PROMOTING EXCELLENCEIN PARROT CONSERVATIONAVICULTURE AND WELFARE

World Parrot Trustin action

psittacine (sit’ a sîn) belonging or allied to the parrots; parrot-like

Thick-billed Parrot

Sisserou

Manifesto

Rainbow Lorikeet

Vol. 12 No.1 February 2000

Yellow-eared Parrot

EditorRosemary Low,P.O. Box 100,Mansfield, Notts.,United KingdomNG20 9NZ

CONTENTSSisserou to the Rescue ....2-5

Thick-billed Parrot ..............6

News for WPT Members ..7-8

Manifesto ......................9-12

Yellow-eared Parrot ..........13

Rainbow Lorikeet ........14-15

Psitta News..................16-17

Book Reviews ....................18

WPT Info Page ..................19

Parrots in the Wild ..........20

The World Parrot Trust does notnecessarily endorse any views orstatements made by contributorsto PsittaScene.It will of course consider articlesor letters from any contributors ontheir merits.All contents © World Parrot Trust

Cover PictureThis bird is the only ImperialAmazon, or Sisserou, incaptivity. It lives in agovernment aviary onDominica, West Indies. Thismale bird has a deformed beak,but the picture disguises thisto some extent. The followingarticle by Paul Reillo PhDdescribes the exciting newdevelopment of the MorneDiablotin National Park onDominica. WPT Canada andWPT USA have both helpedwith funding this park and weintend to stay in close touchwith this important project.

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Sisserou tothe Rescue– how an endangered parrot promotesbiodiversity protection in Dominicaby PAUL R. REILLO, Ph.D.

Staring out with lifeless eyes from her bottle of alcohol, Martha thepickled parrot casts a vigil over me as I write. Unlike so manymuseum specimens archived only for their reference potential—formeasurement, genetic analysis, all sorts of comparative research—Martha’s preserved remains also carry an additional, soberingepitaph: she was the last female of the rarest Amazon parrot onearth, the Imperial Amazon, in captivity. And yet, despite her presentstate, her story is one of hope for a parrot species facing extinction.Brilliantly coloured, and among the largest of the Amazon parrots,the Sisserou, as it is known locally, is the national bird of Dominica,the largest and most pristine of the Windward Islands in the WestIndies. Sandwiched by Martinique and Guadeloupe, Dominica is apicturesque, volcanic land 29 miles long and 16 miles wide blanketedby some of the finest virgin stands of rain forest in the Caribbean. Itis the only Caribbean island to have two large, endemic Amazonparrots, the Sisserou (Amazona imperialis) and the Jaco (Amazonaarausiaca). These parrots are surprisingly well-known even thoughfew people have seen them in person—neither species has ever beenkept in any number in captivity, and Dominica’s terrain defeats manybird-watchers. In many respects, the rarity and obscurity ofDominica’s parrots, particularly the Sisserou, has been the source offascination and intrigue for ornithologists and aviculturists fordecades. What we know about these birds is very recent.

More importantly, what we haveyet to discover may well holdthe key to their survival.

While the Jaco, a robust,gregarious, noisy parrot boasts apopulation of 1,300 or moreindividuals, the shy and elusiveSisserou is among the rarest ofAmazon parrots. There areprobably fewer than 200Sisserous inhabiting the rainforests surrounding MorneDiablotin, the Caribbean’s tallestvolcano. It is located inDominica’s Northern ForestReserve. It was never abundant,but was in serious declinefollowing hurricane David in1979.

Since endemic island species aresurrounded by unbridgeable sea,they are at much greater risk ofextermination. With nowhere togo to escape hurricanes,predation, poaching, and the

endless environmental assaultsbrought by man, many islandspecies disappear quickly alongwith the ecosystems thatsurround them. Dominica offersthe rare contemporaryalternative to this grim scenario,possessing forests so pristinethat it is the only Caribbean

island that ChristopherColumbus would recognisetoday.

Our organisation, the Rare SpeciesConservatory Foundation (RSCF),was introduced to Dominicathrough the urgings of a closeveterinary friend and colleague,Matthew Bond, DVM, who hadvisited the island to see theparrots first-hand. Bond wasinstrumental in rejuvenatinginterest in the Sisserou amongU.S. aviculturists andconservationists in the early1990’s.

With such a wealth of nature insuch a small, topographicallychallenging space, the Forestryand Wildlife Division ofDominica’s government hasshouldered the dauntingresponsibility of studying andmanaging the forest’s resourcesand particularly its green,feathered ambassadors. Withoutquestion, the Forestry Divisionhas been the lifeline toDominica’s environmental well-being, and the stimulus for vitaleducational programmes thatensure lasting pride inDominica’s natural history.Thanks to instructionalprogramming and financialassistance from the RARECentre, MacArthur Foundationand the Nature Conservancy,every Dominican, from child toelder, is a spokesperson fornature. And the Sisserou,undisputed symbol of Dominicaand her lush forests, iseverywhere — on flags, stamps, T-shirts, billboards — even theCoat of Arms.

The logistical difficulty ofsorting out the Sisseroupopulation’s status with somemeasure of confidence might

The Caribbean island of Dominica. Photo: Paul Reillo

help explain why few tangibleconservation efforts appear tosupport the species in the wild.

To the astonishment of manyornithologists in the U.S. andEurope, Dominica’s ForestryDivision has supported a parrotmonitoring programme since1981. Vigilant foresters haveclocked tens of thousands ofhours observing parrots andnest trees in remote areas, oftenfrom dawn to dusk throughoutthe breeding season, January-June. Forestry’s programme hasbeen championed by ForestryOfficers Arlington James,Michael Zamore, StephenDurand, Ronnie Winston,Matthew Maximea and BertrandJno. Baptiste, assisted over theyears by biologists from theWildlife Preservation TrustInternational, U.S. Fish andWildlife Service, Jersey Trust,BirdLife International, and Dr.Peter Evans, who receivedfunding from the Loro ParqueFoundation.

The parrot monitoringprogramme has yielded a wealthof descriptive information aboutspecies’ distributions, nest-treepreferences, foragingbehaviours, diet and courtship.Helping Forestry with its parrotprogramme is where our littleorganisation fits in. Since 1996,scientists with the Rare SpeciesConservatory Foundation haveworked directly with foresters,tramping the hills of theNorthern Forest Reserve,devising study methods for theJaco and Sisserou, andimproving the aviary at theBotanical Gardens in Roseau.With the help of donors andcorporate sponsors, Forestryhas received boots, ponchos,waterproof binoculars,specialised video equipment,tools, forestry ladders and aNissan 4x4 pickup truck.Martha’s friends in the aviaryhave benefited from animproved diet.

Jaco eggs andchicks documentedIn our first joint efforts withForestry, we set out to gatherbasic ecological data,particularly breeding cycles andclutch sizes. With a speciallydesigned telescoping videoprobe and a time-lapse recorder,

to watch and wait wasunanimous. We cautiouslywatched the nest from Januarythrough June, usually no morethan once per week, observingwhen the birds came and went,and how they interacted withone another. The female, thesmaller of the two, spentconsiderably more time in andaround the nest, and was vocalonly when the male was nearby.The male vocalised whenever hearrived at the tree—he evenwould direct his calls at us some300 feet away and fly with anintimidating, noisy display. Asthe weeks passed, both parentsspent increasingly greater timeforaging and less time in thecavity. Visits to the nest treeyielded fewer observations asparents would spend up to threehours out of the cavity, and only10-15 minutes inside. We knew afeathered chick was growingwithin, and by late May, fledgingwas imminent.

With June came the earlysummer rains and the familiarsounds of young Jacos and theirparents exiting nest trees andfilling the forests with chatter.Upon visiting the Sisserou nesttree during the first week ofJune, the Forestry parrot teamfound the area silent. Up-slope,the team discovered two adultSisserous accompanying aclumsy juvenile exhibitingcharacteristically erratic flightand performing uncoordinatedcrash landings in the canopyabove. Given the close proximityto the nest tree, and noobservations of Sisserous in thisarea during the season, wesurmised that the trio must bethe family we had anticipated.

we were able to document Jacoeggs and chicks in natural rainforest nests. These techniquespermitted Forestry officers likeStephen Durand and MichaelZamore, who have studied theparrots since the monitoringprogramme began nearly 20years ago, to finally see babyparrots in the nest. We nowknow that the Jaco clutch size isthree, and that in good yearswith ample food, parents canraise three chicks through full-feather and fledge two. We alsoknow the activity schedules forJaco parents, how much timethey spend feeding chicks andforaging, and that Jacos exhibita high degree of nest sitefidelity.Despite concerted efforts,Sisserou nests have provenelusive, and those known tohave had activity in the pasthave been abandoned. All werebeyond the reach of even thecraftiest of researchers andtheir fancy cameras. Population-level studies have not faredmuch better—rarely are morethan two birds, presumablypairs, seen in a given patch offorest.Just when the parrot teamneeded it most, a miracle ofsorts occurred in January 1999.While scouting familiar terrainin the Northern Forest Reservenear the base of MorneDiablotin, Forestry officers tooka lunch break along a well-hewntrail, resting on the buttressesof a 220-foot-tall Chatannyetree. Soon after, they recognisedthe unmistakable, hollow yodelof Sisserous above. Theforesters had stumbled (andsat!) on an active Sisserou nesttree.This tree was along a slopeunsuitable for time-lapse videosurveillance—the 150-lb.batteries would have had to beslogged nearly half a mile overnear-vertical terrain. To makematters worse, the nest cavitywas complex—roughly 80 feetfrom the ground, and embeddedbeneath huge epiphytes at thecrotch of the 10-foot-diameterChatannye. After observing theparents entering and exiting thenest, we surmised that the nestchamber was likely to be deepwithin the tree. By all measures,our telescoping video probewould be useless. The decision

PopulationestimatesTo conduct a parrot census onDominica, one would need atleast a dozen teams ofobservers placed strategicallyall over the island, most in areasthat take most of a day toaccess. Wonderful as it would beto count birds as we see them,meagre resources demand amore indirect approach. Here’sone method: we know that Jacoscongregate, sometimes 30 ormore birds per roost tree.Estimates of local density, ornumbers of birds per unit area,are known to equal or exceedone bird per 30 acres (0.033birds/acre), in many parts of theisland. Given that there exists atleast 60,000 acres of potentiallysuitable Jaco habitat and if theaverage density across allhabitats is only 2/3 of ourrough density estimate (0.022),a very conservative guess at theJaco population is ~1,300 birds.

