Conservation status of parrot populations in an Atlantic rainforest area of southeastern Brazil

Abstract

A census of four species of syntopic parrots was carried out using distance sampling methods on Sao Sebastiao island, SE Brazil. Most of the 33 593 ha island is covered by mature and secondary Atlantic rainforest. Almost 80% of these forests are within the Ilhabela Park. Although the species counted have marked differences in size and weight, density (individuals/km2) and estimated population size in 23 500 ha of well-preserved forests were similar: Amazona farinosa (13.82 ± 5.94; 3247 ± 1395), Pionus maximiliani (15.79 ± 7.04; 3712 ± 1654), Brotogeris tirica (15.05 ± 4.87; 3537 ± 1143) and Pyrrhura frontalis (13.06 ± 5.53; 3068 ± 1298). Encounter rates of Forpus crassirostris and Pionopsitta pileata were very low, which suggests that there is only a small population of these species on the island. The Sao Sebastiao forests still support healthy populations of parrots. Although woodpecker population estimates on the island are large enough to provide nesting sites for parrots, competition for holes with other secondary cavity nesters such as toucans, flycatchers and tytiras, and the selective cutting of dead trees for canoe construction, which is a common practice on the island, may limit hole availability for parrots.