Scarlet Macaw (Ara &lt;i&gt;macao&lt;/i&gt;, Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) Nest Characteristics in the Osa Peninsula Conservation Area (ACOSA), Costa Rica

John L Guittar,Christopher Vaughan,Fiona Dear

doi:10.15517/rbt.v57i1-2.11344

Scarlet Macaw (Ara <i>macao</i>, Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) Nest Characteristics in the Osa Peninsula Conservation Area (ACOSA), Costa Rica

John L Guittar, Christopher Vaughan + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v57i1-2.11344

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Abstract

The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is an endangered species. In Costa Rica, the Scarlet Macaw population of the Central Pacific Conservation Area (ACOPAC, n =432 individuals) has undergone considdrable study and has been used effectively as a flagship species for regional conservation. Costa Rica's only other viable Scarlet Macaw population, located in the Osa Peninsula Conservation Area (ACOSA, n=800-1200 individuals), remains virtually unstudied. We studied ACOSA Scarlet Macaw nest cavities from February 19th to March 22nd 2006. Through informal interviews with park guards and residents, we found a total of 57 potential nests in 52 trees. Eleven nests were reported as frequently poached. Scarlet Macaws used 14 identified tree species, ten of which are unrecorded in Costa Rica. The most common nesting trees were Caryocar costaricense (n=12, 24%), Schizolobium parahyba (n=9, 18.0%), Ceibapentandra (n=7, 14.0%) and Ficus sp. (n=5, 10.0%). We compare nesting characteristics to those recorded in ACOPAC. A combination of bottom-up and top-down strategies are necessary to ensure the Scarlet Macaw's long-term success, including environmental education in local schools, community stewardship of active nests, and the advertisement of stricter penalties for poaching.

Highlights

The Scarlet Macaw, an iconic Psittacine of the Neotropics, once ranged from Mexico to Bolivia (Marineros and Vaughan 1995)
The high variability in cavity height, cavity location, tree height, and tree species suggests that ACOSA Scarlet Macaws do not select nest sites based on any one of these characteristics
Our study contributes ten new potential nesting tree species recorded for Scarlet Macaws in Costa Rica

Summary

Introduction

The Scarlet Macaw, an iconic Psittacine of the Neotropics, once ranged from Mexico to Bolivia (Marineros and Vaughan 1995). The Scarlet Macaw’s range is fragmented and reduced due to habitat destruction and intense poaching for the pet trade (Snyder et al 1992, Vaughan et al 2003a). Because of these threats, the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) listed the Scarlet Macaw as an endangered species on Appendix 1 in 1985 (Marineros and Vaughan 1995). Nesting behavior studies and local community awareness enabled Vaughan et al (2003b) and Vaughan et al (2005) to implement conservation strategies on ACOPAC Scarlet Macaws with some success. The objective to this study was to a) locate, describe, and assess current threats to ACOSA Scarlet Macaw nesting cavities, b) compare these data to ACOPAC Scarlet Macaw nesting cavities, and c) discuss resultant conservation implications

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