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Large macaws and
the Arara Azul Project
By:
Neiva Maria Robaldo Guedes
- Scientist
Master Degree in environment
and regional planning Coordination of the Arara Azul
Project/UNIDERP
Three large macaws from the Psitacidae
family live in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso
do Sul. The largest of all parrots are the Arara-azul-grande
(Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)
measuring up to 1,05 cm and weighing
1,5 kg. It is also easily recognizable because of
its beauty. The whole body is covered with cobalt
blue feathers and the distinctive yellow markings
around the eyes and the beak. The Arara-vermelha-grande
(Ara chloroptera)
shows light green at the upper part of the wings between
its predominant red feathers and some light blue at
the wings and tail tip. It measures some 90 cm. Third
biggest is the Arara-canindé or Arara-de-barriga-amarela
(Ara ararauna)
with up to 80 cm. It might be mistaken for the Arara-azul,
but features a light blue at back, wings and tail,
and yellow feathers at the belly and the lower parts
of wings and tail.
The hyacinth macaw is a bird highly
specialized, what alimentation and reproduction places
are concerned. It is threatened by extinction because
of intensive trapping for the illegal pet trade, practiced
until the 1980ies, habitat destruction and trapping
for feathers used by Indians to manufacturing arts
& crafts. Its population has been extremely reduced
- in 1987 there were estimated 2,500 individuals -
and is now slowly regenerating, basically in Southern
Pantanal, due to the activities of the Arara Azul
Project. After years of research about the basic biology,
development of husbandry techniques and activities
in environmental education, the population of this
species has not only doubled in the state, but is
spreading out to other regions as Mato Grosso and
the Bolivian part of Pantanal.
The Arara-vermelha and the Arara-canindé
populations are bigger and reach from Central America
down to Northern Argentina. Different from the hyacinth
macaw, they are generalist birds, which means that
they feed on a diversity of seeds and fruits, according
to the season.
In the Pantanal, the hyacinth
macaw and the Arara-vermelha green winged macaw ,
nest in hollow caves or holes in trees , whereas the
Arara-canindé , blue and yellow macaw, prepares
its nest in trunks of dead palm trees. In other regions
however, the three species can be seen nesting in
niches of rock walls and slopes.
Our Pousada in the Pantanal of the Rio Negro region is one of the
few privileged places where you can observe the three
species together, as they are reproducing in this
area. Also another Psitacídeo
that is threatened by extinction reproduces here,
the Maracanã-de-colar (Propyrrhura
auricollis) ,with a height of approximately
41 cm.
The activities of the project
include monitoring of the nests with eggs and chicks
and young birds, mainly during the reproduction period
(August - January), installation and tending of artificial
and natural nests, eggs and young birds, survey of
behavior, register of food and sleeping places, environmental
education for the people of the Pantanal and their
children, etc.
The Arara Azul Project is managed
by UNIDERP - University for developing the state and
the Pantanal region and FMB - Manoel de Barros Foundation
with sponsoring of WWF do Brasil, Toyota do Brasil,
Refúgio Ecológico Caiman, Vanzin Escapamentos
and Brasil Telecom.
Southern Cross Tours & Expeditions
operates special tours for individuals and groups
wishing to know about and/or to participate in the
field works of the project.
Hyacinth
Macaw
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