Breeding ecology and clay bank usage by macaws from Madre de Dios: Annual report to INRENA

Published source details Brightsmith D. & Figari A. (2003) Ecología reproductiva y uso de colpas de guacamayos en Madre de Dios: Informe anual a INRENA. INRENA (Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales) report.
Share Tweet Email

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Provide artificial nesting sites for parrots Action Link

Provide artificial nesting sites for parrots

A replicated, controlled study (Brightsmith & Figari 2003) in 1999-2003 found that scarlet macaws Ara macao occupied a large number of nest boxes at the same rainforest site as in Brightsmith 2000, with 13 of 14 PVC nest boxes and one of four wooden boxes occupied. Eggs were laid in ten; eggs hatched in six and four (all PVC tubes) fledged at least one chick. Four natural nests were used and three fledged at least one chick. When data were combined with that from 1999-2001, chick survival was similar (75-6%) in natural nests and nest boxes. Hatching rates were lower in PVC nest boxes (of the same type as in Brightsmith 2000, than in natural nests (41% vs. 65%), possibly due to higher temperature fluctuations. Hatching rates in wooden boxes were very high (80%) but the authors note the small sample size may make this result unreliable.