Since the Sisserou has not beenseen in greater local abundancethan roughly one bird per 200acres, and its range is confinedto no more than 40,000 acres offorest within and adjacent tothe Northern Forest Reserve, (adistribution well documentedfollowing hurricane David in1979), the total population,theoretically, cannot exceed200. Of course, as with Jacohabitat, much of the availableforest has not beensystematically monitored,offering hope that Sisserous aremore locally abundant in areaspresently unknown toresearchers. Unfortunately, untilhard data can be assigned to

Pair of Imperials Photo: Paul Reillo

PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000 ■ 3

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these local sub-populations,potentially boosting our veryrough average density estimate,the safe assumption is that 200or less Sisserous currentlysurvive on Dominica. One sitsalone in a cage at the BotanicalGardens in Roseau, Dominica’scapital. An eight-year-old male,blown to the ground during atropical storm in 1992, he hasbeen alone since June 1998.

Despite their influence aseducational icons, asambassadors for conservation,and even as effective examplesof carefully managed breedingprogrammes in zoos andconservatories, endangeredcreatures born in captivityvirtually always die there. Evenso, captive breeding can offer anundeniable refuge fromextinction, especially for islandspecies like the Sisserou,reduced to such low numbersthat a direct hit from a singlehurricane could wipe it outforever. When contemplating theSisserou’s status in the wildwhile staring at the only cagedSisserou on earth, even thestaunchest of fieldconservationists has to admitthat it would be nice to have atleast a few breeding pairs safelytucked away somewhere.

RSCF has long supportedForestry’s position that the un-releasable birds in the Roseauaviary should be given everyopportunity to reproduce. In

1998 one of the captive Jacoslaid a clutch of three eggs—infertile, but a first step. Thisevent, repeated in 1999,corroborates our fieldobservations of natural Jaconests: the Jaco clutch size isunquestionably three. EvenMartha made history during hertime in captivity. She died egg-bound. Sadly, her advanced ageand poor health spelled disasterall around.

Is aviculture an option for theSisserou? Maybe we could pullan egg or chick from the activenest to provide a mate for ourlone bird. With new blood-sexingtechniques, we could even verifya chick’s sex before we took it.Maybe we could learn enoughabout raising and breedingSisserous, even from a singlepair, to propose a bona fidecaptive breeding programme.

In early October 1999 we knewthe birds were not entering thenest, even though they were inthe area keeping a close eye onus. Cradled in a saddle, I inchedalong the 80-foot climb to thenest cavity and got a clear viewof the cavity entrance, thicklycamouflaged with anthuriums;after inspecting from a safedistance, I descended. Weproved we could get to thecavity, and likely get inside—ifneed be.

Sadly, our discoveries offer littleimmediate consolation for

Martha’s ‘husband’ in the aviary.For the time being, Mr. Sisseroulives a lonely life, though hedoes get to argue with his Jaconeighbours. As field explorationexpands, more nest trees arediscovered, and dataaccumulate, the chance ofrecruiting a mate for Mr.Sisserou increases, along withthe number of conservationoptions. Early in 1998 werealised that what the Sisserouneeded was a novel approach,and soon. But when you don’tknow what specifically to do tohelp conserve a species, becausethe root causes of its populationstatus are beyond grasp, thenwhat do you do? That’s when westarted thinking about theSisserou as a conservationfulcrum to leverage protectionfor the entire rain forestecosystem.

Bringing all or part of theNorthern Forest Preserve underDominica’s National ParksSystem has been the dream ofmany conservation groups andthe Forestry Division, since thelate 1970’s. In the mid-1980’s,RARE (with its "ProjectSisserou"), the WildlifePreservation Trust International,The Nature Conservancy,Rosemary Low and otherconservation collaboratorsproposed a new national parkwhich would forever protect,under Dominica’s constitution,the primary rain forest habitatof the Jaco and Sisserou. Ofparticular concern was theeastern boundary of theNorthern Forest Reserve, knownas the Syndicate Estate area,because of the pressures placedupon it by agriculture. Case-in-point: more rain forest trees inor near the Northern ForestReserve have been cut down inthe last twenty years thanduring the previous 100.

New national parksTo their credit, and despite theeconomic enticement to sacrificeforests to farming, each of thetwo previous Dominicangovernment administrations hasmanaged to create a newnational park. Morne TroisPitons National Park, Dominica’smost famous, was one of theCaribbean’s first national parks,established in 1975, and becamethe Caribbean’s first and only

Natural World Heritage Site,sanctioned by UNESCO in 1997.The Cabrits National Park,encompassing the grounds of anextensive English garrison atFort Shirley and over 1,000acres of marine sanctuary nearPortsmouth, was added in 1986.With the national trend towardeco-tourism gaining momentumand banana profits beginning toslip in the early 1990’s,government saw an opportunityto create another park, theMorne Diablotin National Park.In 1991, it almost happened.

The culmination of a dozen-plusyears of brainstorming, smallland grants, encouragementfrom conservation, local andinternational groups and muchpolitical manoeuvring, theForestry Division’s 1991proposal to create MorneDiablotin National Park wasinspiring, particularly in light ofgovernment’s precariousfinances. The Park wouldinclude nearly 10,000 acres ofpristine rain forest, all withingovernment-owned land,stretching from the Syndicatearea across Morne Diablotinitself, encompassing vastriverine valleys and all knownnesting and foraging areas forthe Sisserou. It would include asmall interpretative/welcomecentre for visitors,complementing a mile-long, flat,trail loop (currently known asthe Syndicate Nature Trail),where visitors could experiencesome of the finest old growthforest in the Caribbean withouthaving to become mountaingoats. The trail had beenmanicured by the ForestryDivision years before. Signsidentify rain forest plants andtrees, many in excess of 200feet, as the trail winds along ascenic ridge overlooking thePicard River Gorge, which spillsfrom the base of the mammothMorne Diablotin, which at 4,747feet, is the Caribbean’s highestvolcanic peak. Visitor accesswould be naturally restricted tothe Nature Trail and the famousMorne Diablotin Trail (offeringDominica’s most physicallydemanding day hike), definingthe Park as a true bioreserve forone of the most biologicallydiverse and largest remainingoceanic rain forest ecosystemsin the New World.Red-necked Amazon, or Jaco. Photo: Paul Reillo

The park plan was pursued withvigour by the Ministry ofAgriculture and theEnvironment, which wasprepared to present it toDominica’s Cabinet, so that theMorne Diablotin area could beprotected formally andpermanently under the NationalParks and Protected Areas Act of1975. That’s when the Divisionof Surveys discovered aprivately held tract of 1,301acres within the proposed park.How could the governmentestablish a national park aroundprivate property that in thefuture could be legally logged,farmed, or used in some othermanner incompatible with asurrounding nature preserve?

ConservationschizophreniaWe at RSCF became intrigued bythe notion that a new nationalpark and the resultantprotection for vast expanses ofSisserou habitat could hinge ona 1,301-acre land deal. A form ofconservation schizophreniaovercame us in early-1998, asthe urgencies of parrot fieldresearch became tempered bythe looming, unequivocal landconservation priority. Aconfluence of factors—government’s endorsement ofthe park, a loomingagricultural/economicdownturn, national pride in theSisserou, Forestry’s upcoming50th anniversary and Dominica’s

21st birthday in November1999, and the soon-to-followmillennium—identified a rareopportunity to create a parkconceptualised nearly 20 yearsbefore. We suddenly foundourselves in the real estatebusiness, a somewhat unusualrole for a scientific organisation,as we immediately co-ordinatedwith government to helpunderwrite the land purchase,and get the Morne DiablotinNational Park on the books asquickly as possible.

I don’t know which is morecompelling, the feeling of moralsuperiority while undertaking agood cause, or the feeling ofcomplete inadequacy andresignation when even bestefforts fall short. Since the landwas in an area with a longagricultural history, its value,recognised by the owner andgovernment alike, wasconsiderable—just over onemillion U.S. dollars. If we couldsecure $750,000, governmentagreed to pay the rest over time.By mid-1999, a series ofDominican Cabinet decisionsauthorised creation of the MorneDiablotin National Park, itsboundaries, and the terms foracquiring the private landparcel. But despite all of thepresentations, grant proposalsand the many generouscontributors—privateindividuals, family foundations,even corporate and zoosponsors—we were missing the$750,000 mark by a mile.

In late September 1999 wedecided to put RSCF on the lineand use every asset imaginableto close the deal. I called infavours from everyone I knew,begged some from friends whoowed me none, and chargedforward. RSCF threw itsmortgage money into the potwith the blessings of the donorwho had given it, along withevery spare dollar we couldfind. A single contributor, Mr.Peter Allard—a true hero alreadyunderwriting RSCF operationsand the establishment of acompanion wildlife sanctuary inBarbados—was footing a fullthird of the bill, $250,000.Grants and gifts took care of abig chunk, and in the end RSCFwas in debt for over $200,000.But at least the money was inthe restricted escrow account,the contracts were signed, andthe die was cast. With muchfanfare and enormous pride, on21 January 2000 theGovernment of Dominicaofficially declared the MorneDiablotin National Park at theState House in Roseau.

