The coastal plain of Tamaulipas, Mexico, is home to three species of Amazon parrots: red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis), double yellow-headed Amazon (Amazona oratrix) and red-lored Amazon (Amazona autumnalis) (see Figure 3 in previous article in this issue). Like many Neotropical parrots, these populations have been under sonsiderable stress during the last decade of the 20th century and the first few decades of the 21st due to habitat loss and capture for the pet trade. Habitat loss eliminates the large trees needed for nesting and reduces food supplies, while capture for the pet trade directly eliminates birds from the environment through a mixture of capture of adults and chicks. Sometimes chick harvesting is done by cutting into the nest cavity to remove the young or felling the entire nest tree, which further impacts the population by removing good nesting sites. Many parrot species can tolerate moderate to even heavy habitat modification, while some small species recover quickly even from the harvest...

The Military Macaw (Ara militaris) and the Great Green Macaw (A. ambiguus) are species whose close relationship is reflected in their morphological similarity as well as their geographic ranges. Military Macaws have a disjunct distribution, found in Mexico as well as several areas in South America, while Great Green Macaws have two or more disjunct populations from Honduras to eastern Ecuador. We used mitochondrial sequence data to examine the phylogenetic relationships between these two species, and also among representative samples across their ranges. Our data clearly support recognition of the two species as being distinct evolutionary lineages, and while we found significant phylogeographic structure within A. militaris (between samples collected in eastern and western Mexico), we did not find any evidence of lineage divergence between A. ambiguus from Costa Rica and Ecuador.

Protected areas have emerged as a cultural feature and perhaps the largest land resource allocation decision in human history. Yet they are not without controversy on their adequacy for conservation and social justice. We argue that protected areas not only are necessary for conservation, they also contribute to human well-being and social justice in the Anthropocene. The World Parks Congresses have been a major forum for advancing global protected area policy and practice. Recently the IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas and the IUCN-Global Protected Areas Program has been moving toward a vision parallel and complementary to the proposed Earth Stewardship initiative of the Ecological Society of America. This novel view of IUCN is also called “The Promise of Sydney” because it will be the focus of the 2014 World Parks Congress in Australia. ICUN’s novel view suggests that protected areas are an effective way to put Earth stewardship into action.

Stochastic and catastrophic events may strongly impact the dynamics of wild populations. Annual fluctuations in rainfall may affect parrot populations, but few studies address the impact of other stochastic or catastrophic events on their population dynamics. The Maroon-fronted Parrot Rhynchopsitta terrisi is an endangered species that nests colonially in cavities and crevices in limestone cliffs. From 1995 to 2010, we quantified Parrot attendance at nesting colonies throughout its breeding range, and reproductive output of nesting Parrots from 1997 to 2010 at the two most important nesting colonies. There was significant variation among colonies in the number of cavities occupied by Parrots each year. Rainfall significantly influenced both the number of occupied cavities and productivity, which declined after very dry years. Natural unpredictable events such as hurricanes did not modify the nesting activity of Maroon-fronted Parrots at breeding colonies. However, wildfires increased in dry years, negatively affecting attendance at breeding colonies. The Maroon-fronted Parrot may overcome the impacts of climatic variability, natural stochastic processes, and human-induced catastrophic events by using nesting colonies as a network of resources throughout the breeding range. Given the current trends in climate change, it is likely the species may suffer stronger and more frequent unpredictable catastrophic events, potentially putting at risk its survival in the long term.

WE STUDIED ANNUAL VARIATION IN REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE THICK-BILLED PARROT (RHYNCHOPSITTA PACHYRHYNCHA) DURING A FIVE YEAR PERIOD (1997-2001), IN FIVE NESTING AREAS AT THE SIERRA MADRE OCCIDENTAL IN MEXICO. TWO BREEDING AREAS CONTINUE TO BE THE BREEDING STRONGHOLDS FOR THE SPECIES. WE DOCUMENTED 491 NESTING PAIRS AND DETERMINED THE OUTCOME OF 162 ACCESSIBLE NESTS. A NESTING PAIR LAID IN AVERAGE 2.7 EGGS, AND PRODUCED 1.6 FLEDLINGS PER EGG-LAYING PAIR. OVERALL NEST SUCCESS WAS 80% AND NOT SIGNIFICATIVE DIFFERENCES WERE OBSERVED IN NESTING SUCCESS AND PRODUCTIVITY AMONG AREAS WITH DIFFERENT CONSERVATION CONDITIONS AND FORESTRY MANAGEMENT REGIMES. HOWEVER, THE BESTPRESERVED NESTING AREAS CONCENTRATED A HIGH NUMBER OF NESTS. SOME YEARS THE SPECIES BREEDING ACTIVITY DECLINES DRASTICALLY AT REGIONAL SCALE AFFECTING SEVERAL NESTING AREAS.

