly it would be valuable to investigate nests and ranging and foraging nests. Thus, the obvious question has asked Brazilian government further the details of this behaviour of breeding birds. The is: do the breeding birds at that officials and the owner of the main discovery. reason that such a study is so nest cliff use the abundant nuts in nesting cliffs of the first In the mid 1980's, Carlos important is that even if there is a the surrounding terrain or do they population of Lear's macaws to Yamashita studied the known wild moderate food shortage, large forage further away? Only by exclude me and my Brazilian population and published a short communication in the Wilson Bulletin. In 1987,whileleadingthe international survey of wild populations of Hyacinth Macaws, Yamashita met and worked with Jorgen Thomsen of TRAFFIC-USA(a division of World Wildlife Fund-US). When Thomsen asked Yamashita what should be done for Lear's Macaw, Yamashita responded that a year-long field study of the feeding ecology and daily movements of the species would allow Brazilian conservation biologists to plan an effective recovery plan for the species. Thomsen and Yamshita located two Brazilian biologists, Ricardo Machado and Alex Brandt, to carry out the study. Very sadly, Alex Brandt died while working on the Lear's project. Judy Hart, MD,of

" psittacine (sifa sin) Belonging or allied to the parrots; parrot-like L to R: Yuri deBarros (wearing Hyacinth Fund T-shirt),MarcosAzevedo and two gentlemen who prefer to remain anonymous.In " the background are the newly discoverednesting cliffs of Lear's Macaw. Photo: Yuri deBarros

1 associates from the region. Dr Hart told me on the phone in July 1993, that shewas worried because she thought I would encourage and train Brazilian biologists to carry out detailed nest studies. During that conversation, which Carlos Yamashita also participated in, I tried to convince Dr Hart that nest studies were essential and harmless. I reminded her that my Wildlife Conservation Society macaw studies in Peru, Bolivia and Brazil had not encountered a singlecase of nest abandonment in over 200 nests of wild macaws of fivedifferent EDITOR: species.Morethan 25 of those nests were of Hyacinth Macaws, RosemaryLow, which are congeners of Lear's Lear'sMacawin flight Photo:lig Koch TheWorldParrotTrust, Macaw.I also reminded her that GlanmorHouse,Hayle, WWFstudies of Hyacinth Macaws CornwallTR274HY,U.K. had looked into an additional 40 the tremendous distance from Belo caught with nets at night near the nests without any cases of Horizonte to Salvador or Paulo roosting areas in the Toca cliffs. abandonment. She was not Monso (about 1,200 km) several Much, if not most, of the CONTENTS: convinced.At the time of our 1993 times a year and give inspiring trapping at Toca took place after conversation, Dr Hart estimated lectures to the local children and the Toca cliffs were bought (but Lear'sMacaw: that the total globalpopulation of adults about the uniqueness, not guarded) by the Biodiversitas A Lear's Macawsmight be only 40 or beauty and conservation crisis of Foundation, which is a Brazilian co 50birds. I asked her how small the this beautiful, aerobatic macaw. conservation group based 1,200 world population would have to be Unfortunately, this is simply not kilometers from the Lear'smacaw EndangeredRed-tailed before she would feel that it would enough. area.Biodiversitaspurchased the BlackCockatoos:Their be justified to look inside nests Despite these difficulties I was Toca cliffs with a donation from messagetousall 4&5 and possibly measure nestling able to report at the January 1995 JudyHartMD,of Houston, Texas. growth rates and, if necessary, give convention of the International The latest trapping of Lear'sMacaw the nestlings supplementary food Aviculturists Society, in late 1994, in Toca occurred in April 1995 or pull them and feed them in a that Dr Pedro Lima of CETRELand when a lone trapper (whois well Conservationofthe field station for inunediate release his team of biologists and field known by the authorities) caught Red-ventedCockatoo7 (a procedure that we call "assisted informants repeatedly observed a one bird. With the help of an fledgling"). She said that even if the flock (but never pinpointed a roost information network developed by of the birds declined to 20 or even 10 in or nest clifOof at least 20 Lear's WCSoverthe past two years, the the world, she would never agree to Macawsin an area severalhundred Brazilian police were able to allowing any biologist to go inside kilometers away from the apprehend this trapper with the and their nests. I told her that I thought previouslyknown population of Macaw. Conservationof that her stance was not a logical or 117 birds. In June 1995,after With regard to the fate of this ParrotsintheBrazilian helpful one, for the vast majority several weeksof hard, dangerous bird, it is important to note that in AtlanticForest 10 (if not all) conservation biologists field work,Mr Yuri de Barros and November1994 the Lear's Macaw Mr Marcos Azevedo, working under StatusandDistribution in Brazil and around the world Working Group met in Brazil (with the supervision of Pedro Lima, Pedro Limaand CharlesMunn of theBlack-cheeked would feel that nest studies were located the exact cliff that this representing CETREL,WorldParrot Lovebird ll both necessary and harmless. I also told her that I thought that she second population uses for Trust, and Wildlife Conservation International would have a hard time finding sleeping and presumably for Society) and decided among other News 12&13 anyone to agree with her notion of nesting. The reason that the work things that any Lear's Macaws letting the wild population decline may be dangerous is that small confiscated from trappers should to 20 or 10 birds (or extinction) marihuana plantations are be sent to the spacious wildlife without ever interceding to help rumoured to be hidden in these rehabilitation facilitiesdirected by 5 EndangeredParrots boost the productivity of the wild incredibly remote, wildlife-rich dry Pedro Lima, DVMin the centre of andtheAimsof the nests. Our conversation ended with valleys. The picture on page 1 the heavilyguarded 1,700acre Trust 15 us agreeing to disagree on this clearly shows the desperate nature property of Mr Lima's company, matter. of the landscape. CETREL.The CETRELwildlife ParrotsintheWild A6 If she had been content to let us Interestingly, interviews of facility had several advantages over proceed with reasonable plans for former bird trappers and other options: 1. it is only 350 km proper nest studies and monitoring smugglers indicate that all former from the Lear'smacawrange; 2. Mr Members of of foraging behaviour of breeding and present trappers know that a Lima is a trained, veterinarian with birds, by now we would know second population of Lear's exists a lot of experience in wildlife something about the reproductive somewhere in a huge remote area rehabilitation; 3. there are no other IUCN success of the wild nests. My far from the first, well-publicised parrots in the facility (thus TheWorld Conservation Union Brazilian colleagues and I have (and heavily trapped) population, reducing risk of disease found considerable bureaucratic but stay away for fear of being shot transmission);and 4. the CETREL resistance to any field work on this by marihuana growers. For this property has a substantial number The World Parrot Trust does endangered species. reason, all consider the first of nut-bearing licuri palms (which not necessarily endorse any Dr Hart does deserve credit for population to be the only birds that could provide fresh licuri nuts for views or statements made having been the only source of they can trap with comparative a captive Lear'sMacaw).Despite by contributors to financial support for critical impunity. Reliable information the clear agreement of the Working PsittaScene. environmental education work by from several sources indicates that Group on the issue of disposition Biodiversitas Foundation between over the past 2-3 years trappers of confiscated Lear'sMacaws,the It will of course consider 1989 and 1994 in the region of the caught and sold to bird smugglers confiscated Lear'sMacawwas sent articles or letters from any to Mr Marcus da Re, who is the contributor on their merits. first population of Lear's Macaw. approximately 20 of the 117 birds Her financing made it possible for of the first, well-known population. biologist in charge of the Spix's Biodiversitas staff members to fly Most or all of these birds were Macaw project (a project