With six billion humans nowcrowding the planet, arguablysealing the fate of manyendangered ecosystems, it issometimes difficult to identifythe people who truly standapart. I have been lucky enoughto meet and work with many ofthem in support of the Dominicaprogramme, without whom thequest to create the MorneDiablotin National Park and

PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000 ■ 5

thereby buy the Sisserou and itsforest more time might simplyhave ended. All of us know thatthe work has really just begun,and that the Sisserou’s future isfar from secure. Money andeffort must be committed now ifthe parrot research andconservation efforts are to beexpanded. The arduous processof managing this bioreserve—scripting policies andprogrammes, inventorying itsresources—will challenge theinternational conservationcommunity’s technicalresources. I welcome this future,continually reminded how a shybird came to symbolise, andultimately rescue, the rainforests on this beautiful island.With the Morne DiablotinNational Park comes a promiseto maintain a course set longago by Dominica’s extraordinarypeople, to sustain naturalresources by preserving them,thereby setting an example forthe rest of us. Just as Marthahas become my sentinel, somust humanity become nature’ssteward. What a privilege it is towatch over the Sisserou as thismagnificent species survivesand inspires.

Contact Address:Rare Species ConservatoryFoundation1222 "E" RoadLoxahatchee, FL 33470 USATel: (561) 790-5864Fax: (561) 792-2122 Email: paulreillo@rarespecies.orgWebsite: www.rarespecies.org

The summit of Morne Diablotin. The Parrot Team, from left Stephen Durand, Matthew Maximea, Ronnie Winston and Paul Reillo.

Thick-billed Parrot- an historic agreementby ERNESTO C. ENKERLIN-HOEFLICH

After two years of delicate negotiations an historicagreement was signed to protect the most importantnesting area known for the Thick-billed Parrot. TheThick-billed Parrot is an endangered speciesendemic to the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexicoand the sky-islands that extend into the south westUS in New Mexico and Arizona.

Work conducted over the last five years in acollaborative project between Wildlife PreservationTrust International (WPTI) and Monterrey Tech(ITESM) with support from a number of institutionshad identified this area as the most importantnesting site with over 100 nests possiblyrepresenting around 10% of the total breedingpopulation of the species. The site, comprising over4,000 acres of a very diverse and beautiful forestand although not strictly old growth, had remainedrelatively undisturbed, unlike 98.5% of the SierraMadre which has been logged; it was targeted forlogging in 2002.

The agreement calls for a 15year moratorium on any cuttingof timber in the area, Bisaloachic(or Cebadillas) which represents10% of the timber potential ofthe 40,000 acre Ejido Tutuaca, arural forest cooperative. Tooffset in part the losses intimber potential a number oforganisations notably TheWildlands Project, Pronatura(Noreste) and Naturalia willprovide the community with anumber of incentives includinga “rent payment” representingover time 50% of the net valueof timber that will not beharvested. These organisationstogether with WPTI and ITESMwill continue monitoring andprovide community servicesincluding consultants to obtainforest certification in theirremaining forest, promotion ofecotourism and participatoryrural development. Theimportance of this strategy liesin making the pristine forestworth much more in the longrun to the people than timber sothat once the 15 year agreementexpires they will continueprotection based on self interestand pride.

It is important to consider that

the community is composedprimarily of very poorforesters/peasants who in theshort term have to give up about6% of their expected annualincome to make the dealhappen. They do this in thehope that the offer ofconservation for a better futurewill come true and will shortlyoffset this short term sacrifice.Over the life of the bindingagreement they will make surethat conservation values on theland area are maintained and

participate with conservationistsin all necessary work to achievethis.

The negotiation itself that daywas quite intense. The turningpoint was when the mostimportant community leader, aman in his thirties who opposedour offer, noted; “If you want adeal give us more money andgive it quick, I won’t be aroundin fifteen years to see whathappened”. To this, one of theelderly community members, awoman in her seventies

Thick-billed Parrot

responded; “Look I am quiteolder than you and will certainlynot be around here in fifteenyears but my children and grandchildren will. They will benefitfrom this and we want it tohappen.” The crowd cheered.Another woman noted, “Givehim what he wants, he can takeit from our part and lets agreeon conservation of Bisaloachic”.On the way back to ChihuahuaCity the forester that supervisesthe common public land told methat in all his years, over 20,working with Tutuaca and manyassembly meetings, he hadnever seen women participateuntil that day. I never thoughtyou could convince them, hesaid. In the end everyone butone agreed on the plan,including the young leader.

Now, even before the firstmaterial results of theagreement reach Tutuaca, theyare already different becausethey have hope for the future inalliance with conservation. Thiswill be formally announced at a“fiesta” in the summer. When thesun set on 22 January, 2000 thehorizon looked brighter for manand parrot in the Sierra Madre.

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Photo: Keith Ewart

News for WPT MembersBy MICHAEL REYNOLDSA lot has been happening in the world of the World Parrot Trust, and it is time to bringour members up to date. We should begin by passing on some excellent news on avariety of financial matters. You may recall that Steve Shaw reported in PsittaScene Vol10 No.3 about a legacy from our late member Kyle Brown. This generous and committedmember left WPT-USA the proceeds of a life insurance policy worth $50,000. This sumhas now been increased by a further $23,000 from the residue of Kyle Brown’s estate.This means that in the USA we have, in addition to our modest operating account, animportant reserve fund of $80,000.

In the UK we have been advised that a legacy of approximately £94,000 ($150,000) willreach us in the next few months. This is a staggering amount of money by WPTstandards, and leads to a number of interesting options. The present intention of WPT’strustees is to allocate 50% of these exceptional funds (totalling $230,000) to our generalproject fund, and the other 50% to an improvement to our structure. This is theappointment of a new (paid) director, to take over from me. I have done the job (unpaid)for eleven years, but I am now almost 70, and it makes sense to hand the task over to ayounger scientifically qualified person. The arrival of these funds makes this possible,and we expect to have a new director in place by the end of 2000.

More Good NewsOther donations deserve to beacknowledged, as follows:After making a donation of$10,000 from his Texas StateFair conservation booth in 1998,Steve Martin of NaturalEncounters Inc. has repeatedthis generous sum from the1999 show. The 1998 fundswent directly to support a groupof 12 neotropical parrotprojects, as reported in theFebruary 1999 issue ofPsittaScene, while the latest$10,000 will go towards oursupport for Lear’s Macaw in NEBrazil.In PsittaScene for August 1999we described the problemsfacing the Cape Parrot in SouthAfrica, and asked for donationstowards its survival. One of ourUK members - who wishes toremain anonymous - sent in$4,000, which was sent on,without deduction, to theproject directed by Dr. ColleenDowns and the University ofNatal. In his letter, our memberwrote: ‘I am pleased that mydonation will greatly assist thecause of the endangered CapeParrots - perhaps a littlesomething in return for themany years I have spent in West,Central and Southern Africa andappreciated its wonderfulwildlife, and the greatcompanionship of anincomparable African Grey.’

For several years now we haveenjoyed the consistent supportof the Keith Ewart CharitableTrust. Keith was a man of manytalents, a brilliant film makerand photographer, and theowner of some of the mosttreasured and pampered parrotsin the world. Before his death hehelped WPT with photography,and his trust has helped us fundthe survival of eight parrotspecies. We recently received afurther £3,000, which wasdivided equally between Lear’sMacaw, Golden Conure, and theImperial Amazon.

Support from USABird Clubs in the United Stateshave been great supporters ofWPT-USA. In the last twelvemonths no less than 18 clubshave made large donationstotalling $9,690. Here is the list:

Southern Maryland Cage Bird Club $500CSRA Exotic Bird Association ..$500Maryland Cage Bird Club ....$750National Capital Bird Club ..$540Peninsula Bird Club ..........$1,000Central Indiana Cage Bird Club $2,000Aviculturists of Greater Boston..$100South Jersey Bird Club ........$100

Emerald Exotic Bird Society $300Georgia Cage Bird Club ......$400Las Vegas Aviculture............$100Michiana Cage Bird Club ....$200SW Virginia Cage Bird Club $250Emerald Coast Avian Society........$250Ann Arbor Cage Bird Club ..$700Dallas Cage Bird Club ......$1,750Tennessee Valley Exotic Bird Club $250

We do not get many similardonations from bird clubs inother countries, perhapsbecause the US clubs are uniquein that many hold annual fundraising events, and are lookingfor worthy organisations toreceive the proceeds. We arevery grateful for this help, buthow wonderful it would be ifmany more of the 600 US clubsdecided to help the parrotsthrough WPT-USA. We invitethem all to join our crusade tohelp the parrots survive.

We have had several donationsfrom Col. Eugene Klinedinst inthe USA. Recently he sent us$550, and said he hadchallenged his bird club tomatch this amount. Last week hewrote again to say his club YorkArea Pet Bird Club had agreed.Other club members may beable to emulate the Colonel’sexcellent idea.

AdditionalDonationsIt is a fact that many more WPTmembers are sending anadditional donation when theyrenew their subscriptions. Theseare usually between £5 and£100, or $10 to $200. These‘extras’ are very welcome fortwo reasons: first, we do notwant to increase the low basicsubscription and possiblydiscourage new members;second, the cost of printing anddistributing PsittaScene takes50% of the subscription, and weneed extra income to boost ourproject funds - the vital moneythat actually goes to workaround the world for parrotsurvival.

PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000 ■ 7

Golden Conure at Paradise Park. Photo: Keith Ewart

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Another consistent funder ofWPT is the Kilverstone WildlifeTrust. Over the past five yearswe have received donations tobe spent on the South Americanspecies that are the specialinterest of Lord and Lady Fisher.It was a sad day when theirbeautiful wildlife park inNorfolk, UK, had to close, but itis good to know that they arestill able to help the parrots andother animals of the neotropics.

WPT FinancesWhile writing on the delicatesubject of the World ParrotTrust’s finances, I would like totake the opportunity to invitemembers to consider including alegacy to WPT in their wills. Asdescribed above, and as a directconsequence of two largelegacies, we are about to moveinto an expansive second phaseof development, with sounderfinances overall, a moreprofessional management, andmore funds available for ourprojects. After eleven years it isclear that the trust is here forthe long term, and has anoutstanding and unmatchedrecord of achievement. Foranyone wishing to make animmediate or eventual financialcommitment towards parrotconservation and welfare, wewould seem to be the best andmost reliable people to support.

IAATEAnother donation came the wayof WPT in February 2000. I wasinvited to be the keynotespeaker at the annualconference of IAATE, theInternational Association ofAvian Trainers and Educators.This took place in MemphisTennessee, and I have to say itwas the best organised and most

enjoyable event of its kind Ihave ever attended. The 200+delegates were young, talentedand enthusiastic people frommost of the major US zoos. Theypresent the bird shows that doso much to inform and educateover 27 million annual visitors,and due at least in part to theinfluence of IAATE, the messagenow is about the importance ofconserving wildlife, rather thanhow clever it is for a cockatoo toride a bicycle. At the closingbanquet the World Parrot Trustwas given a conservation award,with a cheque for $500.

If any reader would like moreinformation about IAATE,contactINTERNET:iaate@email.msn.com.

More MembersNeededMay we ask members to seek outNEW MEMBERS for WPT? Ournumbers are steadily growing,but not fast enough. We have2,500 members, but that is atrivial number when compared

to all the people in the worldwho keep or breed parrots, orhave a scientific, commercial orother interest in them. Weestimate there are over 50million people who keep captiveparrots, so that leaves49,997,500 still to join theWorld Parrot Trust. Plenty ofscope there! You could considercopying page 19 of thisPsittaScene, and giving it toanyone who may be interested.

ManifestoFinally, I would like to mentionthe WPT ‘Manifesto forAviculture’ that is on the centrefour pages. We first publishedthis in 1998 and distributed it tothe embassies and relevantgovernment offices of themajority of countries whereparrots occur, or where they arewidely kept by aviculturists. Theaim was to present a positiveview of aviculture, and try tocurb a tendency for unnecessaryand even punitive newlegislation. We have now slightlyrevised and updated thisManifesto, and will again send itout to offices worldwide whereit may be of help to our hobby,interest, pastime, or obsession.If anyone would like tocomment on this news section,please feel free to email me orwrite to the WPT-UK address.

Lady Fisher from the cover of herbook ‘My Jungle Babies’

Letter from EB CRAVENS, Waiohinu, HawaiiI just received my PsittaScene for Nov 99. I thank you for such aquality quarterly with high ideals and numerous conservationprogrammes in the field to back them up. While reading through ‘Somethoughts for the Millennium’, I was inspired to write this letter, by yourmention that the European Union has no plans to introduce anylegislation to prohibit the importation of wild parrots.It perhaps should be noted that the U.S. Wild Bird Conservation Act,while a landmark for the international conservation scene as far as itgoes to stop the importing of wild-trapped psittacines for the pettrade, does not, in fact, stop all the wild bird trade in softbills, finches,thrushes, barbets, jays, beeeaters, and on and on….But more to the point of this letter, it would be well for thoseaviculturists and bird breeders in the European Community (and theirclose brethren in South Africa!), to begin looking into the future wheretheir parrot breeding interests are concerned.These birdkeepers and the associated trappers and importers whoregularly supply them have historically been predominately AGAINSTrestrictive legislation on the free importation of more wild-trappedparrots into their countries.But, as an active writer, speaker and aviculturist in the U.S., a countrythat has taken the captive breeding of psittacines to a massive level ofnumbers in the past decade, let me assure those defenders of parrotimportation that they are working to curtail a significant portion oftheir own futures.The longer imported psittacines are brought into birdkeeping nations,the more breeding pairs become available, often at very affordableprices and the more amateurs and hobbyists begin to acquire saidextra pairs to set up their own breeding operations. When this copiousamount of imported parrots is available in birdkeeping households and

aviaries throughout the country in question, the numbers of offspringproduced each year begin to skyrocket. When a certain saturation pointis reached, monumental adverse effects ensue.Prices start to plummet, numbers of excess birds, free birds, adoptedand unwanted birds increase manyfold. Diseases among mediocre andunprofessional breeders may proliferate and are passed into othercollections when these poor and dirty facilities give up and sell offbirds without telling buyers they are sick!Commonly kept and bred hookbill species become so common theycannot be sold at any price….And the number of innovative, expert aviculturists, those who led thefield and shared their knowledge and who now decide to totally getout of the psittacine breeding business, also skyrockets. So many ofmy close friends and mentors have done this in the U. S. that I lamentover their loss to the world of parrot aviculture.Make no mistake, a continued millennium 2000 importation of cheapwild-trapped psittacines into your country is going to cut the throatsof those aviculturists who presently earn a living producing parrots forthe pet and breeder trades.If it were my choice as a breeder in a nation with a slower growthcurve of parrotkeeping than that seen in the U.S., I would certainlybegin to agitate for a stop in the importation of any more wild-trappedpsittacines. The sooner this is accomplished, the sooner a stableavicultural community can begin planning for the future days whentrading and shipping of captive-raised only parrot species should bemore commonplace between breeding countries, even continents.I wish you all the best of luck in the European Union. May youravicultural foresight extend further ahead than that of most of weAmericans. With much alohaSincerely, Eb Cravens

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Victorian child with Leadbeater’s Cockatoo

Published by The World Parrot Trust on behalf of many millions ofparrot aviculturists and pet owners worldwide and despatched tothe appropriate authorities in every major country where parrotslive in the wild or are kept as pets or breeding birds.

This manifesto will also be sent to relevant international bodiesand institutions and to the media. Comments are invited frominterested parties.

A Brief History of AvicultureThis activity is almost as old as mankind itself. We haveconfined poultry, pigeons and other birds for domestic andcommercial reasons and kept songbirds and other caged birds inour homes. So the keeping of birds, often called ‘aviculture’, isby no means a modern development.

Until the last thirty years, the hobby of bird-keeping centred onlow-cost birds such as canaries, fancy pigeons and domesticstrains of budgerigar. What is comparatively new is thediscovery that the successful breeding in captivity of somebirds, primarily members of the parrot family, can provide afascinating hobby that also brings a profit opportunity. This hascaused a great expansion of interest in aviculture and anincreasing demand for the importation of wild-caught parrotsinto many prosperous societies. With the ready availability of airtransport, large numbers of parrots were removed from thewild, reaching a peak in the years 1970 to 1990.

Many species were put at risk and not surprisingly this trafficwas opposed by concerned nations and conservation bodies. Allbut two common species of parrot are now covered by CITES,the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Speciesof Flora and Fauna. Together with national legislation andcontrols, this convention has gone some way to reduce thisthreat to the survival of parrots in the wild.

Aviculture TodayEvery aviculturist is a lover of nature, captivated by the beautyand character of the birds he or she keeps. The well-being of thebirds themselves lies at the heart of the hobby and the devotionof bird keepers to their charges is usually plain to see. Tosucceed in the captive breeding of exotic birds requires study,dedication, intelligence, persistence, a natural understanding forwildlife, financial investment and endless hard work. For themajority of aviculturists today, it remains an enthralling anddecent special interest, one that can last a life-time and beshared with family, friends and fellow enthusiasts.

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Charming, educational, but demanding.Pet parrots live in forty million homes worldwide.

Ancient ‘Sultan’ poultry.

Free-flying Scarlet Macawsat Pardise Park, Cornwall,U.K. 1995

1745 engraving of an Ornate Lorikeet.

It is unfortunate that within this community, as in any othergroup, there are a few individuals whose activities tarnish thereputation of the many. In the avicultural world there are somewho are not genuinely concerned about the welfare of birds andwho are prepared to act illegally, either for profit or to satisfythe ‘collecting mania’ that can sometimes be seen. These are thesmugglers, many of whom have recently been brought tojustice.

Aviculture disclaims these people. They are notrepresentative of our community. We also reject thosewho fail to give adequate care to their birds, or who treattheir fellow hobbyists unfairly.

In recent years much progress has been made in the science ofaviculture and in particular the veterinary care of birds. Mostaviculturists have the help of an expert avian vet and there is awealth of publications on every aspect of the hobby.

What is more, many avicultural organisations now fundconservation projects for parrots in the wild and thesecontributions will undoubtedly increase.

When The World Parrot Trust was launched in 1989, one of itsstated aims was to see the importation of wild-caught parrotsfor the pet trade replaced by aviary-bred birds. This aim wasderided by some and strongly opposed by some commercialelements. Now, however, virtually every individual andorganisation in our field has accepted the correctness of thataim. Attitudes are changing fast and illegality or excessiveexploitation hold little attraction for aviculturists in general.

Responsible AvicultureThe concept of ‘responsible aviculture’, conceived and promotedby The World Parrot Trust, is gaining ground, encouraging highstandards in avicultural practice and the need to accept a degreeof responsibility for the conservation of wild populations, fromwhich all captive birds have sprung.

