Ara Macao Research Articles

Behavioral Observations of Free-Living Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) in Costa Rica, to Inform Ex Situ Management

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is a charismatic species that is native to Central and South America and commonly housed in captivity. Gaps in knowledge about these birds’ behavioral ecology in the wild hinders both in situ and ex situ management and conservation efforts for this species. We conducted seventeen days of observations of free-living scarlet macaws in two locations in Costa Rica, in February 2022, with the aims of (1) advancing our knowledge of this species’ natural behavioral ecology, and (2) generating data for comparison with captive macaws to help to inform their ex situ management (e.g., enclosure design and enrichment). Routes were walked within two locations—Bosque Escondido (BE), release area for captive-bred reintroduced individuals and no extant wild population, and Punta Leona (PL), an area of natural habitat within a resort inhabited by wild scarlet macaws—and focal interval sampling of multiple scarlet macaws in a group was used to record behavior and space use. The macaws at both locations were generally active, spent most of their time high in the tree canopy, relied on climbing to move within it, and used a wide variety of supports. The macaws at PL spent significantly more time feeding and locomoting, and less time perching, than those at BE, possibly due to differences in resource availability, rearing conditions, and age. Furthermore, the wild scarlet macaws at PL exhibited a variety of foraging strategies to acquire and manipulate food items within the tree canopy, including frequent use of their feet during manipulation. Despite limitations caused by a small sample size, a short period of observations, and differences between the two populations observed, this study provides insights into the behavioral ecology of scarlet macaws in the wild, which can be used for behavioral assessments of captive macaws while informing their ex situ management, with applications to animal welfare and captive breeding programs.

Age Difference, Not Food Scarcity or Sibling Interactions, May Drive Brood Reduction in Wild Scarlet Macaws in Southeastern Peru

Avian brood reduction was initially thought to be driven by insufficient food supply. Now it is more commonly considered a consequence of asynchronous hatching and resulting siblicide, direct filial infanticide (where parents kill specific chicks) or indirect filial infanticide (where parents starve specific chicks). In psittacines, brood reduction has been reported, but the mechanisms and causes remain unexplored. In this paper, we test the hypotheses that Scarlet Macaw chick starvation is driven by (1) sibling aggression, (2) food scarcity, and (3) parental food allocation based on (a) chick hatch weight and (b) chick age differences. We documented wild Scarlet Macaw behavior in lowland Peru in 37 nests over 19 seasons using morphological measurements and nest videos. Chick starvation was the leading cause of chick mortality (27% of all second-hatched chicks starve, and nearly all third- and fourth-hatched chicks starve). We found no evidence that starvation was caused by (1) sibling conflicts or (2) food availability. We did find parental food distribution favors first-hatched chicks, with larger age differences increasing the chances of second chick starvation. This study offers insights into brood reduction among Neotropical cavity-nesting birds and enhances our capacity to develop scientifically informed management strategies to support endangered psittacines.

Gastrointestinal parasites in captive wild birds in Mineiros, Goiás, Brazil.

Studying parasites in captive wild birds is vital for their health, well-being, biodiversity preservation, species conservation, and safeguarding of both individual birds and ecosystems. It holds significance for public health by identifying potential zoonotic risks. We aimed to describe the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive wild birds from a Conservation Institute in Brazilian Cerrado biome. Fresh fecal samples were collected from 17 captive wild birds (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, Ara ararauna, Ara chloropterus, Ara macao, Megascops choliba, Pteroglossus castanotis, Ramphastos dicolorus, Ramphastos tucanus and Strix huhula) at a Conservation Institution in Mineiros, state of Goiás. The samples were processed for Willis' simple flotation and Hoffman's spontaneous sedimentation examinations to identify parasitic forms of gastrointestinal endoparasites. Macaw aviary birds (Ar. ararauna, Ar. chloropterus and Ar. macao) showed higher positivity, with all six fecal samples positive for helminths or protozoa. In contrast, captive toucans showed only two positive results (P. castanotis and R. dicolorus). An. hyacinthinus showed Ascarididae, Capillarinae and Trematoda eggs; whereas S. huhula had Ascarididae eggs. Regular parasitological examinations are essential for the timely detection and treatment of gastrointestinal infections in captive birds, thereby enhancing overall bird management.

