Finding Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus Hyacinthinus in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil

COTINGA 10 Finding Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil

M. J. Whittingham, A. F. Brown, A. Drewitt and S. Rees

One of the most sought-after species by ornitholo Pocon ~ ~~~~ O Q !Capped Heron! gists visiting South America is Hyacinth Macaw kmO gate Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus. Formerly much more km0.5 O !Jabins (200!1 co mmon and widespread, the cagebird trade has g Hyacinth Macaws decimated the population and it appears likely that roosting in trees km41.5 track PANTANAL many more are now in captivity than occur in the 1 wi ld • The species is in danger of extinction and is 1 classified as threatened (Vulnerable/Rare) • km46 White Woodpecker Red-billed SCythebill In 1996, we visited the Pantanal in Mato Grosso, Rusty-collared Seedeater Brazil, from 1- 6 September. This vast wetland sup Xenopsaris ports a wide variety of spectacular and rare species, trail to and one of our main aims was to find Hyacinth Boat-bllled Heron Macaws. We concentrated our search almost en roost {overgrown) km 53 Boat-billed Heron 0 ------tirely along the Transpantaneira, the road running roo sting in tree Mato Grosso Antvird Green-backed Becard Rusty-backed Antwren virtually due south from Pocone to Porto Jofre. We km59 ------·trail into only left the road on two occasions for short walks, dry woodland ~

km98 Bare-faced Curassow Chestnut-bellied Guan

km 116.5 open marshy lbama• grassland Station

km 123 r-;;J (No 113 km 128 Virtj'g

km 129.5 ~K No 120 Buff-neck Ibis Hotel Santa Pale-legged Rosa Hornero Toco Toucan • Pale-ctested palms Woodpecker

km 134.5

Fig ure I. Sketch map of the T ranspantaneira

each of less than two hours in duration, into the adjoining ranching/swampland area. Our most in teresting observations are shown in Fig. 1. Hyacinth Macaws were encountered at the fo l lowing places: one fl ew parallel with the road and then perched 3 m up in a palm tree near Pocone on 1 September; at least three were in an area of open fields grazed by cattle and with scattered trees between 41 and 42 km south of Poco ne on 3 Sep tember; and five were in a similar open area with a few large mature trees c.98 km south of Pocone on 4 September. Additional records came from around Hyacinth Macaws Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus (M . J. Whittingham) Porto Jofre (see Fig. 2), where we stayed at Pousada

66 COTINGA 10 Finding Hyacinth Macaw in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Tayuman from 4-6 September. Up to 14 Hyacinth N bridge No.119 Macaws were present throughout our stay and were qEJ\ km 128 extremely approachable. They came to feed from Sungrebe buckets placed atop poles within the hotel complex. u A maximum of 14 was also recorded nearby, feed ing in part of a small oil-palm plantation near the Hotel Santa Rosa. The species was reported in this i km 129.5 1 area in July 1988 and it seems possible that this small population has survived for some time in close proximity to humans. We recommend Porto Jofre, and the Pousada km 133 Tayuman in particular, as an extremely good area to obtain prolonged and close views of this species. Porto Jofre The use of plantation oil palms and farmland and the species' apparent ability to tolerate human ac tivity may bode well for its future survival in this area.

Reference 1. Collar, N. J ., Gonzaga, L. P., Krabbe, N., Madroiio I \ Nieto, A. , Naranjo, L. G., Parker, T.A. & Wege, \ D. C. (1992) Threatened birds of the Americas: petrol j \ 3 ump I \ the ICBP I IUCN Red Data Booh. Cambridge, I I UK: International Council for Bird Preserva Campo/ I Jofre I tion. Jkm 134.5 :::.~~~ I river M. J. Whittingham, A. F. Brown, A. Drewitt and S. Rees Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monhstone Figure 2. Sketch map of area surrounding Porto Jofre House, City Road, Peterborough, PEJ JJY, UK.