2 administered by Biodiversitas Foundation, which has very good relations with the Brazilian authorities). The bird died some time during the subsequent weeks under circumstances that have not been revealed by the authorities or by Biodiversitas. It would seem odd that the same group did not provide protection for the birds on their property (despite specific warnings at the November 1994 Working Group's meeting on this matter), only to have the bird die rapidly without any public accounting. Other news relating to the Lear's Macaw is that on 10 October 1995, CETREL,Wildlife Conservation Society and the World Parrot Trust won one of 13 major national environmental awards in Brazil for their joint work to help save Lear's Macaw. These awards which are called the Top de Photo: Charlie Munn Ecologia (Top in Ecology), are the Brazilian equivalent of the "Oscar" carefully the overall conservation prices because they assumed that Professor Alan Meerowof the for environmental protection. Lima and Munn attended the strategies for the species, for it they would be able to work out University of Florida about palm now appears to us that it would some kind of deal with the production. We bought and prize ceremony in Sao Paulo. As not be wise to invest more than Brazilian authorities that would shipped to Brazil 50,000plastic part of the gala evening, which was perhaps 20-35%of our limited allow them to legalise their birds palm pots for our pahn nursery. attended by several hundred Biodiversitas Foundation was environmental leaders and armual budgets in palm for "scientific breeding": (a regeneration. euphemism for legalised private helpful to us by lending their prominent industrialists. CETREL Additionally, our unique collecting of rare bird species). To importation permits to allow us to was given special permission to show a 7-minute video of the information network is suggesting their credit, the Brazilian import the palm pots without tax to us that there may be other authorities held firm (unlike in the (thus showing that we are happy to macaw work because the prize jury previously unknown populations of case of the Spix's Macaw) and work early and often with generally felt that the macaw the species in other remote, refused to legalise any Lear's Biodiversitas if they only decide project and its video was biologically-unexplored parts of NE Macaws that were not already that they can accept us as particularly appealing. The video, BraziL When one considers that the collaborators).In 1994,we will have its US debut at the IAS legalised many years earlier (there have been one or two legalised stumbled into some novel sources convention in Orlando in January dry interior of NEBrazil covers an 1996. area about three times the size of Lear's Macaws in private collections of information provided by former California or five times the size of in Brazil for more than ten years). bird trappers and this information CEIREL,WCS,and the World Parrot Trust won the award in the United Kingdom, it would not As a result of this wise decision, eventually led to our finding the necessarily be surprising that there the black market asking price for second population of birds in an recognition of three lines of action on behalf of the Lear's Macaw: 1. could be other unknown, healthy, Lear's Macaws has dropped to area very far from the first, an area but probably fairly small about 10-15% of the high price of that has no droughts or goats and the palm project to grow, plant and populations of Lear's Macaw in 1994 because no collector can thus, has excellent, healthy palm fence in 50,000 licuri pahns over remote corners. If this is the case, afford to be caught with a Lear's populations in every size and age the next few years; 2. the field Macaw in his official or hidden class. In 1995, we found the work that uncovered the new, then conservation biologists with small budgets must tap into the collections for fear of having his nesting cliff of this second previously-unknown population of vast network of local informants entire collection confiscated, losing population of 22 birds and also Lear's Macaws; and 3. the and former bird trappers in order his license for "scientific breeding", received as yet unconfirmed development of a network of local to find possible scattered and facing heavy fines and possible information about several other informants (some of whom are populations before the surviving prison sentences. I applaud the isolated, widely scattered former bird trappers) that permits trappers get to them. It's a race, decision of the Brazilian authorities populations of this spectacular us to dismantle the illegal trade in and the team with the best macaw. Lear's Macaw and other rare to stick to their principles in the information network will get to matter of not legalising recently The time has now come to parrots in NEBrazil. these birds first. We want to make trapped Lear's Macaws, but at the spend money for Lear's Macaw on So far, the first lot of 2,000 sure that the winners are the same time I would like to see the 1) checking the rumours about yet small palms are coming along well conservationists and not the authorities honour all other more populations; 2) protecting the and a new lot, grown from several tens of thousands of licuri nuts trappers, but the World Parrot agreements hammered out at the second population; 3) protecting Working Group meeting for Lear's (finally) the first population; 4) (collected far outside of the Lear's Trust needs your support to keep ahead of the trappers and the rich Macaws. producing more palm seedlings for Macaw foraging range) are being bird collectors who drive the the first population; and 5) testing prepared for planting. The field SUMMARY: models of ecotourism with the first work that uncovered the second trappers who concentrate on very rare, spectacular parrots like Lear's Starting in early 1993, the World population to produce some local population of Lear's Macaws also Parrot Trust, Wildlife Conservation discovered that there is excellent and Spix's Macaw. employment related to the Incidentally, our information Society and CETRELcorporation conservation of the first pahn regeneration in that area, network provided us with began working together to try to population. We look forward to which never has long droughts and information about a recent drop in keep the Lear's Macaw from receiving suggestions and support also has no goats and virtually no the black market price of Lear's slipping down the slippery slope of to help carry out all these activities. people. The palm nuts are available Macaws. In 1994, the price was collector-driven trapping to Above all, we would ask Brazilian year round in large numbers, so extinction in the wild. We first quite high because bird collectors authorities and NGO's to cooperate the birds should have no problem in the large coastal cities of Brazil, started by diagnosing and with us in a sincere and committed surviving there. The discovery of especially of SEBrazil, were eager beginning to work on a solution to marmer in order to save this this new population in an area that to acquire Lear's Macaws for their the apparent problem of lack of remarkable macaw. Time is clearly has no food shortage collections. They were willing to adequate palm regeneration in running out. suggests that all concerned about buy black market birds at high large parts of the range of the first Lear's Macaw need to rethink population. We consulted with 3 ENDANGERED RED. TAILED BLACK COCKATOOS: Their message to us all. ByDavid Baker-Gabb(Director,RoyalAustralasianOrnithologistsUnion).

Landowners in south-western umnistakable calls. First at a our woodlands and open forests one of the greatest threats to the Victoria and neighbouring South distance and then closer and closer havegone. survival of the Cockatoos. The no longer hear the come the harsh, bugle-like calls of The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo bird's high value in the illegal bird evocative 'werloo' call of the Bush the flock, sounding like ancient feeds mainly on seeds in forests trade also means they are a target Stone-curlew at night as they did in windmills grinding away on rusty that are dominated by the Brown for bird trappers, particularly for their youth. Nor do they see any bearings. It won't be long before Stringybark and usually have low overseas markets. more the jaunty Grey-crowned the great black birds are overhead, heathy plants beneath. The quest The situation for the Red- Babbler, Speckled Warbler, Hooded flying in a loose flock with deep, for fertile agricultural land has tailed Black Cockatoo is far from Robin, Regent Honeyeater, languid wing beats, with their seen these forests reduced to ideal: its range is small and Southern Whiteface and a host of distinctive silhouettes of long isolated blocks surrounded by crop isolated and the birds breed in other insectivorous birds. The wings and slender bodies. The and pasture land. Fires which burn only part of it, population size is regional extinctions of woodland flock comes sweeping into the the canopy of the forest trees can very small, and even though the birds in south-east Australia over crown of a nearby tree. As they disrupt the production of seed for birds are very long lived, they only the past few decades are surpassed land, spreading their tails wide to up to three years, limiting the raise one young at a time and may only by the extinctions of slow down and steer themselves to bird's food supply. The late not breed every year. Their diet is mammals last century when a safe landing, the top of the tree summer diet of seeds from the specialised, nest requirements Victoria lost 21 species of is suddenly ablaze with colour as Buloke, thought to be important relatively specific and the places mammal, 20 of them from the broad scarlet panels in the tails for the newly flying young, is now where they nest and feed are woodlands. of the males and the orange-yellow found chiefly in the trees that threatened. However, if we act And now it is the turn of the panels in the tails of the females remain on roadsides. boldly this situation is retrievable. magnificent Red-tailed Black are lit by the rays of the setting The scattered River Red Gums Recent work has identified Cockatoo. Has our sun. As we watch I am planning and Yellow Gums which still stand many of the actions that need to misunderstanding of the land what we can do together to save in the surrounding farm land, be taken. Local landowners are irretrievably set these graceful these magnificent birds from provide the large, deep hollows being encouraged to fence any birds on the road to extinction, or extinction. which are essential for nesting. remaining blocks of forest on their can we arrest their decline and in The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo Many of these trees are very old or land and particularly to protect doing so reverse the decline and is now officially recognised as dead and falling from natural nest trees. Replanting of stands of loss of other woodland birds? endangered. Fewerthan 1,000 decay. They are also being felled River Red Gums, Yellow Gum and If you travel with me to south- individuals remain and only about for firewood or just pushed over Buloke to link existing trees is western Victoria to the remnant 10%of the population breeds each and burnt. Generations of stock beginning. Even the use of artificial stands of River Red Gums and year. Why are these birds failing to and rabbit grazing has allowed nest hollows is showing some Brown Stringybarks which are survive where they once thrived? little regeneration of young trees success. The co-operation of local home to the Red-tailed Black Over the last 100 years we have to replace the old, and suitable people is of vital importance in Cockatoo, and stand in the evening cleared over half Australia's nest hollows do not form until the the retrieval of this species, but where they have made their forests and 30%of its woodlands trees are very old and large - at city dwellers are not exempt from nocturnal roost for the past few have been removed or severely least 200 years of age. This responsibility and can provide the weeks, you will soon hear their degraded. In Victoria, about 85% of continuing loss of nest hollows is funds to assist landowners. One of the main reasons for removal of the old and dead nesting trees is to supply firewood to the large regional centres and Melbourne. Many conservationists are outraged and vocal about the export of 4.8 million tonnes of woodchips each year, yet we consume over 6 million tonnes of native timber annually as domestic firewood. Most of this timber comes from the red gum and box/ironbark woodlands which contain many of our threatened birds and . If dead trees must be cut down then it is important that the solid ones, rather than those with hollows, are the ones that landowners select. Ideally our firewood should come from the waste generated by the milling of plantation timbers or from plantations themselves, not from the homes of our wildlife. The timber from demolished suburban fences, old houses and back rooms that make way for our new extensions should not be dumped as landfill but cut for