Proventricular and ventricular gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) in a scarlet macaw (Ara chloropterus)

GISTs can be benign or malignant, and they have been reported in a wide variety of species, including humans, non-human primates, dogs, and cats; however, reports of this tumor in birds are rare. These neoplasms are seen in the gastrointestinal tract and are derived from the Cajal Cells responsible for regulating gastrointestinal motility. We report a case of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a scarlet macaw (Ara chloropterus) that was referred to necropsy at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Northeastern Brazil. Macroscopically, the proventriculus and ventriculus were dilated, and the walls of both organs were thickened by a firm, ulcerated mass covered by fibrin strands. In the histopathology, the proventriculus presented an expansive, non-encapsulated neoplasm formed by homogeneous spindle cells, with eosinophilic cytoplasm, indistinct borders, mild to moderate pleomorphism, and rare mitotic figures, being suggestive of a leiomyoma. In immunohistochemistry, a positive multifocal immunolabeling for the C-KIT proto-oncogene was observed in the cytoplasm of neoplastic spindle cells, thus compatible with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). The occurrence of GISTs in avian species might have been overlooked, and the authors recommend that previously reported gastrointestinal leiomyomas or leiomyosarcomas be tested for this immunomarker to rule out the possibility of GISTs.

Pathological findings and their association with diseases of captive psittacine birds native to Mexico

The captivity and use of native psittacine birds is prohibited in Mexico. However, as these birds are among the groups most affected by illegal trafficking, they are commonly found as companion animals. Nevertheless, it is difficult to obtain information on their health. Therefore, a retrospective study was conducted of the clinical histories and necropsy reports of native psittacines that had been submitted to the Bird Disease Diagnostic and Research Laboratory of the Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, from 2006 to 2017. The lesions were classified according to type and anatomical location and the diseases were classified as infectious or non-infectious. During this period, 252 psittacines were submitted, the most frequent of which were the red-lored parrot (Amazona autumnalis), orange-fronted parakeet (Eupsittula canicularis) and scarlet macaw (Ara macao). The lesions were primarily located in the digestive and respiratory systems. By integrating the clinical histories and post-mortem findings, we concluded that nutritional disorders were the most frequent non-infectious diseases, systemic bacterial infections were the most frequent infectious conditions, the primary parasite was Sarcocystis spp and the most frequent neoplasm was multicentric lymphoma.

Molecular detection of bornavirus in parrots imported to China in 2022

BackgroundAvian bornavirus (ABV) is a neurotropic virus, it has been established as the primary causative agent of proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). However, substantial international trade and transnational trafficking of wild birds occur, potentially enabling these birds to harbor and transmit pathogens to domestic poultry, adversely affecting their well-being. Real-time RT-PCR was employed to detect the presence of PaBV-4 in parrots imported to China in 2022.ResultsIn 2022, a total of 47 cloacal swabs from 9 distinct species of parrots were collected at the Wildlife Rescue Monitoring Center in Guangdong, China. The purpose of this collection was to detect the presence of PaBV-4. Using real-time PCR techniques, it was determined that the positive rate of PaBV-4 was 2.12% (1 out of 47) in parrots. The PaBV-4 virus was detected in a Amazona aestiva that had been adopted for one month. Conversely, all other species tested negative for the virus. Subsequently, the whole genome of the PaBV-4 GD2207 strains was sequenced, and the homology and genetic evolution between these strains and previously published PaBV-4 strains on GenBank were analyzed using DNAStar and MEGA7.0 software. The findings revealed that the full-length genome of PaBV-4 consisted of 8915 nucleotides and encoded six proteins. Additionally, it exhibited the highest nucleotide similarity (99.9%) to the GZ2019 strain, which causes death and severe clinical symptoms in Aratinga solstitialis. Furthermore, when compared to other strains of PaBV-4, the GD2207 strain demonstrated the highest amino acid homology with GZ2019. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the GD2207 strain clustered with various strains found in Japanese, American, and German parrots, indicating a close genetic relationship with PaBV-4, but it revealed a distant relationship with PaBV-5 Cockg5 from America. Notably, the GD2207 was closely associated with the GZ2019 strain from Aratinga solstitialis in China.ConclusionThis study presents the preliminary identification of PaBV-4 in Amazona aestiva parrots, emphasizing its importance as the predominant viral genotype linked to parrot infections resulting from trade into China. Through genetic evolution analysis, it was determined that the GD2207 strain of PaBV-4 exhibits the closest genetic relationship with GZ 2019 (Aratinga solstitialis, China), M14 (Ara macao, USA), AG5 (Psittacus erithacus, USA) and 6758 (Ara ararauna, Germany) suggesting a shared ancestry.