The Maroon-fronted Parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi) is a threatened species endemic to pine-oak (Pinus spp.-Quercus spp.) forests in "sky islands" of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico. We measured parrot (n = 10) home ranges during the breeding season (1999-2001) using radiotelemetry. Home ranges varied among years: 1999 = 12,379.05 ha, 2000 = 8,633.82 ha, and 2001 = 4,736.75 ha. Differences in home range size may reflect variation in distribution, abundance, and patchiness of food. Daily movements in 1999 were estimated as 23.6 km versus 13.7 km in 2000 and 26.8 km in 2001. Habitat preferences within the Pious forest varied among nesting seasons. Preference in 1999 was for Pinus-Abies-Pseudotsuga forest and in 2000 and 2001 it was for Pinus forest and chaparral. This variation may be influenced by nesting behavior. Rapid landscape changes may necessitate planting and conserving pine forest to regenerate areas for long term conservation of Maroon-fronted Parrots.

Geophagy has been documented in many species of birds, including many parrots, and its proposed functions include detoxification of dietary poisons, mineral Supplementation, and acid buffering. Most geophagy reports involve tropical South American species: we present file first published report of clay-lick use by the Maroon-fronted Parrot (Rhynchopsitta terrisi), a species inhabiting high elevation temperate pine-oak (Pinus spp-Quercus spp.) forest of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Thirty-six observation sessions were made at the four dispersed licks known From the restricted breeding range of this species. All known licks were near valley bottoms far below most nesting cliffs. Parrot visitations to ingest clay were characteristically in groups and the average number of parrots per group was nine individuals. Group visits averaged 18.3 min in duration and peaked between 0900 and 1100 hrs. The total number of parrots visiting licks during any day represented only a fraction Of the known population of the species, suggesting that unless additional licks have yet to be discovered, visits of individuals to licks are relatively infrequent.

We studied Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) nest-site density and social nesting behavior from 1998 to 2001 in Madera, Chihuahua, Mexico. The species formed high-density nesting clusters; 45 nesting attempts (30%) involved nesting pairs sharing nest trees, with a maximum of three nesting pairs per tree. The majority of nest trees were live or dead quaking aspens (Populus trenudoides). Clusters contained a mean of 11.5 breeding pairs (5 nests/ha). The highly social nesting behavior of Thick-billed Parrots may have important implications for management and conservation of their breeding habitat.

SE ESTUDIO LA VARIACION ANUAL EN ACTIVIDAD REPRODUCTIVA Y LOS NIVELES DE PRODUCTIVIDAD Y EXITO DE ANIDACION DE LA COTORRA SERRANA OCCIDENTAL (RHYNCHOPSITTA PACHYRHYNCHA) EN UN PERIODO DE CINCO ANOS (1997 A 2001) EN CINCO AREAS DE ANIDACION EN LA SIERRA MADRE OCCIDENTAL EN MEXICO. SE CORROBORO QUE LAS DOS PRINCIPALES AREAS DE ANIDACION HISTORICAS CONTINUAN SIENDO LAS MAS IMPORTANTES PARA LA REPRODUCCION DE LA ESPECIE. SE OBSERVARON 491 PAREJAS Y SE EVALUO EL DESEMPENO REPRODUCTIVO EN 162 NIDOS ACCESIBLES. UNA PAREJA DE COTORRA SERRANA OCCIDENTAL PONE 2.7 HUEVOS POR NIDADA CON UN DESEMPENO REPRODUCTIVO DE 1.6 VOLANTONES POR NIDADA. EL EXITO DE ANIDACION GENERAL FUE DE 80% Y NO SE REGISTRARON DIFERENCIAS EN PRODUCTIVIDAD Y EXITO DE ANIDACION ENTRE LOCALIDADES CON DIFERENTES CONDICIONES DE CONSERVACION Y BAJO DIFERENTES NIVELES DE INTENSIDAD EN EXPLOTACION FORESTAL. SIN EMBARGO, LAS AREAS MEJOR CONSERVADAS PRESENTARON ELEVADAS CONCENTRACIONES DE NIDOS. SE OBSERVO QUE ALGUNOS ANOS LA ACTIVIDAD DE ANIDACION PUEDE DESCENDER DRASTICAMENTE A NIVEL REGIONAL AFECTANDO DIFERENTES LOCALIDADES.

Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) nest sites were studied during a six-year period (1995-2000) at six nesting areas in the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. Nests were found in 187 snags or live trees of seven species, which averaged 75.2 cm dbh. Most nests were in snags (59%), and only two nests occurred in trees or snags under 40 cm dbh. Most nests occurred in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii 32.6%), and Mexican white pine (Pinus ayacahuite, 21.9%). Nest-site characteristics observed in the study were compared with those reported in the literature 20 yrs ago by Lanning and Shiflett (1983), and important differences were found in the percentages of tree species used. Decline of the Thick-billed Parrot seems to be related to large-scale logging over a wider historical breeding range. Commercial timber harvesting appears to affect nest site availability by leaving few snags and pine trees large enough for parrots to nest in.

We studied productivity and nesting success of the Thick-billed Parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha) during a 7-year period (1995–2001) in five nesting areas at the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. Two breeding areas continue to be the breeding strongholds for the species. We found 553 cavities with associated pairs and determined the outcome of 187 accessible nests. Of 510 eggs followed, 405 (79%) hatched, and 307 (60%) produced fledglings. Clutch size averaged 2.7 eggs, and mean reproductive output was 1.6 fledglings per egg-laying pair. Overall nest success was 80% and ranged from 88% in 1996 to 60% in 2000. This was higher than nest success of most psittacines, and we consider productivity excellent in remaining areas of good habitat. Nevertheless, the species has nearly disappeared from many areas of its former range that have been converted from old-growth coniferous stands to immature stands deficient in both nest sites and food. Productividad y Éxito de Anidación de Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha Resumen. Estudiamos productividad y éxito de anidación de Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha a lo largo de un periodo de siete años (1995 a 2001) en cinco áreas de anidación en la Sierra Madre Occidental en México. Corroboramos que las dos principales áreas de anidación reportadas en la literatura continúan siendo bastiones para la viabilidad de la especie. Encontramos 553 cavidades con parejas activas y evaluamos el desempeño reproductivo en 187 nidos accesibles. De 510 huevos considerados, 405 eclosionaron (79%), y 307 produjeron volantones (60%). Registramos 2.7 huevos por nidada y un desempeño reproductivo de 1.6 volantones por nidada. El éxito general de anidación fue del 80% y varió entre 88% en 1996 y 60% en el 2000. Comparados con cifras para otros psitácidos, los datos indican niveles altos de productividad para las áreas de anidación estudiadas. Sin embargo, la especie ha desaparecido de gran parte de su rango histórico, donde la actividad de extracción forestal ha transformado el bosque maduro de coníferas en rodales inmaduros con escasos sitios para anidación y reducida disponibilidad de alimento.

Abstract: Although the poaching of nestlings for the pet trade is thought to contribute to the decline of many species of parrots, its effects have been poorly demonstrated. We calculated rates of mortality due to nest poaching in 23 studies of Neotropical parrots, representing 4024 nesting attempts in 21 species and 14 countries. We also examined how poaching rates vary with geographic region, presence of active protection programs, conservation status and economic value of a species, and passage of the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act. The average poaching rate across all studies was 30% of all nests observed. Thirteen studies reported poaching rates of ≥20%, and four reported rates openface> 70%. Only six studies documented no nest poaching. Of these, four were conducted on islands in the Caribbean region, which had significantly lower poaching rates than the mainland Neotropics. The other two studies that showed no poaching were conducted on the two species with the lowest economic value in our sample ( U.S. retail price). In four studies that allowed direct comparison between poaching at sites with active nest protection versus that at unprotected sites, poaching rates were significantly lower at protected sites, suggesting that active protection efforts can be effective in reducing nest poaching. In those studies conducted both before and after the passage of the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act, poaching rates were found to be significantly lower following its enactment than in the period before. This result supports the hypothesis that the legal and illegal parrot trades are positively related, rather than inversely related as has been suggested by avicultural interests. Overall, our study indicates that poaching of parrot nestlings for economic gain is a widespread and biologically significant source of nest mortality in Neotropical parrots.

This essay demonstrates how qualitative analysis of a target audience's discourse can identify themes and issues that need to be targeted in an effective persuasive campaign. The text for analysis was obtained by conducting informant directed interviews with Texas farmers who live in regions identified as having high injury and death rates associated with farm equipment. Thematic analysis of the resulting transcripts indicated that farmers view themselves as gamblers who have a high risk tolerance. The information gathered in this field study suggests persuasive campaign strategies that are likely to be most effective in reducing injuries related to farm equipment. Further, researchers can adapt the method used to other situations in which health practitioners need clear information about how best to motivate voluntary behavior change.