With our support groups in eleven countries around the world,we are able to detect a growing understanding of the need toimprove the way aviculture is perceived, both by the generalpublic and by regulatory authorities.

In our opinion, this is a time for restraint in imposingfurther restrictions on ‘responsible aviculture’.

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International cooperation: at Paradise Park, UK, Rosa Elenafrom Peru helps to hand-rear a rare St. Vincent Parrot.

Spacious aviaries lead to breeding successes and awards.

“Parrots are amusing and never die.You wish they did”GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Aviary-bred parrot chicks reduce the pressure on wild populations.

Some ProposalsWe fully accept that the international community and everyindividual country has the right to regulate the movement andkeeping of wildlife, in the interests of human health, avianwelfare and conservation. Like all citizens, aviculturists simplyask that regulations be reasonable, easy to understand andcomply with and operated with speed and consistency. Wetherefore propose the following:-

1. Enforce CITES effectively in every country.Some countries have yet to join the convention, while othershave signed up to CITES but do not implement it effectively.

2. Use CITES to stop the mass importation of birds intodeveloped countries.Large numbers of parrots are still being exported fromAfrica, Asia and Latin America.

3. Ensure that legal trade is sustainable and has regardfor avian welfare.Some countries still allow export quotas that lack scientificjustification.

4. Ensure that departments responsible for wildliferegulation act efficiently.In some countries unreasonable delays occur in processingdocuments.

5. Do not create new difficulties for aviculture.Most aviculturists are simple hobbyists, not majorentrepreneurs. Do not burden them with unnecessarypaperwork. Recognise and reward their contribution toparrot conservation, as continuing success in aviary-breedingreduces the demand for wild-caught birds.

6. Continue efforts to combat illegal activities.No responsible aviculturist condones illegal activities of anykind, or examples of cruelty or incompetence in the keepingof birds.

7. Please consult.Aviculturists are very approachable people and there are anumber of organisations that represent them well. Pleaseconsult with them and arrive at practical solutions that willensure the long-term health of this commendable hobby.

Summary:

Aviculture is an ancient and natural human pastime whichgives pleasure to millions of people.

This fulfilling hobby has been compromised by theactions of a small minority.

Attitudes in aviculture are changing, will lead to thecorrection of past errors and the further development of‘responsible aviculture’.

Authorities should recognise the legitimate aspirations oflegitimate aviculturists and should work with them toarrive at mutually acceptable regulations.

A glove puppet is used to rear Echo Parakeet chicks inMauritius. Advanced avicultural expertise and supportfrom the Mauritius Wildlife Fund, Jersey WildlifePreservation Trust and The World Parrot Trust has helpedincrease the population of this critically endangeredspecies from about fifteen to seventy-five in four years.

Please address all comments andenquiries to:-

The World Parrot Trust,Glanmor House, Hayle,Cornwall, TR27 4HB, UK.

Tel: (44) 1736 751026Fax: (44) 1736 751028Email: uk@worldparrottrust.orgWebsite: www.worldparrottrust.org

Promoting excellence in parrotconservation, aviculture and welfare.

This painting of Hyacinth Macaws in the wild fullyexpresses the spirit and beauty of these superb parrots.Let us work together to keep every parrot species flyingfree, to be enjoyed by future generations.

PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000 ■ 13

One of the species assisted lastyear by the World Parrot Trust inconjunction with the AmericanBird Conservancy was theYellow-eared Parrot or Conure(Ognorhynchus icterotis). Amajor boost to our hopes for itssurvival was given by thelocation of a third flock of 20birds last May. This brought thetotal of known individuals to 82birds. This discovery was madeat the study site in Colombia.

Fieldwork was conducted byBernabe Lopez-Lanus from June1998 until September 1999 withthe aim of locating the species,then determining its ecologicalrequirements, distribution andstatus. A total of 5,623 fieldhours have been accumulated inthe search for and study of thiscritically endangered species. Itis associated with wax palms(Ceroxylon quindiuense) (anotherendangered species) of whichonly three groves remain inColombia. The study site is aheavily-fragmented landscape,dominated by pasturelandswith only scattered remnants ofwax palm groves.

In June a radio-transmitter wasattached to one Yellow-earedParrot, thus this bird continuesto provide daily data for oneflock. An active nest, situateddeep within a dead wax palmcavity, was located on April 26.The nest was intensively studieduntil an adult pair and a "nesthelper" successfully fledged oneyoungster on June 9. This nestprovided the first ever breedingbiology data. This wassupplemented in Sepember withfour additional active nests. Attwo nests there were co-operativebreeding assistants, or "helpers"- the first recorded instances ina neotropical parrot.

At dawn the three flocksdisperse far into highland forest

(above 3,000m) on the mainridge of the Central Cordillera,before slowly returning, feedingat lower elevations and arrivingat the roost site by mid-afternoon. The parrots feedextensively on the wax palms(490 observations) and onCitharexylon subflavescens (111observations) around the roostlocations. Adult palm mortalityis accelerating for unknownreasons and palm recruitment isalmost nil. This gives greatcause for concern.The Yellow-eared Parrot isstrongly seasonal and highlymobile. From at least 1983 until1989 a flock would appear at LaPlanada Nature Reserve, Narino,almost on the same day eachyear. The birds often stayeduntil May. The flock increased insize, reaching a maximum of 21birds in 1985. In 1990 the flockdid not appear and has neverbeen seen since. Sadly, it is nowbelieved to be extinct.Nevertheless, the fact that 40%of the known 82 birds arebelieved to be young, givesgreat hopes for the survival ofthis handsome parrot. Theresearchers are able todistinguish immature birds bythe green speckling on the

yellow underparts and by thedistinctive vocalisations. Whenbegging for food the young birdflutters and bows down itshead, and the bright yellowhead feathers are agitated.

There is evidence within thecommunal breeding area thatyoung have been extracted fromnest holes. Two heavilydamaged dead palms,containing large holes made byaxe or machete, had chicksremoved in or about 1990. Oneyoung bird was known incaptivity. It was caught in acattle salt trough, fed onleftovers of food such as rice,beans and potatoes, then sold toa priest. Fortunately, it escapedone week later and possiblyreturned to the flock, whichregularly passes over thevillage. In another case, acampesino trapped a youngbird, but it died a few weekslater. It has been suggested thatthis species is difficult to keepin captivity. Fortunately, thecampesinos have no specialinterest in this bird, which theycall “guacamaya” (macaw). TheFARC guerilla have prohibitedthe commercialisation and / orcapture of wildlife in the regionfor the past ten years.

Rio Toche study sitein ColombiaIntensive surveys were conductedin this area (at 2,000, to 3,400m)during 11 months from 1998 to1999. It includes a vast area ofwax palms and forested valleys.Although Bernabe Lopez-Lanuswas unsuccessful in locatingYellow-eared Parrots, there havebeen several probable sightingssince 1995, ranging from onepair, to a flock of 24 birds. It issuspected that the species nolonger breeds or resides in thearea and that its spasmodicoccurrence may be related toseasonal fruiting.Several new areas wereprospected for Ognorhynchus,including the highland areas ofVolcan Tolima-Ruiz on the edgesof the Los Nevados national parkand the Alta Rio Quindio reservein the departments of Quindioand Risaralda. Approximately60% of this area has an abundantpresence of wax palms - butthere was no sign of nesting,despite intensive searches.Efforts to introduce the projectto local communities and enlisttheir help in the detection of thespecies included more than 50informal talks, 4 presentations inlocal schools and thedistribution of 47 posters.(Those used for this species inEcuador, entitled “Salvemos elCaripero”). Hunting is notconsidered a serious threat inColombia; the Yellow-earedParrot has not been persecutedthere for more than ten years.The Yellow-eared Parrot is theAmerican parrot mostthreatened with total extinction.The project to try to save it isone of the most important withwhich the World Parrot Trust hasever been associated. It issupported by other leadingconservation organisations,including the GermanZoologosche Gesellschaft/Fondsfur Bedrohte Papageien and LoroParque Fundacion. It is good toknow that international co-operation is providing fundingfor the dedicated biologists PaulSalaman, Bernabe Lopez-Lanusand Niels Krabbe and otherswho have put in so many hoursin the field in their quest forsightings. The information givenhere was obtained from theirlatest progress report.

Yellow-eared Parrot

Renewed hope forYellow-eared Parrotby ROSEMARY LOW

14 ■ PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000

Rainbow Lorikeets are nomore susceptible to ‘aviancholera’ (caused by thebacterial organismPasteurella multocida) thanany other bird. This organismcan affect most types ofbirds; rodents and wild birdsare important vectors for thisdisease.

2. They are prolific. RainbowLorikeets lay two eggs in aclutch and might rear one ortwo youngsters in eachclutch. Is there any evidencethat they rear as many asthree clutches in NewZealand?

3. The birds which havebecome established in thePerth area live in maturesuburbia full of winter-flowering trees. There is notenough food for them to livein the new suburbs or in thenative bush. According toProfessor Recher of EdithCurtin University in Perth"the effect of the RainbowLorikeet on the avifauna ofPerth is neutral". No privateor commercial fruit growerhas complained about thelorikeets to the VertebratePest Officer.

4. Observations in New Zealandindicate that small birds suchas Bellbirds are ignored bythe lorikeets and feed withthem. Indeed, they mightbenefit from the protectivepresence of the lorikeetsagainst aggression by thelarger Tuis. It has beensuggested that this couldeven help the Bellbird torestore the range it once had.