4 firewood. One side fence and the waste from a small house extension has kept my winter fires going for five years. What have we learnt from the decline of woodland birds, and have the northern States heard the message from the Red-tailed Black Cockatoos in the south? Unfortunately the destruction of woodlands continues apace to this day,with about 660,000 hectares of native vegetation being cleared in Australia each year. This is equivalent to about one football field every two minutes. The states of Queensland and New South Wales are currently the worst offenders being responsible for 90% of the vegetation cleared in 1990. In that same year, we in Victoria, despite native vegetation retention controls, cleared an additional 6,200 hectares of the little that remains. Tragically, 71% of the vegetation cleared in the 10 years to 1990 is described as "woodland and scrub" and therefore likely to be on land of A magnificent River Red Gum in Black Cockatoo country. low productivity which is highly prone to degradation. Australia is vocal in the more importantly, our plantings targets for reducing greenhouse cannot hope to replace, in the gas emissions by the year 2000, Further Reading international arena in condemning short term, the complex plant unless there is a significant shift in Barrett, G.W.,Ford, H. A., and developing nations for their poor communities that comprise the the attitudes of both the Recher, H. F. 1994. Conservation of environmental practices and woodland web of life that our birds government and the community. woodland birds in a fragmented destruction of virgin forest. are telling us is in need of much Controlling the destruction of our rural landscape. Pacific However, our performance is not greater care. Governments of every native bushland will be a cost- Conservation Biology 1, pp 254- impressive. It is worse than persuasion will not have the effective and beneficial way of 256. Malaysia, Thailand and the political strength to make the hard reducing these emissions, and of Buxton, M. 1994. Integrating of whom we are often decisions and legislate for meeting these targets. If industry conservation and development criticaL Only Brazil, , vegetation retention controls has a short term problem in through the planning process: the Zaire and possibly Mexico and nationally - unless we give them meeting emission targets then case of vegetation protection and Myanm~r have a rate of forest and the political strength through force Governments should assist restoration. In Proceedings 1994 woodland destruction greater than industry to buy "carbon credits" ours. The rate of loss of bushland of numbers. No government National Greening Australia wants to be seen to remove from landowners who forego Conference. in Australia is enormous by individual freedoms nor to productivity gains and retain Department of the comparison with the 105 countries for which there are persecute the already suffering native vegetation. There is more Environment, Sport and Territories. rural community. It does not have than just a national responsibility 1994. Australian National comparable data. This is why we to. There are innovative ways of to do this, there is an international Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1988 have hundreds of species of our assisting landowners, who are the one. and 1990. DEST, Canberra. unique wildlife on the threatened primary caretakers of the The Red-tailed Black Cockatoos Garnett, S. 1992. Threatened list, including over 150 species or remnants of our forests and of Victoria and South Australia, and Extinct Birds of Australia. subspecies of birds. That is why woodlands, to keep these vital like so many other bird species, are RAOUReport No 82. RAOU huge areas of our country are resources intact. We, who are many an indicator to us that we are not Melbourne and ANPWSCanberra. suffering from wind and water in urban Australia, need to demand managing our environment in a Joseph, 1., Emison, W. B., and erosion, salinity and declining of ourselves and our politicians sustainable way. Are we going to Bren, W. M. 1991. Critical productivity. Nationally, as much assessment of the conservation as 51%of land in rural use is that there be a major transfer of heed the warning or are we going funds to those who are few in rural to walk away from the reality of status of Red-tailed Black- seriously degraded and requires Australia to assist with the fencing over clearing, land degradation, Cockatoos in south-eastern treatment. The salinity of many rivers has increased between four and management of remnant lost productivity and extinction? I Australia with special reference to vegetation. want to be able to come back to nesting requirements. Emu 91, pp and 19 times following clearing. There are other far-reaching this forest to see these magnificent 46-50. This is why the numbers of all of benefits from protecting our native birds flying through the evening Pittock, J and Nias R. C. 1995. our six species of spectacular Black Cockatoos around the nation are vegetation. By halting the removal sky, and to know that we have Vegetation clearance-no regrets. of our forests and woodlands we done all we could do to secure WWFAustralia, Sydney. declining. can substantially reduce the their future. The RAOUroutinely Robinson, D. 1993. Vale Toolern How much longer are we going amount of greenhouse gas involves hundreds of volunteers in Vale: the loss of our woodland to spend our scarce resources emissions. Australia has one of the its scientifically-based projects and birds. Wingspan 9, ppl-3 and 20- patching up the symptoms and not highest rates of emission per raises funds to implement them. 21. addressing the cause of the capita in the world. Between one The RAOUhas recently raised Venn, D. R. and Fisher, J 1993. problem which is over clearing and Flora and Fauna Guarantee Action decline of the health of remnant quarter and one third of Australia's $20,000 from its members and greenhouse gases come from supporters to assist landowners Statement number 37: Red-tailed woodlands? We justifiably feel vegetation clearing and and wildlife agencies in the Black-Cockatoo Calyptorhynchos satisfied when we plant trees. Tree modification. CO2and other management of Red-tailed Black banksii graptogyne. planting programs have their place but are too often used as a greenhouse gases stored in the Cockatoos. Why not join us?! vegetation are released after smokescreen and a political clearing, through burning or palliative because even today, for subsequent breakdown of material. every tree that is planted 10 are Australia will fail to reach its removed by land clearing. Much 5 ANY EXCUSE TO VISIT ITALY ByMichaelReynolds.

We had heard from our WPTItaly Freddie Virili reports: "All the branch that there were a number of birds were very stressed and unusual developments in the appeared to have been without parrot world there, so we took that food and water for several days. as a good excuse to visit that most We put them in our quarantine welcoming and friendly country. station. The two hyacinth macaws In fact, it turned out that Italy is were babies, and were much more the unwilling recipient of a sick than the others (see Pictures). significant number of illegally They were dehydrated and imported parrots. We learned from underweight, and our tests showed our representative in Italy, Freddie vast infections of candidiasis and Virili, that there is a continual flow E. coli bacteria. We decided they of rare parrots coming into Italy needed day and night attention, so from former Yugoslavia, they were transferred to my home, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, where they were hand-fed for two Ukraine and elsewhere. It is weeks. It was a great emotion for thought by Italian CITESthat much me to discover that more than food of this trade is controlled by mafia they needed love, continuing Mike and Audrey Reynaldswith Italian IWT members. elements based in Russia. physical contact and reassurance - In 1994 CITESstopped a more so than any other macaws I Mercedes coming from Hungary at had reared. After this period they can to prevent such things,J would the Austrian/Italian border at began to feed themselves, and in ask every genuine parrot breeder:- Tarvisio. Inside three very small five weeks they were in good health PLEASEDON'T TAKEBIRDSFROM boxes they found 2 Hyacinth and independent". SUSPECT PERSONS OR WITHOUT Macaws, 7 Red-fronted Macaws, 19 "After the first week or two, the PROPERPAPERS.ONLYBUY Tucuman Amazons, and 4 Red- remaining parrots were not CAPTIVEBREDBIRDS". vented Cockatoos. The birds were showing signs of any serious We met up with Freddie and a confiscated and put in the care of disease, apart from the Red-vented group of WPTItaly members, and Parco Zoo Punte Verde. Cockatoos which were in poor visited "Parco Ornitologico feather condition. When tested, Martinat" at Pinerolo near Turin. three of the four were positive for This newly opened park has what PBFD,and some months later all is claimed to be the largest aviary four birds died. Clearly, none of in the world. At 13000sq. metres these cockatoos could ever have this may be true, and it was been used for breeding or certainly very impressive with Blue-headedMacawAra eaulani reintroduction" . flocks of crowned cranes, "After one year the remaining flamingos, pelicans and many other birds are all in good health and birds in flight. There were literally any of their young birds, on which have tested negative to PBFD.In hundreds of parrot aviaries, quite this very committed couple depend our park these birds are constant spacious but many lacking in for a living. reminders of a sad and dangerous 'environmental enrichment'. A pair When you've been around the situation, a symbol of a careless of Blue-headed Macaws Ara eau/ani parrot world for thirty years you and greedy traffic which damages were on view (see picture). It would have a good idea about who is the chances of threatened species be interesting to know EXACTLY operating within the rules and who in more than one way I live only a how they found their way into Italy. is not. It was clear to me that our few kilometres from ex-Yugoslavia, We also visited a first class members are above suspicion; they where such dreadful crime has breeding facility owned by two have a beautiful large aviary to been committed that wildlife crime WPT members. This was very house 13 Moluccan Cockatoos seems of not too much importance. impressive in its careful they've bred, and they are keeping Oneof the smuggledHyacinth Macaws. Evenso, wemust all do what we organisation, cleanliness, and them all for second generation detailed understanding of every breeding. Questionable parrot bird's requirements. None of the people don't do things like that. more rare parrots are in this Back in the UK,I wrote to CITES collection, but their rearing facility Italy and asked them if they could was absolutely full of macaw, speed up the process of deciding amazon and African Grey chicks which collections need further ranging from newly hatched to investigation or prosecution, and fully fledged. To our amazement which can resume normal activity. I we learned that the Italian CITES hope this may help the genuine authorities had imposed a aviculturists in Italy. As for the rest complete ban on the movement of - the ones who encourage the parrots from any of the larger illegal transportation of birds in parrot collections in the country. cruelly inadequate boxes - I hope This began in February 1995, and they discover that exploiting when we were there in September parrots in hopes of making a the ban was still in place. The fortune is a delusion. effect is that they are unable to sell

