Parrots in Peril? byJill Hedgecock Walnut Creek, California I was lying on a remote beach in habitat for other common pet bird rid their crops of pests, have resulted Costa Rica near dusk, listening to the species such as toucans, lories and in rapid and widespread population quiet surge of calm ocean waves. lorikeets. declines in the eastern part of its Insects maintained their dull, monot­ While Australia maintains a popu­ range. Scientists David C. Oren and onous hum behind us in the tropical lation of many cockatoo species Fernando C. Novaes predict, as a forest that bordered the beach. Sud­ which are so abundant they are often result of a biological study conducted denly, the peaceful air was disrupted shot as agricultural pests, a small tract from 1981 to 1984, that unless mea­ as a flock of squawking, screeching of Australian rainforest is the sole sures are taken to secure a biological birds flew into a nearby coconut tree. habitat for a number of sensitive reserve for and alter domestic trade Caught without my binoculars and in cockatoo and parrot species. Species of this species, it is likely the Golden the fading light, I could just discern dependent on this rare and important Parakeet will be extinct east of the approximately 15 or so green, habitat include the Palm Cockatoo Rio Tocantins by the year 2000. conure-sized birds. Occasionally, a (Probosciger aterrimus), which was Particularly susceptible species are flash of orange, presumably from recently (1987) added to the CITES island inhabitants, such as the St. feathering underneath the wings, endangered species list. Other parrot Lucia (Amazona versicolor), Puerto could be seen. After several minutes, species dependent on this rainforest Rican (Amazona vitto), Cuban (Ama­ these busy, boisterous birds disap­ include the Double-eyed Fig Parrot zona leucocepbala)and Saint Vin­ peared just as suddenly as they had (Opopsitta diopbtbalma), Red­ cent (Amazona guildingilJ Amazons. appeared. This W;JS not my first, nor cheeked Parrot (Geoffroyus geoffroyi) my only, encounter with wild psitta­ and the Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus All large macaws are also particularly susceptible to tropical rainforest cine birds during my brief visit to roratus). destruction. Although some parrot Costa Rica. However, it was one of Species most sensitive to deforesta­ species have been studied extensively the most memorable. tion are those with limited distribu­ for habitat requirements, such as the Like this flock of birds, which dis­ tion, specialized diets or specific Puerto Rican Parrot, no or limited appeared so suddenly, so are the rain­ habitat requirements. Such is the case information is available for breeding forests rapidly disappearing. Tropical for the Golden Parakeet or Queen of and natural habitat requirements for rainforest destruction, perhaps the Bavaria Conure (Aratinga guar­ the vast majority of parrot species. most ecologically disastrous event in ouba). The Golden Parakeet is found Without this critical information, human history, is occurring at an in a limited area in northern Brazil, tracts of rainforest left standing could alarming rate of 50 to 100 acres per south of the Amazon River. This spe­ be of insufficient size or vital habitat minute!,2 While occupying less than cies requires extensive stands of tall requirements could be destroyed, 7 % of the earth's land surface (a mere Amazonian rainforest during the non­ dooming these species to extinction. 2% of the globe), tropical rainforests breeding season and cleared areas Clearly, further field work is neces­ provide a home for over one-half the adjacent to the forest during breeding sary in this area. world's species~,4 To date, we have season. During both the breeding and already lost one-half of the original nonbreeding season, these birds All Indonesian cockatoos require tropical rainforest? forage for food primarily in the tall mature tropical rainfoest. In the Except for Australian cockatoos, forest. As a result of deforestation, Moluccas, where a growing human one-fifth of all birds and plants on species competition fOr habitat in the population has converted rainforests Earth evolved in the Amazon Basin? Golden Parakeet's range has devel­ to cultivated land, 26 parrot species Through 65 million years of evolu­ oped? The Jandaya Parakeet (Ara­ are known to occur. Species of cocka­ tion, primary rainforest habitat repre­ tinga solstitialis jandaya) utilizes toos in Indonesia include the Salmon­ sents the most biologically diverse the dried second growth which crested (Cacatua moluccensis), and the most critically threatened replaces the original rainforest habitat Sulfur-crested (Cacatua galerita) and habitat on the planet. Tropical rain­ of the Golden Parakeet once it has the Palm (Probosciger aterrinus) forest, best defined by rainfall (160 to been destroyed. Although the Golden Cockatoos. In addition to population 400 inches) and temperature (approx. Parakeet is protected as a threatened pressure, 90% of all Indonesia's