5. More than a slight degree ofexaggeration here. I have nofigures for Darwin but in thenorthern part of Australia, inthe Northern Territory forexample, tropical fruit lossesto flying pests average 2-3% -and this includes fruit batdamage. If losses were in theregion of 90% fruit farmerswould have gone out of

The Rainbow Lorikeet- a modern witch huntby ROSEMARY LOW

In the league table of countries world-wide with a high number of endangered birdspecies, New Zealand comes 11th. But a sizeable proportion of its unique endemicspecies are already extinct. By about 1600 the Moa had gone, along with the Giant Eagleand about 32 other species. Since about 1840 ten more land birds have become extinct,including the Huia and the Stephens Island Wren. These more recent extinctions weremainly caused by the introduction of alien mammals such as rats, cats and stoats andfood competitors such as deer and brush-tailed possums. Since 1840 more than 80 alienspecies of mammals, birds and fish have become established in New Zealand.

As the native fauna evolved inthe absence of land mammals,bloodthirsty animals such asrats and stoats caused theextinction of some species,while others, such as the Kakapo(extinct in the wild) are criticallyendangered and survive in verysmall numbers. In recent yearsthe Department of Conservation(DOC) has been acclaimed for itswork in eradicating predatorsfrom offshore islands whichhave become intensivelymanaged reserves forendangered species.Here they breed and thrive inthe absence of predatoryintroduced creatures such asrats, stoats, ferrets and weaselswhich, of course, areunprotected species.Nevertheless, it would be quitewithin the law there to breedand release these pests.Recently however, anotherintroduced species has beendeclared a pest in New Zealand,a species which DOC considerspotentially so deadly it has beendesignated as an ‘unwantedorganism’ and unlike rats, stoatsetc., is now covered by theBiosecurity Act (1993). Thismeans that if you breed one ofthese infamous creatures and letit go, you could be jailed for ayear.What manner of creature couldbe accorded such status, morelethal than a stoat, a potentialplague species which (accordingto DOC) could carry disease likea rat? None other thanAustralia’s Rainbow Lorikeet(Trichoglossus haematodusmoluccanus) - one of the world’smost beautiful birds! Before yougasp with incredulity, you willdoubtless believe that DOC must

have very good grounds indeed.They have made the decision tospend NZ$245,000 (approx.£74,240) to trap and kill (bybreaking their necks or by lethalinjection) and to poison andshoot the feral RainbowLorikeets in the Auckland area.In a ‘fact’ sheet issued by DOCto justify their action they makevarious claims about RainbowLorikeets:1. They may carry avian disease

… salmonella, avian choleraand avian TB.

2. They are prolific, with pairsknown to rear as many asthree successive broods inone season.

3. The six or seven RainbowLorikeets released in Perth in1968 had expanded theirnumbers and range by the1980s and had become anuisance. The same couldhappen in New Zealand.

4. The lorikeets are aggressiveand often dominate all otherbirds trying to use the samefood source.

5. Australian horticulturistsregard them as a significantpest. In Darwin, 80-90% ofsome tropical fruit crops arelost to Rainbow Lorikeets.

6. Because of their ability ‘totravel’ they pose a threat tospecies which can surviveonly on the Hauraki Gulfislands which have beencleared of predators.

Let us examine these claims

1. They may carry disease. Thisis true of any bird. However,in February 1999 DOCtrapped and killed 17Rainbow Lorikeets inAuckland. According to theRainbow Trust, anorganisation set up to put inperspective the impact ofthese lorikeets in Auckland,not one of the birds killedshowed any trace of avian orhuman disease, nor anyinternal or external parasites.The Trust asks why the resultof these post-mortemexaminations were not madepublic. As far as it is known,

Rainbow Lorikeet Photo: Rosemary Low

PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000 ■ 15

business or netted theircrops years ago. In temperateareas of Australia, with aclimate not unlike that ofAuckland, Rainbow Lorikeetshave a negligible impact onfruit or on other crops whichare grown in New Zealand. Asan example, in the Lenswoodarea of the Adelaide Hills inAustralia, crop damagereported by apple and peargrowers averages about 5%.Rosellas are the worst pests,followed by Must Lorikeets.Rainbow Lorikeets are lesserpests. The last time I was inthe Auckland area, I saw feralRosellas. How is it that thisintroduced parrot, along withthe feral Greater Sulphur-crested Cockatoos in thearea, have escaped theattentions of DOC?

6. If the Rainbow Lorikeetsreached the Hauraki Gulfislands they would pose athreat to the endangeredspecies for which theseislands are a sanctuary. Thisis a ridiculous claim becausethey would be unable tosurvive in native bush. Pollenand nectar from blossomsform about 90% of their diet.They could not survive thewinters in these islands anymore than they could live inTasmania. In fact, the nativebush might not provideenough flower sources forthem to survive thesummers, so they wouldsoon return to the mainland.

When I first heard about thecampaign against the RainbowLorikeet in the Auckland area,my first reaction was that thereare as many introducedEuropean birds to be seen in thesuburbs as native species. Weare not talking about an area ofnative habitat but one which hasbeen totally altered by man, byintroduced exotic flora andfauna. More than 1,600 speciesof introduced plants thrive inNew Zealand today.If the Rainbow Lorikeets hadinfiltrated island reserves andcould thrive there, my reactionwould be that they must beeradicated at all costs, as adanger to the unique andthreatened endemic birdspecies. Or if, even in thesuburbs, the lorikeets couldhave a serious impact on nativebirds by taking over their nestsites, this could be cause forconcern. But four introduced

hole-nesting species - IndianMynahs, Rosellas, Cockatoos andeven Kookaburras - got therefirst! Indeed, it has even beensuggested that by taking overnest holes that the mynahswould otherwise be using, thelorikeets would be helping tokeep down these pests. Butrealistically, there are notenough lorikeets to make animpact on the mynahs.I deplore the liberation of non-native species as their influenceis rarely beneficial so I believe itwas an irresponsible act toliberate the lorikeets whosenumbers have since increased.On the other hand, someAustralian birds have colonisedNew Zealand’s shores naturally.These include Silver-eyes andWhite-faced Herons.There are two aspects of thisstory and DOC’s attitude to theRainbow Lorikeets on which Iwould like to comment. First,why has DOC chosen theRainbow Lorikeet as the subjectof its witch-hunt when otheranimals are known to have anextremely harmful or lethalimpact on the native avifauna?There is no such proof in thecase of the lorikeet.Secondly, the sums of moneythat DOC propose to spend oneradicating the lorikeets arenothing short of scandalous.Last September DOC advertisedinviting applications for theposition of Rainbow LorikeetProject Manager - a contract fora minimum of two years. Thebudgeted salary for this positionwas in the region of NZ$58,000(£17,575) per year or $116,000(£35,150) for the two yearcontract. On top of this is thesum of nearly one quarter of amillion dollars alreadymentioned which has been

budgeted for the killing oflorikeets. How can DOC affordto squander such sums before iteven has evidence that theRainbow Lorikeet is, or ispotentially, such a dreadfulmenace?The funds could surely be usedmore appropriately to protectKaka from stoats. In a recentpublished newsletter DOC statedthat Kaka chicks are likely to beat risk from stoat attacks thisyear, adding: "We are in theluxurious position of having allthe kaka nests monitored andwe will not allow more than twofemales to be lost. If thishappens we will fall back on acontingency of intensivetrapping…" In other words,trapping will not be a priorityuntil two female Kakas havebeen killed. Given the smallnumber of female Kakas ofbreeding age known to survive,this policy seemsincomprehensible.How can DOC justify spendingor budgeting so much money oneradicating Rainbow Lorikeetsyet leave nesting Kakas to themercy of stoats?Furthermore, surely some kindof lorikeet census should becarried out to confirm that thisexpenditure is justified.According to Rex Gilfillan, wholives in Auckland, reportedsightings in the Birkenhead areawhich is at the centre of thecontroversy, have fallendrastically. On January 18 hesent me a fax to the effect thatthe Birkenhead lorikeetpopulation had fallen from 121last year to 3 at the presenttime. Some lorikeets may live inareas outside Birkenhead butfrom his own experience heknows that the birds in the areado not move far from an

assured daily food source. Manyreports of supposed RainbowLorikeets actually refer toEastern Rosellas.Why is DOC conducting thiswitch-hunt? The Rainbow Trustsays that the Department ofConservation calls this‘protecting our biodiversity’.Others call it a prostitution ofscience.In February the North ShoreTimes Advertisier published thelatest information from DOC asfollows:“DOC staff are getting reports oflorikeets attacking native birdsand gathering in flocks aroundNorth Shore City....Last year DOC backed offplans to kill the birds and willnow sell them to the birdindustry, as a way of recoveringcosts for the captureprogramme. Mr Keeling [theconservation officer] says onlyone capture of the birds wasmade in Birkenhead last yearand since then no further birdshave been caught. Mr Keelingdescribes the DOC’s work as‘ground breaking’ because itinvolves catching lorikeets insuburban backyards. He saysthat DOC now has two officersworking on the lorikeet projectand may employ a third officer.DOC will approach colleges andschools with new fact sheetsabout the rainbow lorikeetprogramme in the hope childrenwill become an important sourceof information. Arborists andgolf course managers will alsobe given the informationbecause they are also peoplelikely to notice large lorikeetflocks, says Mr Keeling.”So how many lorikeets are therenow in the Birkenhead-Northcote-Glenfield area?According to Rex Gilfillan, whohas closely monitored theirnumbers from the start of thiscontroversy, there are SIX!I am asking WPT members tomake their views on this matterknown by writing to the HonSandra Lee, The Minister ofConservation, Beehive Suite 6.6,Parliament Buildings, Wellington,New Zealand (fax number 644473 6118)

For further information pleasecontact The Rainbow Trust, POBox 34-892 Birkenhead, NewZealand or visit their web site atwww.rainbow.org.nz

In Australia Rainbow Lorikeets are an excellent tourist attraction. Photo: M. Reynolds

Cape ParrotInformationNeededCraig Symes, of the University ofNatal, urgently needs data onthe breeding biology of the CapeParrot (suahelicus & fuscicollis).All or any of the followinginformation would be veryuseful:

1. Date each egg laid

2. Hatching date

3. Weights of chicks

4. Method of rearing (hand-reared and from what age, orparent-reared)

5. Notes on development(including attaining adultplumage)

6. Age of breeding pair; wild-caught or captive-bred

7. Sub-species plus country orarea of origin, if known

8. Remarks on breeding pairs

Please forward all information toCraig Symes at the ResearchCentre for African ParrotConservation, Dept of Zoologyand Entomology, University ofNatal, Private Bag XO1,Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg,Natal 3209, South Africa.