Thetwo birds sevenmonths later, with Freddie Virili

6 CONSERVATIONOF TUEKED.VENTED COCKATOOByMarcBoussekey, EEPCoordinator,EspaceZoologique,(France).

I was able to visit the Philippines Red-vented Cockatoos in the again, mainly Palawan from July Palawanese province. 12th to August 12th 1995, just after the Red-vented Cockatoo breeding Cockatoos Observed in Captivity season, to see how the Conservation Apart from about 40 Philippine Cockatoos seen at Antonio De Dios Program was going on. facility 12 more were found in Mypurpose was fourfold: private hands. . to observe some of the latest I was able to visit again the viable populations of Philippine breeding farm of Birds International Cockatoos left on Palawan Incorporated: I was allowed to see . to evaluate the local captive some of the hand-reared hatchlings population of this bird (26bred this year),two groups of . to meet our Philippine partners about 20juvenilesfrom one to two involved in the conservation years old and several of the 20 program current pairs, 10 of which are . to meet some members of the already breeding. This local captive SagipKatala("Save the Cockatoo") population is healthy and really well Movement maintained. William Oliver's superb painting of theRed-ventedCockatoohas beenusedfor I was lucky to be successful on education and fund-raising. all these points so, we decided to Our Philippine Partners Priscilla ADRIANOand Art intensify our conservation program The Sagip Katala Movement issued an official memoranda on in '96 on Palawan. PAlATINO are our major partners I was pleased to meet several Cockatoo conservation. in the Philippines: the successful Red-vented Cockatoo Flocks members of the Sagip Katala Nevertheless, three aspects can broadcast program they have Observed in the Wild Movement on 4 different places in be improved in 96: to increase the conducted from September 94 to More than 100 wild Cockatoos were the Palawanese province. awareness and participation of local March 95 (and that we sponsored) seen in the Palawanese area: 4 Interestingly, two of them were people, to make sure the nests are enabled them to organise a network flocks from 4 different localities ex-poachers: they showed me not poached, and to offer a reliable of local informants and protectors were observed in 4 different several Cockatoo nesting trees and and qualified facility for the for the Philippine Cockatoo activities. how they climbed the trunk in order confiscated birds. The problem of throughout the Palawanese to catch the hatchlings. I was the occurrenceof PBFDin the wild Flock No 1 was seen feeding in the province: the Sagip Katala forest surrounding the small village impressed by the height of these population was also discussed. So, Movement (see references). They we have decided: of Tagnipa. The birds were easily trees: they are usually the tallest of were my companions during my the area with nest holes more than . to pursue the broadcast program approached and were unafraid of field trips. All the places I visited 30 meters high!The knowledge and to set up a nest protection man since they are actively had been checked by them before these ex-poachers have on the scheme with the help of the ex- protected by the local people even if and all the people I met in the field some predation is made on the rice Cockatoos is now very useful for poachers, giving incentives to them: were members of the movement. I Priscilla and Art will submit their fields during the harvesting time. our conservation program. was really impressed by the I was guided and hosted on Flock No 2 was observed roosting tremendous work Priscilla and Art proposal at the end of September Dumaran island by one very 95. near the sea shore, on an have done in convincing villagers to uninhabited part of the island: dedicated member, Ralph CUDIllA . to build a quarantine and aviary protect the Cockatoo and poachers who is very keen to protect wildlife within the CH Wildlife Rescue again, the birds were not shy at all. to stop catching the hatchlings from on this small island off Palawan: he Flock No 3 was a bit more on the thenests. Centre: a project will be ready soon. was sure that no poaching occurs in . to initiate a PBFDresearch alert since the Cockatoos were The management staff of the feeding on the ground and were this refuge for the Cockatoo (one of program in testing not only the Crocodile Farming Institute the best: 100birds are said to live used to being chased off the corn hatchlings in the nests (Nicolas provided me with a car and a driver there). field. Interestingly, when the flock RICHET'sveterinary thesis) but also for our field trips: when you know The students of the Palawan the confiscated birds (Mundita left the place after half an hour to the difficulty of travelling perch on nearby trees, I could State University I met are very SISONLIM'sproposal) throughout Palawan on local important to spread information at I do hope we shall be able to clearly hear the very distinctive calls transport, this help was much school: they were really active raise enough funds to sponsor this the juveniles produce when they appreciated. I have had two official during the radio program. exciting program: we have now the beg for food. I could even observe meetings with the representatives of one adult regurgitating food to one Because of the good results chance to succeed in saving the Red- the Philippine government in Manila vented Cockatoo on Palawan. young. This means there are still obtained by Priscilla ADRIANOand (Quezon City) and in Puerto Art PAlATINO with their broadcast some Cockatoo populations where Princesa in order to discuss program, the hope to save the Red- hatchlings are not poached at all. I progress and plans for Red-vented vented Cockatoo in the Palawanese The WorldParrot Trust has knew the mangrove area where I Cockatoo conservation. province is increasing, at least in the previousl~ assisted Marc watched Flock No 4 from a previous Boussekey s work with this I met again Antonio De Dios: he areas where viable populations can trip (October 92):localpeople kindly provided me with the cockatoo, by providing funds confirmed to me that Cockatoos still be found. Our Philippine towards flights. The project is detailed diet of the Philippine partners are really active and eager were observed daily. Cockatoos in his collection, the data in a very positive }Jhaseso the These observations and other to succeed. The Sagip Katala Trustees have therefore of blood analysis he performed information obtained by our local Movement numbers 40 people decided to provide $2000 locally and gave me useful involved in 5 different localities. (approx. £1300)towards a total partners indicate there are still information about the management The local government has recently requirement of $17470. some safe and viable populations of of his breeding Cockatoo group.

7 TRUEFRIENDS OF TUE PAKKOTS by MikeReynolds,Holl.Director,WorldParrotTrust

I thought members might like an superior intelligence and powers of conservation-minded media moguls limited edition print of this, and it update on some of our activities, speech to resist the destruction of such as Ted Turner or lane Fonda, has been very successful, earning and news of new developments. the world's natural wonders and please get in touch. funds which have gone directly to First, the New Parrot Action Plan, resources. They invite the children I've had a lot of discussion with help the conservation of this very described in the August 1995 issue of the world to join them in their a member who supplies four-wheel endangered species. Incidentally, we of PsittaScene,is making steady mission. They have their own song, drive vehicles to a number of can still supply this print at £38 or progress. The Co-ordinating the last verse of which goes: wildlife charities. The reason for $55 including postage. The fabulous Committee has been formed, with 'So please come and join us, this is that we have requests for original painting is available for a Mariano Gimenez-Dixon children who care, such vehicles to help parrot-related sum in the region of £3500 or representing IUCN,Colin Bibby 'Cos you, just like us are projects in Africa, Brazil and $5000. (Bear in mind that David's representing BirdLifeInternational, endangered and rare. Mauritius. New vehicles cannot be painting of the St Vincent Parrot Noel Snyder representing the Save the seas and the rivers, the afforded, but a decent second hand was sold at the 1990 Loro Parque Association for Parrot Conservation rainforests too, Land Rover or Toyota can cost Convention for a reported $36000). and myself for World Parrot Trust. So there WlIl be a future, for us around £10000 or $15000.Wecan About a year ago David rang us We hope shortly to appoint the and for YOU.' currently get close to affording one to say that he'd arranged for the experts who will compile the Clearly, this project is a vehicle but would appreciate any Trust to receive a royalty from a information, both centrally and in complete long shot and it would be specific donations to help us buy series of commemorative plates the three regions. unwise to expect it to succeed. the others; alternatively, does our using his parrot pictures. We On a very different matter, we Nonetheless, we will pursue it membership include a financial thought no more about this until a have had a most encouraging vigorously, and at this stage we are genius who can work out how to cheque arrived this week for £3186! meeting with the UK's leading seeking funding to produce a pilot buy 3 Toyotas for the price of I? It seems the plates are a success, cartoon animation company, TV film of about three minutes length. We have a new plain paper fax and we can expect further royalties. Cartoons Ltd (who made the This will cost £20000, so obviously machine (purchased by Paradise Sincere thanks to David and his internationally acclaimed 'The it cannot be paid for from our WPT Park for the World Parrot Trust) generosity to the parrots. Snowman'), to discuss an idea we funds, which are committed to which is a pleasure to use. It has Someone else who had a truly have to establish the parrots as direct action to help the survival one-button dialling for up to 100 committed attitude towards the environmentalists in their own and welfare of parrots. What we numbers and can also send 'group' parrots was the late Keith Ewart. I right. Wehave designed a group of need is an 'angel' who may like to messages; this facility allows us, for wrote in our November 1991 issue militant but humorous parrots fund what could lead to an example, to send the same message of his deep concern for his birds; I known as 'THEPARROTROOPERS' outstanding international to all of our branches with the press believe he would be delighted to (see illustration) and organised educational asset for the Trust and of one button. The correspondence know that his pairs of Citron- registered trade marks in all key of course, substantial income for with our branches increases all the crested and Roseate cockatoos are countries. Our birds are based on our conservation projects. If any of time. Memberships are growing well, still happily breeding at Paradise actual parrot species, and use their our members are friendly with mostly due to our being represented Park. For the fifth year running the by competent, motivated members Keith Ewart Charitable Trust has in (in order of founding) United made a substantial donation Kingdom, Benelux, Canada, towards our work, this time to help Denmark, France, USAand Italy. the protection of the nests of the New groups are now getting Red-tailed Amazon in Brazil. under way in four 'new' countries: Many lovers in the UK Australia (contact Peter Sipek, I and elsewhere, will remember with Rossell Place, GLENFIELD, NSW 2167, pleasure the Kilverstone Wildlife Australia, tel: (02) 829 2382. Park in Norfolk. Established by Lord Membership costs AUD40):Germany and Lady Fisher as a zoo (contact Gerry and Doris Harries, specialising in South American VodeStr. 39,44625 HERNE, species, it achieved many Germany. Tel/fax: 2323.40989. outstanding breedings, especially of Membership costs DM35);Africa the small primates that are (contact Mike Perrin, WPTA,Private Rosamund Fisher's special interest Bag XOl, Scottsville, Natal, South (as well as her tiny Falabella horses). Africa. Fax: 331.260.5105. We were surprised and delighted to Membership costs RIOO); receive a large donation recently Switzerland (contact Lars from the Kilverstone Wildlife Lepperhoff, Sagemattstrasse 31, Charitable Trust. Logically, we are 3097 LlEBEFELD,Switzerland.Tel: using these funds to help a number 971.9452.Membership costs SFr.30). of our projects in South America. Members in all countries are We could mention one or two invited to refer potential new other supporters, but some are not members to our contact addresses, anxious to find themselves on the all listed above or on page 15. Any 'hit lists' of larger charities who are ideas on fundraising, attending able to employ rooms full of meetings, potential projects etc., ruthless fundraisers. We must, will be most welcome. however, express our thanks to the On the subject of fundraising, many members who add an we must highlight the remarkable additional donation to their basic contributions of David lohnston. membership fee and those who are You may recall that David donated a kind enough to share windfalls with superb original painting of Lear's the Trust, as Sarah Reynolds (no Macaw to the Trust. We made a relation) has just done. Thanks also

8 stores, vets offices etc, and an Rosemary's commitment to the eventual video on basic parrot care. World Parrot Trust is total and this Lobbying of goverrnnents, the is demonstrated by the fact that not media, and conservation authorities only does she give us a great deal of on parrot trade and welfare issues her time and speak out for us at will be given more time. every opportunity, she also gives As you will see in this issue, half of her royalties from her book Lear's Macaw is in much need of 'Endangered Parrots' to the Trust. funding for Charlie Munn's on-going (You can order this book direct work with his Brazilian associates in from our UKoffice £20.50 inc. the dry and rugged north-east of postage). Rosemary informs me that Brazil. Our most urgent task right the Trust benefits from her will and now is to get a Toyota four-wheel will also receive her collection of drive vehicle out there, to be used to 15000 parrot slides. Bymentioning protect the known populations and this she hopes to encourage other to try to find additional ones. members and supporters to also A word or two about people here think of the Trust when making at WPHJK. Judith Venning, who has theirwills. been with us as part-time To end on a more cheerful and Administrator for five years, has positive note, I would like to remind been away ill since August and will all World Parrot Trust members that not be back until early January. Our their membership includes free thanks to all who have sent their admission to Paradise Park in good wishes to her. David Cornwall, and it's always a pleasure Woolcock, Curator at Paradise Park to have a chat with visiting and a Trustee of WPT,will in future members. It's been a wonderful devote more time to the Trust, as summer, we've bred over forty we have handed over some of his species here this year (not only curatorial duties to other very parrots, but cranes, owls, touracos, capable Paradise Park staff. I will be pheasants, woodpeckers, hoopoes, spending a couple of months in the penguins, ibis etc. etc.), and we're United States, where I will hope to busy building new facilities for next be helpful to Cynthia Webb at our year. USoffice. Best wishes to all. Lear's Macaw Finally, you will see elsewhere in Anodorhynchus leari these pages that Rosemary Low has "'om" Origi,,' P,i,"" by D"id jOOM'O'. Lim",d""'o,No. returned to live in the UK.

