Dear Supporter,
We hope this newsletter finds you safe and well amidst the turmoil that is happening around the world. Our intention is to keep you updated on what your support is making possible and at the same time, provide you with a colorful and positive distraction!
The breeding season has come to an end; eggs turned into pink, clumsy baby chicks, which in three months transformed into fully feathered juveniles and are currently fledging or about to fledge their nests. Despite facing the uncertainty of what the future holds, and having to temporarily close our doors to visitors, we remain dedicated to our conservation efforts of the iconic Macaws at the Breeding Center and those that fly free in the blue, Costa Rican skies.
We’ve got amazing news from the Breeding Center! The highest number of chicks hatching in the history of MRN; the parents are doing great and most of the baby chicks have fledged.
The Great Green Macaw field tea
m has had to come to the rescue of several baby chicks fledging before they were ready to do so, but others have successfully fledged and are now exploring the treetops of the lush Tropical rain forest they call home.
All of us at Macaw Recovery Network are hopeful for a brighter future for Macaws; every step forward, however small, brings us closer to our main goal of having thriving Macaw populations in their former ranges.
More exciting news awaits, so make sure to scroll down!
Thank you for being part of the movement,
Sam
Sam Williams
Executive Director
Macaw Recovery Network
P.S. If you haven’t read it yet, please make sure to check out our 2019 Annual Report!
MACAW NEWS
Record number of chicks at the Captive Breeding Center!
A record number of 5 Scarlet Macaw chicks and 13 Great Green Macaw chicks have successfully hatched and survived this season! This is a big achievement for Macaw conservation in Costa Rica, as it moves us closer to having a thriving population of Macaws flying free in the blue skies.
Besides the heavy rains, the change of season has also brought a diverse number of threats to Macaws, one of them being parasites. We had a rough patch with a heavy case of Botflies. Thankfully, our team is highly qualified and supported by specialists from all over the world, so they made changes and arranged regular health checks on the Macaws to effectively control the situation.
IN THE FIELD
Never-ending Fieldwork and another record for MRN!
Artificial nest boxes have been installed to protect the Scarlet Macaws from the intense rain experienced during the rainy season in the tropical forest. In the past, we’ve had nest floods especially from young Macaw couples that nested in dead palm trees, and to avoid this situation, we’ve prepared beforehand.
Another threat during the breeding season, particularly to the baby chicks, is the presence of predators and poachers. We had several camera traps installed to keep an extra eye out for threats and keep the chicks safe. This season we had some brave chicks! Two different camera traps managed to catch two predators trying to find their way into the nests and were scared off by the screaming of the chicks. Go baby chicks!
Check out these Great Green Macaw chicks fighting off a Kinkajou in Sarapiqui:
As you may know, fieldwork for our Great Green Macaw team at the Sarapiquí site is always busy and full of surprises. Due to the vehicular restrictions taken by the government to ensure our safety, the team has encountered several issues due to transportation limiting the monitoring of some nests. Regardless, our team has been able to find many new nests with the help of Ph.D. student Tom Lewis, and a Costa Rican biologist, Ignacio Gutierrez, who was able to join us thanks to Wildlife Conservation Network.
During the monitoring routine checks, our team climbs tall nest trees and ensures the chicks’ health, and growth curves are on track. This strenuous, time-consuming task has proven absolutely necessary and has provided the team with valuable information about the Macaws, their threats, health and behavior.
Thanks to the use of technology and your kind donations, we decided to prioritize vulnerable nests and install cameras to be able to monitor the chicks best, despite not being able to monitor all nests as intensively as normal. This season, another record number of 50 Great Green Macaw chicks fledged safely in Sarapiqui!
Unfortunately, some wild chicks fledge from their nest too soon, which was the case for two Great Green Macaw chicks; they were found near the base of their nest tree. Luckily, our monitoring team was nearby performing their daily monitoring checks and found the chicks right on time. It’s always a tough situation when we encounter hurt and defenseless baby chicks on the ground, but because of the severeness of their injuries, the team decided to take them to the local veterinarian.
Claire, our Field Project Manager, recently wrote about the thrilling adventure of one of these unfortunate chicks! Read her blog here.
If you’d like to support these Great Green Macaw chicks and ensure a brighter future for them in the wild, please join our Adoption Program!
Habitat is key!
Our conservation efforts never stop, and with limited ability to travel and work in the field, we’ve been working on the supersizing of our plant nursery. Still in the early stages of development, our team of experts developed a strategic plan to get the most out of our seedlings and hopefully be able to plant more trees that will provide many Macaws with shelter and food. We are grateful for the generous donors who helped support our “Nests for the Future” campaign in 2019!
Also committed to the constant evolution of our organization, is Costarrican biologist Pamela Herrera, an expert on community outreach, conservation, and sustainability. Along with Mario Jimenez, Field Team Leader at the Sarapiquí Site, she has recently joined the San Juan La Selva Corridor committee. Their active involvement in the committee will open doors for opportunities that will help MRN continue our efforts in Macaw and in particular habitat conservation.
SITE UPDATES
Brighter future ahead
Our team and supporters have grown closer, and adapted to a “new normal” that the COVID19 pandemic has brought to our lives. As our optimistic nature, we are focused on the future and the opportunities it brings. We are currently preparing for the soon reopening of our tours to the public. Safety and health protocols have been set and we are thrilled with excitement to be able to continue to share our passion for Macaws with our communities.
The team has also dedicated this time to virtually reach out to communities, landowners, partners, and schools to ensure our community programs can continue. Many new ideas for projects have emerged and are being planned to be developed in the near future. We are looking forward to hopefully organize our third annual Great Green Macaw count in September and welcome inquiries from local volunteers to join us!
Parrot TV still Live!
As an initiative to be there for you during these times, we launched our Parrot TV channel on YouTube, just this March. We hope you’ve been enjoying our regular postings and it
gives you the welcome distraction from these challenging times. Thank you for your continued support and if you haven’t followed us yet, go ahead and subscribe to never miss a Macaw update!
Please stay safe and in touch!
~ Thank you for supporting Macaw Conservation! ~