Cockatoo Seminarin CaliforniaCockatoo Downs Walkabout2000 will take place on May 6that Cockatoo Downs in GrassValley. This seminar will focusentirely on cockatoos. SallyBlanchard, Sam Foster and JulieWeiss Murad will speak oncompanion cockatoos, and WPTmember Stewart Metz willdiscuss cockatoo conservationprogrammes. A highlight of theday will be the display andinteraction of Chris Shank’s free-flying cockatoos. The cost for

the day will be $90. Proceedswill benefit the GabrielFoundation.

Please contact Chris Shank,telephone 530 2268 33593 or onthe Internet atcockatoodowns@webtv.net.

Indonesia:Red and Blue LoryIn 1994 the Red and Blue Lory(Eos histrio) was placed onAppendix 1 of CITES. Two yearspreviously its population (only inthe Talaud Islands) was estimatedat 2,000 birds and 50% of thepopulation had been trapped thatyear and exported. Placing it onAppendix 1 of CITES hadabsolutely no impact on stoppingthat trade. Who, on the TalaudIslands, had even heard of CITES?From 1996 to 1999 the ActionSampiri project, a joint British andIndonesian effort, operated there.It did much to educate the peopleof the Sangihe and Talaud Islandsto the importance of theirendemic avifauna, especially thelory. Despite intensive efforts bysome local people, trappingcontinued, though on a smallerscale. A joint effort betweenAction Sampiri and NorthSulawesi’s Forestry Departmentresulted, in 1999, in the endemicspecies from Talaud and Sangiheat last being protected underIndonesian law. Will this stop thetrapping of the Red and BlueLory? We shall see…

Belize: ChalilloDamThe projected Chalillo Dam inBelize will cover about 760hectares of rainforest and

threatens to destroy twovaluable river systems. Theflooded area will destroy someof the richest rainforestremaining in Belize, includingthe area inhabited by thecountry’s last survivingpopulation of Scarlet Macaws.This is believed to numberabout 250 birds. The BelizeAudubon Society is concernedthat the Belize Government isintent on constructing the damwithout having reviewed all theoptions for electricitygeneration. Electricity could beobtained, instead, from windpower, solar energy and as a by-product from citrus fruitgrowing and from sugar andsawmill industries. Furthermore,Chalillo is fringed by limestonewhich means there are probablycave systems in the region. Thiswould have serious implicationsfor dam construction.

The Scarlet Macaw has only justsurvived in Central America. Itis already extinct in El Salvador,nearly extinct in Guatemalawhere it survives only in thePeten region, it is almost extincton the Pacific side of Hondurasand Nicaragua and a smallpopulation survives in CostaRica. Surely the Belizepopulation is more importantthan the construction of a dam?At least Costa Rica is aware ofthe eco-tourist potential of thespecies and how many visitors italready attracts to their country.

CanadaThe Canadian Parrot Symposium(West) is held annually inVictoria, BC, in the lovely settingof the Dunsmuir Lodge. Itssweeping vistas and hiking trails

make this a venue of note. Thedates are May 19-21. This year’sspeakers include JosephForshaw from Australia,veterinarian Louise Bauck fromOntario and several speakersfrom the USA. The symposiumaims to educate people on care,breeding, behaviour, nutrition,health, intelligence andconservation of parrots. It fundsresearch into disease,conservation and avianveterinary student scholarships.For further information contactRoz Webb, Tel 250 479 1183,email ramsmith@bigfoot.com orvisit the symposium’s website atwww.islandnet.com/~2parrot

Parrots Need Helpsticker

C.A.P.E. (Children’s Alliance forthe Protection of theEnvironment) Campaign

As the result of our appeal"Parrots need help", the C.A.P.E.in India, responded strongly.They launched a campaign forthe protection of parrots andtheir habitat at the City BirdsSanctuary in Chandigarh, wheremost of the birds are parrots.The Alliance produced acolourful sticker, using ourphrase "Parrots need help tosurvive in the wild … to thrivein our homes".

Bird StampCollectingI have been collecting birdstamps for many years now andhave over 2,000 in mycollection. Bird stamps are avery popular theme for stampcollecting and many can bevaluable. There are manyparrots featured on stamps andthey are quite beautiful anddecorative to collect. If membersand friends have any stampsthey do not want would they bekind enough to send them to me

16 ■ PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000

Red and Blue Lory Scarlet Macaw

at my home in any quantity andcondition, new or used. I willthen catalogue them and presentthem for auction with allproceeds donated to the WorldParrot Trust.

Please send to:

Mr R J Lee, 26 LansdowneHouse, Christchurch Road,Bournemouth, BH1 3JS, Dorsetor send to WPT UK and we willforward them.

Letterfrom HITOSHI SHIMURA

Parrot Keeping in JapanJapan imports substantialnumbers of parrots, some ofthem from Europe. However,there is not a lot of contact withJapanese parrot lovers, mainlybecause of the languageproblem. Some of our membersmay have met Hitoshi Shimurafrom Tokyo at the parrotconventions in Tenerife.

Rosemary Low asked him for anoutline of parrot keeping inJapan today. He reported:

“There are many bird fanciers inJapan but the professionalbreeders breed only budgies,cockatiels and finches becausethey want to produce manychicks all year round. Fewpeople try to breed big parrotssuch as amazons, cockatoos andmacaws because they require aspacious aviary. It is difficult tofind space for aviaries in ourcountry. And these birds arevery noisy!

There is a growing interest inhand-tame parrots among youngwomen at the moment. Dealersimport hand-reared birds fromthe USA, Europe and othercountries. I am a member of theTokyo Piichikukai bird club. Ithas a membership of 160people, from children, up to 85year olds. We meet every othermonth and hold photo

competitions and contests forhand-tame birds. There is a birdcontest twice a year.

I saw a Red-fronted Macaw in abird shop some years ago but itdid not have a certificate toshow that it had been legallyimported. Also, a few years agorumours were circulating thatthere were Palm Cockatoos inTokyo but I never confirmedtheir existence. Very few birdsare smuggled into Japan.

I keep Queen of Bavaria’sConures, Major Mitchell’sCockatoos, Horned Parakeets,Golden-shouldered Parakeetsand Grass Parakeet mutations. Ihave already succeeded inbreeding Golden-shoulderedParakeets.

I visited Paradise Park five yearsago. This coming May I will begoing to Plantaria Bird Park inGermany and Parc Paradisio inBelgium.”

The IUCN/SSC ParrotAction Plan will bepublished very soonand we willintroduce anddescribe it in theMay 2000 issue ofPsittaScene.

Also in the May 2000 issue we will feature the ‘Jewels of Nature’project. This is the most ambitious publishing project forparrots ever created and will make a great contribution towardstheir conservation.

International Bird Contest - Japan Media event at the Rainforest Café, London.

PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000 ■ 17

WPT’s PressConferenceIn August 1999 WPT and WWFheld a joint press event at theRainforest Café in London, tolaunch the Parrot Action Planand the John Cleese video, andpresent the Carolina Medal toCarl Jones. This was extremelysuccessful, resulting inextensive tv and radio coverage,and large articles on the threatsto parrots in most of the majorUK newspapers. At the time wedid not have photographs fromthe event, but now have thisshot showing (l to r): JulianPettifer, President of the RSPB,who kindly presented the medalto Carl Jones; Carl Jones; PaulToyne of WWF; Mike Reynolds.

In foreground, members of thepress. Our thanks to everyoneinvolved.

Galahs Rainbow Lorikeets

18 ■ PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000

Kea, Bird of ParadoxThe mischievous anddestructive nature of the Kea(Nestor notabilis) islegendary. It is, I believe, themost intelligent (and amongthe most endearing) of themore than 200 species ofparrots which I have had inmy care. New Zealand’smountain parrot evolved inharsh conditions; it neededto be very resourceful tosurvive. Unfortunately, onlyan estimated 3,000 survivetoday. Yet it is an enormoustourist attraction in somelocalities - and has also

attracted much unfavourable publicity due to its playful habits,such as turning vehicles into junk heaps.

In Kea, Bird of Paradox, Judy Diamond and Alan Bond from theUniversity of Nebraska, explore certain aspects of the Kea’shistory and natural history. They start by reconstructing the pre-human environment in which the Kea evolved, an environment itshared with moas and other long extinct species. They continueby describing how an expansion in Kea numbers appears to havecoincided with European settlement of the high country. But soonKeas had earned a reputation as sheep killers - and there was abounty on their heads. Thousands were killed.

In chapter 3 they describe the social behaviours of birds whichthey studied. These are illustrated with delightful line drawings(this description does not do them justice) of different aspects,such as play behaviour, and a male feeding a fledgling. (There isno colour in this book - only black and white photographs anddrawings). Mark Marcuson’s drawings are simply outstanding.They include those which show bill shapes of male and female,and "facial expressions" (in fact, the way the head feathers areerected) to demonstrate aggression, defensiveness,submissiveness etc.