David johnston's Lear's Macaw painting. A print for £38, or the original for £3,500. ALL receiptsgo direct towards buying a 4WDvehicle.

to Mary Statz of Texas, who raised Brazilian team during the critical $350whilestudying,and Ethel nesting period. To remind readers, Harris in Australia who keeps on we have previously reported that in selling our T-shirts and has just recent years virtually ALLthe sent in details of five new members. fledglings of this species have been Around the world we have at least stolen by poachers. 100 members who keep working Following the success of our away for the Trust, for no financial fourth 'Parrot Bus' in Paraguay, we reward whatsoever. Above all, the are now discussing similar projects members who run our national in two new countries. We won't say branches must be applauded for which countries until we're sure the their efforts; these people are all funding is available. true friends of the parrots. Because so many individual pet Enough about raising funds - parrot owners ask us to help house time to mention some current their birds, or make arrangements projects. First, we have just renewed for them to be kept in a safe and our annual commitment towards reliable manner after their owners' the Echo Parakeet in Mauritius. We death, we are planning to build a have increased our funding to 'Parrot Sanctuary' on land to be £8000 and will send our trustee and leased to the Trust for a nominal consultant Andrew Greenwood to sum by Paradise Park. We are advise, once again, on veterinary currently drawing up plans for this aspects of the in situ breeding facility and here again, are seeking programme. This season's breeding potential financial supporters. Any is going well, with a seventh wild ideas from members would be pair having been located and 5 welcome. So far we have not done chicks being reared under Iling- as much as we would like for the necked parakeet foster parents in welfare of pet parrots, although this the aviaries. is a clearly stated objective of the Together with Dresden Zoo and Trust. It seems that the protection 'Fonds fur Bedrothe Papageien' we of parrots in the wild always are continuing to fund the essential demands priority, because so many work in Brazil to protect the nests species are in a critical condition. of the Red-tailed Amazon Amazona It's time, however, for WPTto brasiliensis.To add to the effort, we raise funding specifically for welfare are sending Joline Lalime, an expenditure. This will include Australian biologist currently educational booklets for new pet working at Dresden Zoo, to help the parrot owners, posters for pet Free-flying ScarletMacaws,waiting to meetyou at ParadisePark.

9 TUEECOLOGYANDCONSERVATIONOF PARROTSINTUE BRAZILIANATLANTIC FORESTByMarioGaletti(WildlifeResearchGroup,Dept. of Anatomy,Universityof Cambridge,UK).

The Brazilian Atlantic forest once and the Blue-bellied Parrot forest canopy.They are rarely At Intervales,poaching and covered 1 million square Trie/aria malachitacea. Two other captured in mist-nets and I believe trappers do not occur, mainly kilometres when the first species also occur in the area but that this is the main reason why because of good patrolling in the Europeans arrived in 1500. Today are extremely rare, Amazona there are so few publications about reserve. However, the state less than 5%of this forest remains, vinacea and Touit melanonota. the ecology of parrots in the government was forced to sack half mostly in small fragments. This Almost nothing was known about Neotropics, since they are the most of the forestry guards due to the forest holds a diversity of endemic the ecology of these parrot species abundant birds in this area. It is bad economic situation. Now parrots, including the Red-tailed until, together with two Brazilian surprising that even for common poachers and palmiteiros (people Amazon Amazona brasiliensis, Red- ornithologists (Marco A. Pizo and L parrots, such as the Plain Parakeet who harvest palm heart) are free to browed Parrot Amazona Simao) from the State University of of the Blue-winged parrotlet, enter Intervales. The "palmito" rhodocorytha, Blue-bellied Parrot Campinas, I started a long-term information about their ecology pahn fruit are an important food Tne/aria malachitacea and the study in 1989. In fact, only the and distribution are mainly source for parrots and another 20 Ochre-marked Parakeet Pyrrhura Scaly-headed parrot has been anecdotal. At Intervales our daily fruit-eating birds during the winter. cruentata. studied by myself in a dry routine starts at dawn, when we try Also the impact of parrot trappers Nowadays there are few large semidecidous forest, where the diet to locate the first parrot flocks on the populations can extirpate and well-protected reserves in the of this parrot was composed leaving the night roosts. The first some species in a few years (see Atlantic forest in which parrots can mainly by leguminous seeds and species to begin daily activity is the PsittaScene August 1994 on be studied in the wild. One of these flowers. Blue-bellied parrot, one of the most Amazona brasiliensis).Aswell forest is Fazenda Intervales (now Leguminous fruits are not so unknown and secretive species in addressed by Dr Charles Munn (see Intervales State Park) a splendid common in the Atlantic forest and the wholeAtlantic forest. This PsittaScene of May 1995), the first reserve covered by 490 km2 of the dominant families are parrot flies through the parrots to disappear (by poaching) luxuriant forest located 4 hours Lauraceae (avocado family), understorey vegetation, swooping are macaws, followed by Amazon drive from Sao Paulo city. In this Rubiaceae and Myrtaceae (guava between the trees like bats. They parrots. We are concerned that reserve occurs about 350 bird family). We were interested mainly live in small flocks, up to 5 birds, after the extinction of these large species, a diversity higher than in in the feeding behaviour and flock and the Blue-bellied parrot is species in the Atlantic forest, the many localities in Amazon forest. size seasonality. Financial support almost silent and has a flute-like illegal poaching starts to look for Six parrots can be observed was providedby ICBP-PACS song similar to a thrush instead of other exotic parrots, such as the frequently at Intervales: the Program,World Wildlife Fund, a parrot. Blue-bellied parrot. Reddish-bellied Parakeet Pyrrhura Wildlife Conservation Society, and The Red-capped Parrot was Although the Atlantic forest has received much attention and frontalis, Plain Parakeet Brotogens Fundai;ao 0 Boticario. observed perched or eating just tinea, Blue-winged Parrotlet Forpus To study parrots in the wild is twice (both observations eating support from the international xanthopterygius, Scaly-headed very difficult and time consuming Solanum fruits) and certainlyit is media and NGO's, it seems that it Parrot PiGnusmaximiliani, Red- because they are well camouflaged the most difficult species to study, has not been enough yet to capped Parrot Pionopsitta pi/rata among the vegetation and live in not only because they are scarce, preserve its biodiversity for future but also because they fly very high generations. More than creating and may use a huge area to locate new reserves, it is also necessary to food. The Blue-winged Parrotlet is protect the already established observed mainly in the edge or ones. Most reserves are secondary vegetation and lives in understaffed and poorly equipped. small flocks up to 15 parrots. Now the second step for the We observed the parrots eating conservation of the Atlantic forest flowers, fruits and leaves of 40 is to find resources to maintain the plant species at Intervales. All protection of these reserves. parrot species are mainly seed It is essential to have monetary predators, but they also include help from national and some amount of flowers (usl/ally international environmental rich in nectar) in their diet. The agencies to protect not only plants most used by them' were the Intervales, but all reserves in the Cecropia spp., figs Ficusspp., the whole Atlanticforest. palmito Euterpe edulis and some If you want to help the Myrtaceae species. It is important protection of Fazenda Intervales, to emphasise that parrots eat many please write to Fundai;ao Florestal, flower species and this item is Av. Miguel Stefano, 3900,04301- usually neglected by aviculturists 903, Sao Paulo, SP.,Brazil. in caged birds. It is well known that This article was based on Australian parrots eat flowers information on: (nectar) and it seems that Galetti, M. 1993. Diet of the Neotropical parrots also need Scaly-headed PiGnusmaximiliani in essential amino acids or nutrients a semideciduous forest in south found mainly in flowers. eastern Brazil. Biotropiea 25: 419- Breeding season occurs from 425. September to December but we Pizo, MA Simao,Land M. failed to find nests, because the Galetti (in press). Diet and flock large amount of epiphytes covering size of sympatric parrots in the the trees makes them extremely Atlantic forest of Brazil. difficult to find. Ornitologia Neotropical. Blue-belliedParrotTrie/ariamalachitacea. Photo:Rosemary Low