Patterns of cytonuclear discordance and divergence between subspecies of the scarlet macaw (Ara macao) in Central America

The scarlet macaw, Ara macao, is a neotropical parrot that contains two described subspecies with broadly discrete geographical distributions. One subspecies, A. m. macao, is found from South America north into southwestern Costa Rica, while the second subspecies, A. m. cyanoptera, is found from eastern Costa Rica north into central Mexico. Our previous research using mitochondrial data to examine phylogeographical divergence across the collective range of these two subspecies concluded that they represent distinct evolutionary entities, with minimal contemporary hybridization between them. Here we further examine phylogenetic relationships and patterns of genetic variation between these two subspecies using a dataset of genetic markers derived from their nuclear genomes. Our analyses show clear nuclear divergence between A. m. macao and A. m. cyanoptera in Central America. Collectively however, samples from this region appear genetically more similar to one another than they do to the examined South American (Brazilian) A. m. macao sample. This observation contradicts our previous assessments based on mitochondrial DNA analyses that A. m. macao in Central and South America represent a single phylogeographical group that is evolutionarily distinct from Central American A. m. cyanoptera. Nonetheless, in agreement with our previous findings, ongoing genetic exchange between the two subspecies appears limited. Rather, our analyses indicate that incomplete lineage sorting is the best supported explanation for cytonuclear discordance within these parrots. High-altitude regions in Central America may act as a reproductive barrier, limiting contemporary hybridization between A. m. macao and A. m. cyanoptera. The phylogeographic complexities of scarlet macaw taxa in this region highlight the need for additional evolutionary examinations of these populations.

Scarlet macaw (Ara macao) breeding at the Mimbres archaeological site of Old Town (early AD 1100s) in Southwestern New Mexico.

Examination of avian eggshell at the Old Town archaeological site in Southwestern New Mexico, United States of America, indicates that scarlet macaw (Ara macao) breeding occurred during the Classic Mimbres period (early AD 1100s). Current archaeological and archaeogenomic evidence from throughout the American Southwest/Mexican Northwest (SW/NW) suggests that Indigenous people bred scarlet macaws at an unknown location(s) between AD 900 and 1200 and likely again at the northwestern Mexico site of Paquimé post-AD 1275. However, there is a lack of direct evidence for breeding, or the location(s) of scarlet macaw breeding itself, within this area. This research, for the first time, provides evidence of scarlet macaw breeding using scanning electron microscopy of eggshells from Old Town.

