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Back to the nest. . . SUCCESS!

Yesterday we returned the younger chick to the Mandy Lu nest where it will rejoin its sibling to be raised by its parents. We held it in the house for 10 days where it increased from 80 grams up to 314 grams and recovered well from its botflies. Most importantly, it opened its eyes two days ago, and THAT is our cue to get him back in the nest. Our theory is that once both are older, bigger, stronger, and have their eyes open the parents will feed them and raise them both to fledging.

The siblings from Mandy Lu nest, in the bucket ready to go back in to the nest. The young one (left) is about to return home after 10 days being hand fed in the lodge.

So far things are going well. At 9 AM, we climbed up and placed the chick back in its natal nest. Then we held our breath. . . Mom watched from a nearby branch as the climber descended and stowed the rope. Meanwhile we watched eagerly on the tiny television monitor attached to the camera in the nest. After only a few seconds mom flew to the entrance of the nest and climbed quickly down to the floor of the nest box where the chicks waited. Much to our surprise, she didn’t miss a beat.

Within 13 seconds of entering the nest, she was feeding and preening the younger chick!

The critical moment. This is a photo of the view we saw on the television screen just as the climber returned the younger chick to its nest. Only a few minutes later mom was happily brooding and feeding her returned offspring

We monitored the nest for the rest of the day and watched as she carefully fed, preened, and brooded both of her offspring.

Looks like we are on track for saving another young macaw and we are one step closer to having the information we need to teach managers throughout the tropics how to better help these birds.


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About This Project

Wild Scarlet Macaw populations are declining due to the illegal trade and habitat loss. Although Scarlet Macaws lay 2-4 eggs, macaw parents will only feed the 1st and 2nd chick, while the others starve to death. We will develop techniques to increase survival of these chicks by moving them into new nests with no chicks, or only 1 chick. Our research suggests that the new parents will adopt and care for their new chicks, allowing them to reach maturity and fledge from the nest.

Blast off!

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