10 STATUSANDDISTRIBUTIONOFTUE BLACK-CUEEKEDLOVEBIKD

ByTimDodman of low lying valleys of southern Africa. Mature mopane trees Wewere,by all accounts, an provide roosting and breeding unusual team. I, by virtue of getting holes for lovebirds, and actively everyonetogether, was leader and suppress perennial grasses, thus therefore assignedstrategic allowing annuals to proliferate. decisions, such as how much curry These produce large quantities of powder to add to the kapenta seeds which are an important (cardboard fish). Vincent component of the lovevird's diet. The first lovebirds we saw came Katanekwa, Acting Director of Livingstone Museum shunned a to drink at a small pool on the mountain of paperwork to Ngwezi River. Like many seasonal disappear into the bush, bringing rivers, the Ngwezi is reduced to a with him Aaron Muchindu series of pools in the dry season. (Ornithological Research Assistant) However, there has been a definite and a vehicle. Vincent possessed decrease in dry season availability the usual skillof being able to turn of water in the last few decades, dried kapenta into a delicacy, mirrored by the pattern of whilst Aaron beat the nshima decreasing rainfall. Earlier this (maize meal) like a skilled oarsman century the Ngwezi used to flow all paddling through mud. Joseph year ronnd according to older Bowa, National Parks and Wildlife villagers. Now people have to dig wells in the riverbed to obtain Service (NPWS)Biologist, watched such proceedings from the veranda water in the dry season. A similar pattern has affected other rivers. of his 15 man collapsible palace; Black-cheekedLovebird. Photo: Rosemary Low and Bob Stjernstedt, master of The majority of lovebird sightings Zambian bird noise and broken during the rest of the surveywere Tanganyika jacks, informed us, around water sources, especially at were exceptions, notably when the recorded in two months, with an whilst crudely chopping bulbs of riverbeds. Like people, lovebirds whole village of Bombwe appeared estimated population of 10,000. garlic, of the respective merits of need a regular, probably daily, completely drunk, yet insistent on Mopane woodland does not being bitten by different life stages supply of water. A. nigrigenis used offering a series of garbled support a diverse avifauna, and of tsetse fly. Dylan Aspinwall, to occur more widely, with reliable opinions. Many older people gave other habitats in south-west Chairman of the Zambian past records from the Bovu and intriguing acconnts from the 1920s Zambia are better represented Ornithological Society (ZOS),also Sinde catchments and mopane and 1930s, often with astonishing elsewhere, so any Important Bird provided an able assistant - Shati woodland east of Livingstone. consistency, such as the price of 1 Area should be defined specifically Sakala, the necessary wheels, and Although serious trading activities shilling and 6 pence (old UK for the Black-cheeked lovebird. about seven different pickles to have occurred in the past, it is dry currency) they received for selling The survey was enormous fun season desiccation due to climatic accompany a cold nshima one lovebird. Headman Magumwi, and a great success, especially in breakfast. Mwape Sichilongo, change that has had a more lasting whose area supported the highest the close collaboration fostered Executive Director of the Wildlife impact on its status and lovebird population density, between participating distribution. Conservation Society of Zambia reported that lovebird numbers organisations. This in-country (WCSZ)left us on the infamous The Black-cheeked Lovebird was were much lower now than in the approach to survey work can be Mulobezi Sawmills train, which a common target for trapping past, attributing their decline to the efficient and extremely cost- miraculously failed to derail. earlier this century. Older villagers wide reduction in sorghum and effective and is an excellent way to Teamwork is all important when remembered the trade well, which millet in favour of maize, especially encourage active national offered a welcomeincome for a you spend a couple of months in the 1950s. He told of raised enthusiasm in (bird) conservation. together in the bush. Although bird widelyregarded as a pest of platforms in grain fields where It is hoped that further joint team numbers and personnel sorghum and millet crops. The people would be stationed to set ventures will take place. fluctuated somewhat during the Mulobezi Sawmills railway was an off bells in parts of the field where Acknowledgements survey the aim remained the same: important route for the trade, and crop-raiding birds were present, by to crackthe GreatAgapornis the 16,000trapped in four weeks pulling on long strips of connected This survey was funded by the Mystery in south-west Zambia. in 1929 reported by Moreau are a sticks. Royal Society for the Protection of The Black-cheeked Lovebird good indication of its scale. Several As we moved through the Birds as part of BirdLife International's IBA-Africa Agapornis nigrigensis is an villagers reported that the train survey area,we quicklybecame drivers themselveswere the main endangered species and Africa's adept at recognising prime lovebird Programme. Participating most localised parrot. It is a buyers, whilst others remembered habitat. The most profitable organisations in Zambia were beautiful bird, with dark brown a white hunter who paid for cages method for getting an idea of National Museums, NPWS,WCSZ of birds to be carried 200 km to andZOS. head contrasting with bright red population size was by conducting beak and comical white eye ring. It Kalomo. Nowadays, trapping is early morning pool watches, when References is sometimes considered only reallycarried out for local all lovebird arrivals and departures 1. Collar, N.]., Crosby, M.]. and conspecific with Lilian's Lovebird consumption, mostly in at pools were recorded between Stattersfield, A]. 1994.Birds to A. lilianae, whichoccurs further opportunistic non-specific wire or 05.30 hrs and 07.00 hrs, with their hair snares set around water Watch2: the world list of east. The two species are separated associated direction. In this way, a by a block of nnsuitable miombo sources and grain heaps. good picturewasobtainedof threatenedbirds.Cambridge: Over 350 interviews were BirdLife International. Brachystegiawoodland alongthe relative population density in the 2. Moreau, RE. 1948. Aspect of Zambezi Escarpment. Both inhabit conducted, and formed an area and the distribution of roost evolution in the parrot mopane Colophosperrnummopane important part of the survey. Most or breeding sites. Altogether 2,127 woodland, which is a characteristic results were reliable, though there Black-cheeked Lovebirds were Agapornis. Ibis 90: 206-239.

11 INTERNATIONAL ~ l NEWSROUND-UPt

BBNELUX BOLIVIA watching the macawsflyis so pressed to fight an illegal trade incredible - almost beyond words... whose global value the World Wildlife Fund estimates at $20 WPTBenelux at Pakara meeting Last year Gran Canaria - Today the director of Eco Bolivia, Rosamaria Ruiz took us on a hike OnOctober14and15,Pakara this year Bolivia billion a year. Interpol says the animal trade is the world's second stageditssecondconvention.This Laura Neufeld, former aviary to the top of the cliffwhich I watch is a Dutchorganisationwhose manager for John Doolein from the bottom every day. I sat in largest illegal business after drug the trees and below and above me membersaredevotedtobreeding Winnipeg, spent two months last trafficking. thetrueparrots(ie,mainly surmner in Gran Canaria. There were the three species mentioned. Interpol agents point out that Amazons,Pionus,Cockatoosand she assisted Rosemary Low at It was so exhilarating to watch with USdemand for illegalreptiles Macaws).Inconjunctionwith Palmitos Park in hand-rearing such them! The Green-wings are so and reptile parts worth an beautiful; their colours never cease speakerswhocoveredvarious rare species as Pesquet's Parrot estimated $1billion a year, it is subjects,butespeciallylegislation and Pretre's Amazons. In to amaze me. Quite a few Severes impossible to stop the illegal whichaffectsaviculturists,there September she entered university, were coming over to look at us and export of iguanas and caimans. wasashowof owner-bredbirds. with the eventual aim of a degree chattering. Next location will be The scarlet macaw,which can be further south, where I will be Thesewerestagedinattractive in zoology. Early this year she met bought for $1.20 in the Colombian aviaries,eachofwhichcontained Charlie Munn at a convention - observing Blue-throated Macaws". jungle, will sometimes bring anentry(apair,a singlebird or with an exciting outcome. She How fortunate are today's $2,000 in a US pet store. evenagroup)from oneexhibitor. spent two months in Boliviaduring young people who have such Wildlife experts say that In this areaWPTBeneluxhadan the surmner, helping Charles opportunities to assist in the Chinese, Japanese, Sicilian and attractivestand,mannedbyTineke Munn's researchers. conservation of endangered Russian gangsters are also heavily andDrits ViltersandPierre Her enviable task was that of species! Laurel is certainly one who involved in the wildlife trade. The Claassens.HeretheysoldT-shirts, studying the activities of macaws deserved such an experience and Cali drug cartel also participates, videosandgreetingcards,made at their nests including the Blue- whose enthusiasm, help and using regional fishing fleets to - observations will benefit the newmembersandeducated throated MacawAm glaucogularis! smuggle both drugs and animals visitorsabouttheworkof the In June she wrote as follows from project. through the Caribbean to the Trust.Anattractivedisplay an Eco Bolivia camp in United States and Europe. illustratedvariousprojectswhich Caquiahuara, situated in the COLOMBIA "Police agencies around the theTrusthasfunded.Wewould forest. world are facing the fact that the drug smuggling goes hand-in-hand like to thankthesethree "The people here are wonderful. COLOMBIA'SWIWUFE HAS BEEN with wildlife smuggling and vice enthusiasticmembersfor There are seven men who spend DEVASTATED BYSMUGGUNG OF versa," said Craig Van Note, the promotingWPTBeneluxsowell. their days going through the area ENDANGEREDSPECIES.NOW Onthefirst eveningasmall on the trails, watching for, among executive vice president of DRUG TRAFFICKERSHAVI Monitor, an international auctionwasheld(appropriately other things, hunters and ENTEREDTHELUCRATIVE enough,aDutchauction!).The woodcutters. A group of 18 were ecological association. TRADE. Penalties are generally lax here proceedsweredividedbetween caught and the navy was brought Last month, Colombian wildlife severalorganisationsandwethank in to remove them. for drug offenses and they are officials raided a marketplace in practically non-existent for animal theorganisersforgivingDF302to I spend most of my days at the Girardot, three hours to the south theWorldParrotTrust.Inaddition, bottom of the cliff where Green- trafficking. No Colombian has ever of the capital, arriving in a served the mandated six-month to WitteMolen,a Dutchbird food winged and Severe Macaws and motorcade, sealing off the area and three-year sentence for the crime. company,generouslydonated White-eyed Conures nest. I spend swooping up the captives: DF250ofits proceedsfromthe hours observing and taking notes. "According to Interpol monkeys, songbirds and raptors, statistics, crackdowns on drugs in meetingtoWPT, a gesturewhich We have found quite a bit of dozens of endangered animals. wasgreatlyappreciated. competition for nest sites. Just producer nations have encouraged "It was a perfect operation," drug traffickers to put their money said one official, exulting in having into animal smuggling, where prevented the sale and possible controls are looser and penalties slaughter of the protected species. much less severe," said Manuel Raiders recovered more than Burgos, the director of the National 32,000 illegallysold animals last Institute of Wildlife Resources. year in lightning operations Colombia's 70-year old animal reminiscent of Colombia's more smuggling business has publicised raids on traffickers of traditionally consisted of informal cocaine and heroine. networks. In the vast Amazon and But they could not prevent Choco jungles, in the densely smugglers from moving tens of wooded eastern plains and on the thousands of other endangered largely unguarded Pacific and animals to the United States and Caribbean coasts, impoverished Europe as pets or skins or, in some families have been supplementing cases, aphrodisiacs and folk cures. their incomes for generations Colombia's fauna has been selling macaws, lizards and devastated as a result. Native monkeys. monkeys, birds and reptiles such The United States, with only a as the bare-faced tamarin, the few hundred customs agents toucan barbet and the Magdalena assigned to monitor the animal caiman are in danger of extinction. trade at airports, is ill-prepared. The country's 1,600 species of Inspectors miss an estimated 90% birds are in steady decline. Wildlife to 95% of animal shipments authorities say they are hard- Tinekeand Drits Viltersran a very successfulWPTstand at PAKARA. arriving at John F Kennedy