Isolation and Characterization of Avian Coronavirus from Diagnostic Cases of Selected Bird Species in Malaysia

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in chicken (Gallus gallus) is the most common and well-studied Avian coronavirus (ACoV) in avian species. The study aims to molecularly characterize ACoV isolate of selected bird species other than chicken obtained from the archived samples of field diagnostic cases in the Northern Zone Veterinary Laboratory (MVZU), Malaysia. Twelve archived virus isolates from 2013 to 2019 were amplified using selected primers on the 3’ UTR gene and S1 gene for oligonucleotide sequencing. These sequences were then molecularly characterized and compared with common IBV strains in chicken to determine the genetic diversity of the virus among selected avian species. Subsequent analyses of the nucleotides amplified on 3’ UTR conserved region of 12 selected ACoVs isolates originating from peacocks (Pavo cristatus), turkey (Meleagris), jungle fowl (Gallus gallus spadiceous), guinea fowl (Meleagris gallopavo domesticus), goose (Anser anser domesticus), love bird (Agapornis), macaw (Ara macao), and bird (species unidentified) are classified as belonging to the gammacoronavirus (Gamma-CoV) genus and have a high degree of homology. The S1 complete gene sequence analyses of guinea fowl and jungle fowl showed that both ACoV isolates are Gamma-CoV and under genotype I and GI-13 lineages. Both are identified as having a high similarity of 98% and 99%, respectively, with IBV vaccine strain 4/91 (AF093793). Due attention should be given to ACoVs strains, especially the IBV vaccine strains detected in other bird species, because there is a high probability that other bird species could be the source of pathogenic ACoV infection in general and IBV infection in chickens, as reported in other countries.

Parrot population trends in Nicaragua revealed by long-term monitoring

SummaryMonitoring parrot populations is of high importance because there is a general lack of quantified population trends for one of the most threatened avian orders. We surveyed parrots in Nicaragua in 1995, 1999, 2004, and 2013 at a minimum of 227 points within 56 sites stratified among the Pacific, Central Highlands, and Caribbean biogeographical regions to assess population trends. From point-count data we calculated encounter rate, flock rate, and flock size metrics and we used presence/absence data to generate species-specific occupancy estimates. Encounter rate, flock rate, and flock size data suggested family-level declines from 1995 to 2004 with some recovery between 2004 and 2013. Patterns of parrot occupancy varied among species with four decreasing, five increasing, and two with no detectable change. Six species of conservation concern are identified, including the Critically Endangered Great Green Macaw and Yellow-naped Parrot, additionally Olive-throated Parakeet, Scarlet Macaw, Brown-hooded Parrot, and White-crowned Parrot, only listed as Least Concern. All six are likely suffering from deforestation and potential unchecked trade activity in the Caribbean. Differing population trends of the regionally disjunct Yellow-naped Parrot subspecies suggest a link to variable deforestation and trade pressure experienced between the Pacific and Caribbean. Our results highlight the importance of actively monitoring changing parrot populations, even when considered Least Concern, so that directed conservation actions can be taken if needed.

Onto the sense of smell in macaws, amazons and toucans: can they use volatile cues of fruits to make foraging decisions?

Over the past decades, empirical evidence has been accumulated indicating that olfactory information plays a fundamental role in bird life history. Nonetheless, many aspects of avian olfaction remain poorly understood. Our purpose was to broaden the knowledge about the importance of the sense of smell in some neglected bird groups: psittaciformes and ramphastids, and to compare how the response varied between the species. Because of the lack of information about the use of chemical cues for locating food in fruit-eating species, we also aimed to delve into this question. We conducted a 3-choice (water/vinegar/papaya and banana juice) scent test in 5 Costa Rican native species: scarlet macaw (Ara macao), red-lored amazon (Amazona autumnalis), yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata), keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), and yellow-throated toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus). Results revealed that macaws and toucans allocated significantly more time to interacting with the fruit scent container, indicating that these species can perceive the volatile chemicals emitted by ripe fruits and that they can use this information to make foraging decisions. However, amazons did not dedicate more time to interact with the fruit treatment. Our research provides the first evidence of the ability to exploit chemical volatile cues in macaws and toucans.

Nutrition of free-living Neotropical psittacine nestlings and implications for hand-feeding formulas.