The chapter on growing and learning describes the role of youngbirds in Kea society. In another chapter, aspects of behaviour andecology are compared with those of the other member of thegenus, the Kaka. In the sixth and final chapter the authorsdescribe modern contacts between Keas and people. These arenot just damaging to human property but often result in Keasrisking or losing their lives.

The book seemed to end abruptly at page 150. As far as it went itwas excellent - but there were so many other aspects which couldhave been explored. The species’ breeding biology was hardlymentioned. Here avicultural experience could have been drawnupon to include an enlightening and fascinating chapter. Forexample, those who have worked with Keas for so many years atParadise Park would have been an invaluable source ofinformation.

Pages 151-230 consist of appendices, notes and index. Kea, Birdof Paradox is published by University of California Press (ISBN 0-520-21339-4, California and London). In the UK it costs £18.95plus postage from, for example, Natural History Book Services inTotnes.

Book Reviews by ROSEMARY LOW

A Guide to Australian WhiteCockatoos

The 15th title in the highlysuccessful AustralianBirdkeeper A Guide to...series, covers theAustralian WhiteCockatoos. The term"white" is used to meannon-black, thus Galahs andGang Gangs are included,in addition to the Cacatuaspecies. The author isChris Hunt from Victoriawho, with his wife Maree,breeds cockatoos, some ofwhich are hand-reared forthe pet trade.

This is a very practicalguide, starting off with advice on purchasing cockatoos,transportation and the quarantine of new arrivals. The correctway to handle a cockatoo, with and without a towel, is illustratedwith photographs. Housing, rodent control and aviary design arediscussed, along with the fact that suspended cages are notsuitable for most cockatoos because they like to forage and playon the aviary floor. This section includes a photograph of anupright cylindrical outdoor cage for a pet cockatoo. Sadly, I haveseen these cages used on many occasions in Australia, althoughthey are totally unsuitable as the cockatoo is hardly able to openits wings. There is much good advice on size and gauge of wiremesh.

The section on nutrition is very well illustrated and the need forfresh cut branches is emphasised. Australians, of course, are ableto supply a wealth of natural foods such as branches containingeucalyptus gum nuts. In Europe we have to make do with pinecones.

The section on hand-rearing includes a useful table of weights ofchicks being hand-reared, from the ages of 15 days to weaning.To wean Greater Sulphur-crests at 54 days seems too early, tome, likewise Long-billed Corellas at 7 weeks. But then in myopinion most hand-feeders wean cockatoos much too early, oftenwith lasting psychological damage. The husbandry section covers41 pages. It is followed by a 19 page section on diseases,contributed by Stacey Gelis, BVSc, MACVSc, an avian vet andaviculturist. This is a very valuable section, especially thatdescribing what to do with a sick bird, and the problems causedby dietary deficiencies. Discussion on the diseases to whichcockatoos are most susceptible, such as PBFD (circovirus),polyoma and chlamydiosis, is followed by information ondisinfection, treatment and supportive care. Bacterial infections,aspergillosis, candidiasis, bumblefoot, worms, parasites andheavy metal poisoning are all covered in a lucid and readablemanner. The various causes of feather plucking are also detailed,including allergies (dust mites, grasses, etc).

The following 40 pages are devoted to species descriptions, withnotes for each one on breeding, sexing, mutations, etc. For theGalah there are tables showing expectations from pairingtogether the various mutations. This book is profusely illustratedand contains a wealth of useful information. It is essentialreading for all keepers and breeders of cockatoos, Australian orotherwise.

WPT NATIONAL CONTACTSUnited KingdomKaren Allmann, Administrator,Glanmor House, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 4HBNew Nos: Tel: (44) 01736 751026 Fax: (44) 01736 751028email: uk@worldparrottrust.orgMike Reynolds email: worldparrottrust@compuserve.com

USAJoanna Eckles, PO Box 50733, St. Paul, MN 55150New Nos: Tel: 651 275 1877 Fax: 651 275 1891Email: usa@worldparrottrust.org

BeneluxPeter de Vries (Membership Sec.), Jagershof 91,7064 DG Silvolde, NetherlandsTel: (31) 315327418 email: peter-de-vries@gelrevision.nlBelgium enquiries: Romain Bejstrup (32) 32526773Netherlands enquiries: Ruud Vonk (31) 168472715

CanadaMike Pearson, PO Box 29, Mount Hope,Ontario L0R 1W0Tel: (1) 905 385 9500 Fax: (1) 905 385 7374email: cwparrot@canadianparrottrust.org

Denmark (Scandinavia)Michael Iversen, Hyldevang 4 – Buresoe,3550 Slangerupemail: wpt@image.dk

FranceJ. & G. Prin, 55 Rue de la Fassiere, 45140, Ingre.Tel: (33) 2 38 43 62 87 Fax: (33) 2 38 43 97 18

SwitzerlandLars Lepperhoff, Lutschenstrasse 15, 3063 IttigenTel: (41) 31 922 3902

GermanyRepresentative needed –Call WPT-UK

ItalyCristiana Senni, email: wpt.italia@flashnet.itFreddie Virili, via Matarus 10, 33045 Nimis, Udine.

AustraliaMike Owen, 7 Monteray St., Mooloolaba,Queensland 4557.Tel: (61) 7 54780454 email: mowen@powerup.com.au

AfricaV. Dennison, PO Box 1758, Link Hills,Natal 3652, S. AfricaTel: (27) 31 763 4054 Fax: (27) 31 763 3811

SpainAndrés Marin and Ana Matesanz,C/Cambados No. 1, 2° Dcha,28925 Alcorcon (Madrid), SpainTel: (34) 91 6100621 email: a.marin@lpa.servicom.es

WPT Web Sites:Central: http://www.worldparrottrust.orgCanada: http://www.cwparrot@canadianparrottrust.orgItaly: http://www.mediavillage.it/wptDenmark: http://www.image.dk/fpewpt

Working for ParrotConservation andWelfare Worldwide

The World Parrot Trust was founded in 1989 as UK Registered CharityNo. 800944. International expansion has been rapid and the Trust nowhas linked charities and support groups in Africa, Australia, Belgium,Canada, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain, Switzerlandand the USA.

Funds raised for the parrots have now reached £1,000,000 ($1.6M) andhave been used to initiate and support conservation and welfareprojects in 20 countries for 37 species of parrot. Despite this wide-ranging activity, the Trust is run on a volunteer basis, with only two parttime administrators worldwide. This uniquely cost-effective approach ismade possible by substantial financial and logistical support donated byParadise Park, the UK home base of the World Parrot Trust.

The objective of the Trust is to promote the survival of all parrot speciesand the welfare of individual birds. It pursues these aims by fundingfield conservation work, research projects and educational programmes.The Trust seeks to promote the concept of ‘responsible aviculture’ wherethe interests of the parrots themselves are given priority overcommercial, political, career or other human concerns. The World ParrotTrust and its members wish to be recognised as the ‘True Friends of the

Parrots’, and to win over the majority of aviculturists, pet owners andscientists to its point of view. The task is huge – our resources arelimited. We need the commitment of everyone in the ‘parrot community’:those who keep, breed, study and protect the parrots. Beyond thosespecial interests, we look for support from everyone who understandsthe crisis facing the world through the loss of biodiversity. We aim tocontinue using the special charm of the parrots to win the hearts andminds of thoughtful people everywhere.Michael ReynoldsFounder and Hon. DirectorWorld Parrot Trust

Mike Reynolds meets ‘Pablo’,a hand-reared Echo Parakeetreleased to join criticallyendangered wild Echoes inMauritius.

Join usIf not already a member, please join. Receive our PsittaScenenewsletter, know that you are actively contributing towards ouraims and projects.

Help fund our ProjectsWe are currently supporting parrot conservation, education andwelfare projects in 20 countries. Your generosity towards theparrots could help us expand current schemes and start newones.

Aims of the TrustThe survival of parrot species in the wild, and the welfare ofcaptive birds.These aims are pursued by:Educating the public on the threats to parrots.Opposing trade in wild-caught parrots.Preserving and restoring parrot habitat.Studying the status of parrot populations.Encouraging the production of aviary-bred birds.Creating links between aviculture and conservation.Promoting high standards in the keeping of parrots.Supporting research into veterinary care of parrots.

YES, I WANT TO HELP SAVE THEPARROTS OF THE WORLDSUBSCRIPTION RATES (please tick)

UK and Europe (Single) £15

UK and Europe (Joint) £20

Fellow (Life Member) £250/US$400Corporate (Annual)

All overseas Airmail £17/US$25(or equivalent currency, paymentby Visa/Mastercard preferred)

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OR:I enclose a cheque made payable to the WPT

Or join us on our website: www.worldparrottrust.org

PsittaScene Volume 12, No 1, February 2000 ■ 19

Parrotsin the Wild

Printed by Brewers of Helston Ltd. Tel: 01326 558000

White-breasted ParakeetPyrrhura albipectus

This parakeet is found only in south-east Ecuador. Up until 1990 verylittle was known about this endangered bird. However, support fromThe World Parrot Trust and other conservation groups enabled DrPaul Toyne to lead a series of expeditions called Parrots in Perilcomprised of British and Ecuadorian scientists to find and study thisbeautiful parakeet (see Psittascene Vol 6 No 3 for more information).

The expeditions were a success and much of the information

collected has been incorporated in the Global Action Plan for Parrots.Here the parakeet is listed as vulnerable, CITES Appendix 2. Theparakeets’ one known safehaven is Podocarpus National Park in LojaProvince, where within its altitudinal sub-tropical range of 940 -1800 m it is fairly common. However, outside of this protected areahabitat loss due to agricultural encroachment, gold mining and roadbuilding appear to be the biggest threat.