Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 2000 Evaluating Productivity, Nesting Success, and Conservation of Thick -Billed Parrots. Tiberio Cesar Monterrubio rico Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Monterrubio rico, Tiberio Cesar, "Evaluating Productivity, Nesting Success, and Conservation of Thick -Billed Parrots." (2000). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 7288. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/7288 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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EVALUATING PRODUCTIVITY, NESTING SUCCESS, AND CONSERVATION OF THICK-BILLED PARROTS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The School of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries b y Tiberio Cesar Monterrubio B.S., Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana Mexico City 1995 August 2000 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 9984356 UMI* UMI Microform9984356 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My Ph. D. program and this research of the Thick-billed Parrot would not have been possible without assistance and cooperation from a wide range of people and Institutions. I appreciate the help and advise of my graduate committee: Dr. Robert B. Hamilton, my major professor who guided me through difficult times of study. Dr. Ernesto Enkerlin Hoefflich and Claudia Macias from the Monterrey Institute of Technology Mexico (ITESM) who gave me his enormous trust and patience in the field research. Dr. L. R. Lammote, professor of the department of Experimental Statistics who helped me many times in the accurate analysis of data. Dr. Wylie Barrow from the National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette and adjunct member of the School of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries for encourage me in my wishes to do my research oriented toward Conservation in Mexico. Dr. William J.Platt and Dr. Anthony Lewis who were very supportive. Financial support was generously provided by several agencies and organizations. Conabio (Mexican Commission for Biodiversity Research) partially funded a research oriented to increase our knowledge on the Rhynchopsitta parrot species. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Wildlife Preservation Trust (WPTI) provided economic support during the study. I am very grateful to CONACYT Mexico for a scholarship granted (92981) for graduate studies at Louisiana State University . I want to thank the School of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries at Louisiana State University and the International Services Office. I want to thank the Graduate School for the Tuition waivers awarded at different times during my studies at LSU. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Thanks also to field workers and students: Javier Cruz, Diana Venegas, Emilio Rojas, Ali Taylor and Bemabe Rascon. I am specially grateful to Miguel Angel Cruz who started the exploratory research in 1995-96 and shared his knowledge and data from his 2 nesting seasons. A special dedication and thanks to my family who always expressed their support under any circumstance. To my mother Alicia, my brother Jorge and my sister Lourdes, and my girlfriend Claudia Morales. Thanks. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......................................................................................................ii LIST OF TABLES.................................................................................................................vi LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................................. viii ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................... ix INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................1 Background.......................................................................................................................1 Species Description ........................................................................................................ 2 Distribution ...................................................................................................................... 3 D iet...................................................................................................................................4 Migration......................................................................................................................... 4 Related Research .............................................................................................................5 Purpose .............................................................................................................................6 OBJECTIVES...........................................................................................................................7 METHODS...............................................................................................................................8 Survey of Historical and Potential Breeding Areas......................................................8 Study Areas..................................................................................................................... 8 Description of Study Areas..........................................................................................10 Mesa de Guacamayas................................................................................................ 10 Madera.........................................................................................................................10 Cebadillas ....................................................................................................................11 Vallecillo.....................................................................................................................12 San Juanito...................................................................................................................13 Research Chronology .....................................................................................................13 Nesting Trees and Habitat Measurements ...................................................................15 Statistical Methods ........................................................................................................17 CHAPTER I THICK-BILLED PARROT BREEDING SURVEY...................................18 Breeding Survey in Historical Areas...........................................................................18 Breeding Survey in Potential Areas............................................................................18 Results of Breeding Survey ..........................................................................................19 Nest Site Losses.............................................................................................................21