Psittacidae is one of the most endangered families of birds in the world. Knowledge of their nutrition is important for understanding their survival and productivity in the wild, as well as for their adequate husbandry under human care. Hand-rearing is a common practice for psittacines, however research on their nutrition is limited. We analysed the predicted metabolisable energy, crude protein, crude fat, mineralsand the essential amino acid profiles of the crop contents from free-living nestlings of scarlet macaws (Ara macao) and red-and-green macaws (Ara chloropterus) from southeastern Peru, Cuban Amazons (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis) from the Bahamas, lilac-crowned Amazons (Amazona finschi) from northwestern Mexicoand thick-billed parrots (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) from northern Mexico. The crop content of the different parrot species displayed remarkably similar nutritional profiles, considering their diversity in habitats, geographic rangesand food sources. The crude protein and crude fat concentrations in crop samples were particularly similar for the Ara and Amazona species, while the thick-billed parrot stood out for its higher crude fat and lower crude protein content. Wider variations were found among the concentrations of sodium (Na) and iron (Fe), prolineand tryptophan. Compared with the requirements of 6-12weeksleghorn chickens, all free-ranging parrot diets contained lower crude protein, calcium (Ca), potassium (P)and Na concentrations. The hand-feeding formulas contained lower crude fat, magnesium (Mg), arginine, valine and phenylalanine concentrations, as well as much higher levels of Ca and zinc (Zn), in comparison with parrot crop samples. Our data suggest that a single formulation could be used to hand-rear Ara and Amazona sp. of 3weeks of age and older, while a different formulation would likely be more appropriated for Rhynchopsitta sp. Experimental studies should evaluate if increasing the concentration of crude fat, Mg, arginine, valineand phenylalanine enhances psittacine chick growth and health.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Mesoamerican Scarlet Macaws in an Ex Situ Breeding Population in Mexico

Given the interest in the conservation of the Mesoamerican scarlet macaw (Ara macao cyanoptera), the Xcaret Park formed an initial reproductive population about 30 years ago, which has progressively grown to a considerable population in captivity. In this work, we focus on the evaluation of the genetic diversity of the captive population, taking two groups into account: its founding (49) and the current breeding individuals (166). The genetic analysis consisted of genotyping six nuclear microsatellite loci that are characterized by their high variability. Tests for all loci revealed a Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in four loci of the founders and in no loci of the breeding groups. The results showed that the genetic variation in the Xcaret population was relatively high (founders He = 0.715 SE = 0.074, breeding pairs He = 0.763 SE = 0.050), with an average polymorphism of 7.5 (4–10) alleles per locus in founders and 8.3 (4–14) in breeding pairs. No significant differences in the evaluated genetic diversity indexes were found between both groups. This indicates that the genetic variability in Xcaret has been maintained, probably due to the high number of pairs and the reproductive management strategy. Bayesian analysis revealed five different genetic lineages present in different proportions in the founders and in the breeding pairs, but no population structure was observed between founders and breeding individuals. The analyzed captive individuals showed levels of genetic diversity comparable to reported values from Ara macao wild populations. These data indicate that the captive population has maintained a similar genetic diversity as the metapopulation in the Mayan Forest and is an important resource for reintroduction projects, some of which began more than five years ago and are still underway.

Survey of Beak and Feather Disease Virus (BFDV) in Guatemalan Neotropical Psittacine Birds.

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), a circovirus, is the etiologic agent of psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), a progressive and often fatal disease in Psittaciformes. Even though neotropical psittacine species are more resistant to clinical infection than Old World species, BFDV is recognized as a threat to immunologically naïve wild psittacine flocks and its epidemiologic control is paramount for conservation efforts in Neotropical species. Samples were collected from multiple psittacine species, including Ara species, Amazona species, and the white-crowned parrot (Pionus senilis) from the only rescue center in Guatemala with formal psittacine rehabilitation and reintroduction programs. A total of 117 birds, with 101 adults and 16 juveniles of unknown sex, were tested for BFDV by means of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The BFDV prevalence found in this study was 0%, (95% confidence interval, 0%-6.0%). Seven 2-8-year-old scarlet macaws (Ara macao cyanoptera) with positive results from previous surveys by conventional PCR yielded negative results in this study, suggesting complete infection resolution.