12 International Airport in New York, aims and objectives are very organisation has no hesitation in according to Myles Frechette, the similar to those of the World committing funds to its US ambassador in Colombia. Parrot Trust, and they have achievement. A vast internal market independently funded a number of We are very pleased to have complicates the situation. important parrot conservation this funding to add to the $5000 Colombians delight in collecting projects around the world. already pledged by WPT. We now native parrots, tortoises and Their chairman, Stefan Luft, has have $9000, with a further $21000 monkeys as pets. The late Medellin written to say it is vital for there to to be found. Further pledges will cocaine boss Pablo Escobar bought be a Parrot Action Plan, and their be most welcome. and smuggledmore than 1,900 animals and imported rhinos and kangaroos for his private zoo. Superstitions and folk cures abound. In Bogota, a small group of urbanised Indians sells feathers and teeth from exotic species as charms. "1* = InternationalStudbook "R* = U.K.Regional Studbook "ESB* =European Studbook On the coast, hundreds of 'HP* = EuropeanBreeding Programme iguanas die each year when locals extract eggs from the females. BLACK CHEEKEDLOVEBIRD GOLDENCONURE Eggs of endangered marine Massena'sParrot, Plonusseniloides. (Agapornis nigrigensis)"R" (Aratinga guarouba) *R* tortoises also are eaten and said to Ann Williams, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Bengt Hoist, Copenhagen Zoo, have aphrodisiac qualities. Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA Sdr.Fasanvej 79, DK-2000 The Colombian government, this first occasion, counts will aim United Kingdom Frederiksberg, Demnark. desperate to stop the destruction, to establish the relative abundance BLUE-EYEDCOCKATOO HYAClNTHINEMACAW licensed about 150 animal of the species at this time, (Cacatua ophthalmica) *R" (Anodorhynchushyacinthinus)*R* nurseries during the last 10 years. recording frequency of observation PALM COCKATOO ColinBath,PaigntonZoological& It allowed entrepreneurs to and maximum and minimum (Proboscigeraterrimus) EEP" Botanical Gardens, Totnes Road, numbers of individuals. Areas of "borrow" iguanas, caimans, boas Dr. RogerWilkinson, Chester Zoo, Paignton, Devon, United Kingdom. and other animals from the distribution will be mapped. Upton-by-Chester,Cheshire. CH2 lLH HYACINTHINE MACAW environment, raise them in Comparisons will be made in UnitedKingdom . (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) *EEP" captivity and then exploit the future years. Massena's Parrot will BLUE-STREAKED LORY RED TAILED AMAZON second or third generation be surveyed along both sides of (Eosreticulata) "R" (Amazona brasiliensis) *EEP* the Ecuadorian Andes. It also commercially. The idea is to allow GOLDENCONURE Dr. Herbert Lucker, Zoologischer occurs in the Andes of Venezuela, a sustainable use of the animal (Aratinga guarouba) "R* Garten Dresden,Tiergartenstrasse 1 Colombia and Peru. population. clo The Parrot Society,108bFenlake D-8020 Dresden, Germany. This Pionusis believed to be But officials seem to agree that Road, Bedford. MK42 OEUUnited KEA (Nestor notabilis) *EEP" &*R* the best solution is to somehow declining due to habitat Kingdom. Duncan Bolton, Bristol Zoo Gardens, reduce the insatiable and ever- destruction and could be the most BLUE THROATED CONURE Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA endangered member of the genus. . increasing demand in the United (Pyrrhura cruentata) "R" United Kingdom It is extremely rare in aviculture. States, Europe and Asia. MOLUCCAN COCKATOO The bird depicted is at Loro Stephen Standley, Blackpool Zoo, East Park Drive, Blackpool, (Cacatua moluccensis) '[EP" D E NMAKK Parque, Tenerife, where I was Lancashire FY3 8PP. United Kingdom. partly responsible for hand-rearing David Field, Royal Zoological Society BLUE THROATED MACAW of Scotland, Murrayfield, Edinburgh the youngster which was reared WPT'SDanish founders off to EHl2 6TS Scotland, United Kingdom. there in 1988. Another breeding (Ara glaucogularis) *EEP* Peru MOUNT APO LORlKEET success has occurred since then, RED-VENTED COCKATOO Line Wadum and Michael Iversen, (Trichoglossus johnstoniae) *ESB* but the species has not proved (Cacatua haematuropygia) *EEP* who founded WPT Denmark three RED CROWNED AMAZON easy to breed. I have a long Marc Boussekey, Espace Zoologique, years ago and have won over 200 association with this, my favourite (Amazona rhodocorytha) *EEP* S1. Martin-Ia-Plaine members for us in Scandinavia, are Pionus.It dates back to 1969 when RED & BLUE LORlKEET 42800 Rive de Gier, France. currently spending three months ( histrio) *ESE" I bought a female Massena's for MEXICAN MILITARY MACAW in Peru, helping the work at the the sum of £13 from a trade stand Roger Sweeney, Loro Parque, Puerto (Ara militaris mexicana) *ESB* de la Cruz, Tenerife. Tambopata Research Station where at the National Exhibition! In those Stephen Vansteenkiste, Antwerp Zoo, Charlie Munn has been responsible BUFFON'S MACAW Koningin Astridplein 26, for a number of conservation days interest in South American parrots was almost nil! (Ara ambigua) "EEP" 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium. initiatives. They may also spend Massena's Parrot is now Martina Miiller, Vogelpark Walsrode, SCARlET MACAW (Ara macao) *R" some time in Bolivia. Am Rieselbach, D-29664 Walsrode, considered to be a sub-species of Cbris Gough, Dudley Zoo, 2 The We will look forward to a full Germany. the also little-known Plum- Broadway, Dudley DYl 4QB. report from them on their return. crowned Pionus P. turnultuosus. CITRON-CRESTEDCOCKATOO United Kingdom However, treating them as separate (Cacatuasulphurea THICK-BILLED PARROT citrinocristata) EEP* ECUADOR species may be important for their (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) *R* GOFFIN'SCOCKATOO future conservation. - ROSEMARY David Jeggo, Massena's Parrot LOW. (Cacatuagoffini) "R" Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust Les After nearly two years of appeals RED-FRONTEDMACAW Augres Manor, Trinity, Jersey, for donations, the Pionus Breeders (Ara rubrogenys)"EEP* Chaunel Islands. GERMANY David Woolcock, ParadisePark, Association (in the USA)has raised For all Amazon Studbooks contact: Hayle, Cornwall. TR27 4HY United enough funds for an important The Amazona Society study. The little-known Massena's IPFprovide funding for the new Kingdom Parrot Action Plan clo Mrs J. B. Perry, Ways Green House, or (inaccurately) White-headed CUBANAMAZON Queensway, Winsford, Cheshire. Pionus Planusseni/oidesis to be Wewere delighted to receive a firm (Amazona leucocephala) CW7 IBH United Kingdom. studied in Ecuador. Ana C. Sosa de commitment of $4000 from the GREENCHEEKEDAMAZON INSTITUT FuR For other Lory Studbooks contact: Asanza was due to spend a month (Amazona viridigenalis) "EEP" Trevor Buckell 01980 622573 in Ecuador in June. Her aim during PAPAGEIENFORSCHUNG of LILAClNEAMAZON this period was to obtain Germany, towards our target of (Amazona autumnalis lilacina) *R" & For all Poicephalus Studbooks contact: information on its numbers, $30000 to cover the cost of *EEP* Ken Maddock distribution and social behaviour! producing the New Parrot Action Mark Pilgrim, Chester Zoo, clo Poicephalus Section, The Parrot It probably has not been studied in Plan. Upton by Chester, Cheshire. Society, 43 Churchill Drive, Tarporley, Ecuador since 1926.The intention This institute was formed in CH2 lLH United Kingdom Cheshire. CW6 OBZ United Kingdom. of the PBAis a long-term study. On 1988 and has 400 members. Its