trop­ 80 OF), are located in areas of Central species in Brazil, pressures from large­ ical timber has been allocated to and South America, Indonesia, north­ scale development, increased road Japan. Faced with this type of east Australia and west Africa. The access, increased value in the black onslaught, it is doubtful sufficient Amazon holds, by far, the largest tract market pet trade, as well as hunting rainforest habitat will remain to of rainforest. In addition to parrot pressure from local residents who accommodate the diversity of psitta­ species, tropical rainforests are the either shoot the bird for meat or to cine birds that currently exist in this 26 December / January 1991 area. Other species at risk due to rain­ forest destruction in Indonesia are the Black-Iored Parrot (Tanygnathus Judge us by the company we keep gramineus), the Purple-naped Lory (Lorius garrulus) and the Amboina King Parrot (Alisterus amboinensis) to name a few. Malay Lorikeets (Loriculus galgu­ las) occur in treetops in Borneo's rainforests. Malaysia has the highest deforestation rate in the world. The devastation of Borneo's rainforest, particularly Sarawak - an area in northern Borneo considered home by a tribe of indigenous Penan Indians ­ is massive. According to the Penan, "If we are lucky, we may come upon food after walking and searching for two to three days~' An estimated five USDA • u.s. Center for Disease Control • Mayo Clinic • Saudi Royal Family square miles of rainforest per day or Sloan-Kettering Institute • Walt Disney World • Busch Gardens • Opryland approximately three hectares a min­ Six Flags • Lion Country Safari • U.S. Army • U.S. Air Force • VA Hospitals ute is being cleared by the Malaysian Countless Zoos • Universities and Game Preserves throughout the Free World logging industry~ Eighty percent of the timber, mostly a type called Mer­ Write for our free catalog! anti, is imported by Japan. Products such as disposable chopsticks and plywood sheets used to mold con­ The Humidaire Incubator Company crete are developed from the wood. Department W, 21 7 West Wayne Street, New Madison, Ohio 45346 The plywood sheets are used only two to three times before being dis­ carded. One-third of Sarawak's for­ (513) 996-3001 • FAX (513) 996-3633 ests have already been destroyed. Serving the world for 59 years More and more parrot species are being added to the CITES (Confer­ ence on International Trade in Endan­ gered Species (endangered species list as their populations decline. According to Rosemary Low, author • • of the book Endangered Parrots, PAINTED trade accounts for only 3% of the rea­ FROM A A son parrots are endangered, while PAIR OF habitat destruction accounts for HYACINTH Royal 50%. While limiting trade of species MACAWS may reduce population pressures, KEPT AT Pair corresponding measures to protect MICHANNE by endangered species habitat must be ACRES Joe Longo implemented. Prevention of illegal smuggling and black market trade must be enforced for the bird popula­ • tions to recover and thrive. For some 18" X 18" species, such as the Yellow-eared Conure (Ognorhynchus icterotis) and the Maroon-fronted Parrot (Rhyn­ • HYACINTH MACAWS • chopsitta terrisi), habitat destruction is considered the sole cause of declin­ Order this unique limited edition, signed & numbered ing populations. Trade is considered to accelerate lithographic print - faithfully reproduced in full color. population declines of some species Each print is produced with a triple printed mat and such as the Palm Cockatoo (Probos­ is ready to frame. A must for every bird lover -Excellent ciger aterrinus), the Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus), and the Blue­ Gifts. Order yours today streaked Lory (Eos reticulata) to $ 22.50 each Joe Longo Michanne Arts name a few. Although these species $ 2.50 handling/shipping 20714 SE 260th maintain a protected status (making Washington state residents add $2.03 state tax. Kent, WA 98042 trade of these species illegal in their $ 25.00 Foreign add $7.50 and please remit in U.s. funds. (206) 631-4245 home country), the law is often afa WATCHBIRD 27 ignored and the penalties are not enforced. The financial incentives for smuggling and black market trade of protected species increase as the birds become rarer and more valuable. Endangered birds that are considered a food source also must often perse­ vere hunting pressures. While the sale of a macaw may feed a family for a week, the same macaw may provide just one meal. Even smaller birds, such as the Golden Parakeet, are con­ sidered a food source to some forest residents. The BuffonJs Macaw (Ara ambigua) inhabits the Pacific slope ofeast Panama. Panama has lost approximately 60 % ofits rainforest. 12, 13 Artwork by Gamini Ratnavira .::s:. ~ Q5 z c a ~ 1;) oQ) c "(\1 a: >. ...Cl o· a .c (L Since World War II) over one-halfofthe worldJs rainforesthas disappeared. .::s:. ~ Q5 z c a "~ Populations of the Chestnut-mandibled Toucan (Ramphastos swainsonii) have greatly decreased due to deforestation.