Detection of infectious bronchitis-like virus isolated from psittacines at breeding facilities

Abstract. Suryaman GK, Soejoedono RD, Poetri ON, Setiyono A, Handharyani E. 2021. Detection of infectious bronchitis-like virus isolated from psittacines at breeding facilities. Biodiversitas 22: 4261-4265. Captive breeding of parrots has been carried out in Indonesia to fulfill market demand for pets and support conservation efforts. However, there is limited information about Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) in captive parrots. Therefore, this study examines IBV virus in psittacines and observes the pathological changes in inoculated chicken embryos. Cloacal swabs were obtained from 31 psittacine birds consisting of 15 sulfur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea), 10 palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus), two blue and yellow macaws (Ara ararauna), two green-winged macaws (Ara chloropterus), and two scarlet macaws (Ara macao). Swabs were also injected for 9 days to obtain specific pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs, and allantoic fluids were collected after 7 days. The residual cloacal swabs and allantoic fluid samples were tested for IBV by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) targeting spike 1 glycoprotein (S1) and nucleoprotein (N) gene by primer set XCE2+/XCE2- and IBVN+/IBVN-, while the harvested inoculated embryos were examined for histopathological lesions by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Three and one allantoic fluid of C. sulphurea and P. aterrimus respectively were found positive for IBV by primer set IBVN+IBVN-. However, there was no significant difference in the inoculated embryo's gross anatomy, and the slight histopathological changes observed were not caused by the virus. Therefore, it is unclear whether the IB-like virus causes clinical disease manifestation in both Psittacine species or the chicken embryo. This is the first study carried out on IB-like viruses for both species.

Masks and Rain Spirits

This study examines Mesoamerican influence on kachina ceremonialism, a Southwestern religious institution in which kachina spirits infiltrate pueblo communities for a portion of the year as masked impersonators. Kachina spirits are in fact ancestral spirits who inhabit the underworld. They emerge in cloud-form from mountain tops to bring rain to the fields of the living. Kachina ceremonialism arose in the 13th to 14th centuries during the Pueblo IV period following the Chacoan collapse, representing a social adaptation encouraging integration and stability in newly-established pueblo communities. Whether the kachina cult's genesis is represented by ceramic evidence in the western Little Colorado Basin, or rock art in the eastern Rio Grande, a significant Mesoamerican ideological substrate fed into its origins: the Southwest imported such Mesoamerican commodities as copper bells, Scarlet Macaws, and the Mesoamerican ballgame, the latter two of which left ideological impressions evident in kiva murals and ceramic motifs. Ultimately, it was the Mesoamerican cult of the rain-bringing dead which was modified into the socially-integrative kachina cult in response to Pueblo IV social needs, as well as the Southwest’s arid environment.

Ornithological insights from Taylor White's birds

The Taylor White Collection of paintings from the 1700s, held at the McGill University Library, includes 661 paintings that illustrate 832 birds from around the world. With illustrations of 443 species in 30 avian orders, this collection represents a substantial proportion of the bird species known at the time and is one of the most comprehensive and accurate collections of coloured bird illustrations made during the eighteenth century. Most of the paintings were made by Charles Collins and Peter Paillou from live birds or dead specimens in the cabinets and aviaries of White and his contemporaries. We compared a large sample of the paintings with the same birds depicted in modern bird guides to assess quantitatively the accuracy of the illustrations with respect to the colours and patterns of plumages and soft parts. We found that fewer than 3% of the paintings contained errors, and usually only in one of the 28 body regions that we assessed. Given this high level of accuracy, we identified a small red macaw from the West Indies as likely representing a previously unknown but now extinct subspecies of the Scarlet Macaw, and two other paintings of species that could not be convincingly matched to any known species.