13 MESSAGE FROM TUE mail: [email protected]) or We are hoping that there will be no EDITOR through the World Parrot Trust. delays and that they will be ready to put this year's fledglings into. Wehave started a release of After 81/2 years in the Canary MAURITIAN WILDLIFE Islands, first as curator at Loro FUND REPORT ring-neck parakeets into native Parque, then at Palmitos Park, I forest. We are doing this as a have returned to the OKto live. model for an eventual release of From Kirsty Swinnerton This is the result of a decision to Echo parakeets. The 8 birds we are drastically reduce the breeding Dear Mike using were hand-reared last year. programme at Palmitos Park. I was There follows a brief report by the Later this season, we will be very sad to leave the wonderful Echo parakeet team for September. carrying out a second release using birds I worked with there. However, The season has got off to a good fledgling ring-neck parakeets and my move back to England means start. We have located 5 nests with compare results with the release of that I will be able to devote more eggs so far. One pair (who bred last the older birds. We are developing time to the World Parrot Trust, year) seem to have divorced and the release techniques for these especially with regard to editing the male has been seen with a new birds and addressing any problems PsittaScene. I hope that you will female so we are unsure at the that may arise. Ring-neck parakeets write to me with your comments moment how that will progress. So are already well established in Mauritius. All our birds were on and suggestions for this far we have harvested eggs from publication. Please let me have two pairs (and left them to recycle screened for disease by Andrew your views on content and in the wild) and three chicks have prior to release but we are aiming presentation, either via the Trust or already hatched in captivity from to retrap the birds once we have finished this exercise. to me at PO Box 100, Mansfield, one of these clutches. The chicks Notts NG20 9NZ, England. are now about 5 days old and are We will keep you in touch with Incidentally, contrary to doing well. In addition, the parrot the work as the season progresses. rumours which have been team has located a new pair Best wishes circulating, I will not be employed (number 7) in the wild at Bel Kirsty by any bird park. I intend to fill my Ombre (a mid-level forest area time by writing and looking after within the National Park but quite a LETTER TO TUE EDITOR my own small collection of birds. long way from the main nesting Rosemary Low area). The pair were investigating a Dear Ms Low cavity there, but as yet have not settled down. I want to congratulate you on the recent issue of PsittaScene Vol 7 no LOVEBIRDS Our eight captive birds continue 2. While all issues are excellent, to do well. The breeding pair has Lovebirds rank only after not laid eggs yet but we are still this one was especially valuable budgerigars and cockatiels as the hoping she will. The building of a with its emphasis on parrot conservation. In future issues, most popular pet birds in the new extension to the present aviary world. In spite of this, compound in Black River has just could you please indicate precise comparatively little is known of begun and we are told should be mailing address for donations to their lives in the wild. Of the eight organisations such as ARCASin completed by early February 1996. Guatemala? species of lovebird, three (the This is being constructed under the Peach-faced, Masked and Fischer's) Black River National Park I was delighted to finally see a story on CapeParrots. I have a are common in aviaries while the development and includes up to 15 remainder are much less prevalent. new aviaries for Echo parakeets. Cape x Jardine's cross, bred by The Black-cheeked Lovebird is an someone else. She is an incredible endangered species, while the bird and I am delighted to read of Swindern's Lovebird has never even your love of Capes. She's very been kept successfully in captivity, bright and active with an endearing let alone bred. personality. She loves to whistle, To fillthe gaps in our makes clicking sounds and talks a knowledge of these delightful little little, what a little imp! However, I parrots, the World Parrot Trust will was disappointed that allpictures I launch Project Lovebird in 1996. To have seen of Capes, including be administered by Leslie Reissner yours, make the hens look drab! The forehead and crown is a and Linda Anderson in Canada, with the assistance of the Canadian stunning bright, deep orange and World Parrot Trust, the Project most spectacular. Her underparts intends to underwrite field are a luminescent emerald which is research in Africa and provide a truly beautiful. better understanding of the She is very tame and situation of lovebirds in the wild. affectionate. Apparently her Project Lovebird will be in several original owner took her to phases, with the ultimate goal of hospitals and nursing homes to assisting local authorities in the cheer up the patients. conservation of lovebirds. Lastly, I want to thank you and Project Lovebird will be funded your colleagues at WPTfor all you separately from other Trust do for parrots. In recent years my projects and will be a way for life has been greatly enriched by keepers and breeders of lovebirds these endearing birds. They merit to become involved in international everything we can possibly do for MaleEcho Parakeet, Black River Gorges, them! Thanks! parrot conservation. Mauritius, Nov. 1994 Project Lovebird may be reached Photo: rim Lovegrove (who also supplied STEWARTMETZ,M.D. directly at 160 Dunbarton Court, the shot of a pair of Echo Parakeets on Madison Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1K4L6 (e- page 16 of the August 1995 Psittascene). Wisconsin53719

14 StVincent Parrot Hyacinth Macaw Amazona guilding;; Anodorhynchus In 1993 the Trust sent the hyacinthinus third of its Caribbean The World Parrot Trust 'parrot buses' to St Vincent. has funded biological It has also funded a report studies of this species by by Andrew Greenwood Dr. Charles Mbnn and his MRCVSinto the breeding Brazilian colleagues. programme in the Further field work is now government aviaries on St under way, and our Vincent, and the improvements and avicultural HYACINTHFUNDneeds help. support which will follow.

Echo Parakeet Psittacula echo Red-tailed Black Cockatoo TheWorldParrot Calyptorhynchus Trustis in banks;; graptogyne partnership with The Trust has a Jersey Wildlife Preservation sixyear Trust in a commitment to longterm Red-tailed Amazon this programme programme to Amazona brasiliensis to help preserve save this an endangered Only 1,000birds remain and parakeet, which sub-species of is the world's many chicks are taken from this cockatoo in nests for the pet trade. We are Victoria and rarest parrot working with the Brazilian with only about South Australia. biologists, Dresden Zoo and 30 remaining. ZGAPto protect them. PLEASEGETIN TOUCHIF YOU WOULDLIKE TO HELPTHE SURVIVALOFANY OFTHESEBIRDS. AIMSOFTUBWORLDPARROTTRUST Theobjectiveofthetrustis to promotethesurvivalofall parrotspeciesandthewelfareofindividualbirds. 1. By educating the general public on the threat to parrot survival, 5. By encouraging co-operation in the breeding of parrots by and seeking their interest, concern and support. aviculturists and zoological institutions and better liaison between 2. By action to protect and preserve the natural habitats of the captive breeding community and conservation bodies, with the parrots. aim of creating self-sustaining populations of endangered species. 3. By gathering and disseminating information on the status of 6. Bypromoting high standards in the keeping of parrots as pets. parrot populations in the wild and in captivity. 7. By encouraging research projects, Le. the veterinary care of 4. Byadvocating effective controls on the international trade in parrots and the preservation of genetic diversity. wild-caught parrots, and its replacement by captive-bred birds. 8. By any other means that may be appropriate.

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Members receive our quarterly : newsletter PsittaScene with news I UELP SAVE TUE PARROTS OF TUE WORLD I about parrot conservation, I Pleasejoin the Trust, or encouragefriends to join. aviculture and welfare. I I SUBSCRIPTIONRATES(pleasetick) Name." " ".." ".."."."."". I Please send your completed form to: I UNITED KINGDOM I I D UK and Europe(Single)£15 Address...... World Parrot Trust, Glanmor House, I ...... Hayle. Cornwall TR27 4HY I I UNITED STATESOFAMERICA I D UKandEurope(Family) £20 ...... I POBox 341141, Memphis, Teuuessee I 38184, U.SA I Zip/Postcode...... I CANADA I Fellow(LifeMember)£250/US$400 PleasechargemyAccess/VisaAcc/No. Mike Pearson, POBox 29,Mount Hope, Ontario LOR IWO, Canada. I D I BENELUX I Corporate(Annual) I 0000000000000000 Mrs. J Fiege. Graafseweg 37, 54 51 NA-MIU Netherlands. I I ...... FRANCE D All OverseasAirmail£17/US$25 Exp date Amount£/US$ I (paymentby AccessjVisapreferred) .' M et Mme Prin, 55 Rue de la Fassiere, 45140 Ingre, France. I I Signature...... DENMARK I I MIversen,Alsikemarken48 2860Soborg,Denmark. I Additionaldonationof £/US$ OR:I enclosechequepayableto the WPT. I D ITALY I FreddieVirili,viaMatarusw.lO,33100NlMUS(UDlNE)Italy : I heard about the WorldParrot Trust from """"." " """ " " " """""." "".""" """ " " ""." ""." """ """".""""." I I I 15 I I I PARROTSIN TUB WILD

RED.VENTEDCOCKATOO Cacatua haematuropygia BriefreportfromMarcBoussekey,EEP Coordinatorforthisspecies:- In theSummerof 1995I wasable,onceagain,tovisit PalawaninThePhilippines,andfoundthat thereis hope of savingpopulationsof theRed-ventedCockatoo. In thefield morethan 100birdswereobservedinfour locations,carryingout different activities:twoflocks werefeeding,oneonwild seedsandthe otherona cornfield, anotherflockwasroostingatnight,andyet anotherwasseenforagingin themangrove.Thesepopulationsareno longerdisturbedby the localpeople. Regardingcockatoosseenin captivity,the colonyatAntoniodeDios'sfacility is breedingwellwith 26hatched thisyear.Thelocaltradeis slowlygoingdown,with only threebirds seenfor saleandsomeprivatepet owners arereadyto cooperate. OurPhilippinepartners,mainlyPriscillaAdrianoandArt Palatino,arereallyactiveonPalawan,Theyrun a weeklybroadcastprogrammeandhaveorganisedanefficientlocalnetworkof informantsandprotectors:thisis calledthe 'SagipKatalaMovement',or'SavetheCockatoos'. Threeprojectsareplannedfor 1996onPalawan.First,to protectknownnestingplaces.Second,tobuild an aviaryandquarantinefacilityfor confiscatedcockatoos.Third,to testfor the occurrenceofPBFDinthewild population.Toachievetheseaimsmorefundsarestill needed-seeourreport onpage7 of this issue. Photoof tamebut free-flyingRed-ventedCockatooonPalawanby]. Saint-PieandMarcBoussekey. We intend to continue this series of 'Parrots in the Wild', and would welcome suitable photographs from readers.

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