Pre-Columbian transregional captive rearing of Amazonian parrots in the Atacama Desert

The feathers of tropical birds were one of the most significant symbols of economic, social, and sacred status in the pre-Columbian Americas. In the Andes, finely produced clothing and textiles containing multicolored feathers of tropical parrots materialized power, prestige, and distinction and were particularly prized by political and religious elites. Here we report 27 complete or partial remains of macaws and amazon parrots from five archaeological sites in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile to improve our understanding of their taxonomic identity, chronology, cultural context, and mechanisms of acquisition. We conducted a multiproxy archaeometric study that included zooarchaeological analysis, isotopic dietary reconstruction, accelerated mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating, and paleogenomic analysis. The results reveal that during the Late Intermediate Period (1100 to 1450 CE), Atacama oasis communities acquired scarlet macaws (Ara macao) and at least five additional translocated parrot species through vast exchange networks that extended more than 500 km toward the eastern Amazonian tropics. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes indicate that Atacama aviculturalists sustained these birds on diets rich in marine bird guano-fertilized maize-based foods. The captive rearing of these colorful, exotic, and charismatic birds served to unambiguously signal relational wealth in a context of emergent intercommunity competition.

Preliminary investigation of foot preference for a string-pulling task in zoo macaws

Cognitive abilities have been found to vary widely among parrots, within and between species, and seem to be related to motor lateralization. Indeed, as shown in Australian parrots and other species, lateralized psittacines perform better in cognitive tests than non-lateralized subjects. The aim of this study was to assess foot preference of seven macaws of three different species (red-and-green macaw, Ara chloropterus; blue-and-yellow macaw, A. ararauna, scarlet macaw, A. macao) during two string-pulling tasks of different complexity (Experiment 1: parallel string, Experiment 2: crossed strings). We also investigated the correlation between the foot preference and the performance of the macaws (as proportion of correct choices during the first pulling-up of the string of the apparatus). Per experiment and per subject, we did ten 1 -h sessions. We video-recorded all pulling-up events during the interaction with the apparatus and collected data from the videorecording using a continuous focal animal sampling. In both experiments, all macaws that interacted with the apparatus solved the tasks. The percentage of correct pulling-up responses ranged from 86 % to 100 % in Experiment 1 and from 40 % to 79 % in Experiment 2. We found foot preferences at the individual level in most of the macaws in both experiments, with the presence of right-footed, left-footed and ambi-preferent subjects. No group-level biases were found. No correlation between foot preference’s indices and the percentage of correct choices emerged, suggesting that neither the direction nor the strength of lateralization seem to affect the performance of the subjects. However, as most of the macaws were lateralized and were able to solve the tasks, particularly in Experiment 1, there is a possible correlation with lateralization on the cognitive performance at individual level. Our results increase the knowledge of parrots’ cognitive abilities. However, future studies should be done to increase the sample size and investigate the effect of age, sex and species on foot preference during specific tasks in macaws.

Increasing Survival of Wild Macaw Chicks Using Foster Parents and Supplemental Feeding

The use of foster parents has great potential to help the recovery of highly endangered bird species. However, few studies have shown how to successfully use these techniques in wild populations. Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao macao) in Perú hatch 2–4 chicks per nest but about 24% of all chicks die of starvation and on average just 1.4 of them fledge per successful nest. In this study we develop and test new techniques to increase survival of wild Scarlet Macaw chicks by reducing chick starvation. We hypothesized that using foster parents would increase the survival of chicks at risk of starvation and increase overall reproductive success. Our results show that all relocated macaw chicks were successfully accepted by their foster parents (n = 28 chicks over 3 consecutive breeding seasons) and 89% of the relocated chicks fledged. Overall, we increased fledging success per available nest from 17% (2000 to 2016 average) to 25% (2017 to 2019) and decreased chick death by starvation from 19% to 4%. These findings show that the macaw foster parents technique and post relocation supplemental feeding provide a promising management tool to aid wild parrot population recovery in areas with low reproductive success.