34 Bird Scene - Spring 2017 by Theparrotsociety

BIRD ISSUE THIRTY FOUR: SPRING 2017

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THE MAGAZINE FOR HOBBYIST BREEDERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS

EVOLUTION OF A COMMUNITYBASED, SCARLET MACAW CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION

M E JU R E L D 20 Y 3 ITI 17 RD ON

THE SCOTCH FANCY CANARY

GILDED BARBET HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING IN WELTVOGELPARK WALSRODE

FR EE

NE O T R A P

BRAZIL 2016 Released to celebrate The Parrot Society’s 50th Anniversary, Brazil 2016 is a companion publication to Brazil 2011 and is again lavishly illustrated. Books Available From The Parrot Society Office 92A High St, Berkhamsted Hp4 2Bl. Telephone: 01442 872245, les.rance@theparrotsocietyuk.org

CONTENTS BIRD SCENE: SPRING 2017

CONTENTS DONATE TO OUR CONSERVATION FUND… CLICK THE LINK BELOW: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org/donations.php

06 16

38 6

THE NATIONAL EXHIBITION Les Rance

GILDED BARBET Weltvogelpark Walsrode

THE SCOTCH FANCY CANARY David Allen

DON’T BLAME THE BREEDER Emma Freeman

ON THE COVER

BIRD ISSUE THIRTY FOUR: SPRING 2017

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THE MAGAZINE FOR HOBBYIST BREEDERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS

EVOLUTION OF A COMMUNITYBASED, SCARLET MACAW CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION

ED LY 20 3RITIO 17 D N

THE SCOTCH FANCY CANARY

M ER JU

GILDED BARBET HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING IN WELTVOGELPARK WALSRODE

PART ON

EVOLUTION OF A COMMUNITY-BASED, SCARLET MACAW CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION – PART I Christopher Vaughan

BIRD SCENE: Issue Thirty Four: Spring 2017 BIRD SCENE is run by The Parrot Society UK, 92A High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 2BL, England. FOR SALES AND EDITORIAL ENQUIRES Telephone or Fax: 01442 872245 Website: www.theparrotsocietyuk.org / E-Mail: les.rance@theparrotsocietyuk.org The views expressed by contributors to this magazine are not those of The Parrot Society UK unless otherwise explicitly stated

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INTRODUCT

Les Rance, Editor, The Parrot Society UK | www.theparrotsocietyuk.org | les.rance@

his time last year we were planning for our 50th Anniversary of The Parrot Society and to mark this wonderful achievement we were going to hold a seminar at Chester Zoo over the weekend of 17th and 18th September with speakers from around the world talking about parrot conservation issues and their experiences, a weekend that turned out to be a huge success. How issues can change in just twelve months, we are still experiencing Avian Flu and now that African Grey parrots have been up-listed to Annex A of CITES we are advising people on what is required from DEFRA to ensure that all Greys that are sold have the correct Article 10 papers. Bird keeping is a relaxing past time, however, for hobbyist breeders that keep their birds in unheated aviaries through the poor weather experienced this spring it can also be a worrying time. Those who keep their stock in breeding rooms where they can easily turn up the heating however are in a far more satisfactory position. In this edition of Bird Scene we are very 04

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pleased to have an excellent article from David Allen on one of the rare breeds of canary the Scotch Fancy and also a very interesting article on breeding the Gilded Barbet (Capito auratus) from Weltvogelpark, Walsrode, Germany, happy reading. This is now the thirty fourth edition of Bird Scene, how quickly six years can pass when you are working on project – the first FREE on-line bird magazine produced in the UK. At 48 pages this is quite a big read! Every time we post the Parrot Society magazine I cringe at the cost. Postal costs appear to have increased far faster than inflation and if The Royal Mail are not careful they will find that their income will reduce even further as people and businesses send less and less by conventional means. These costs obviously affect bird clubs when the show schedules have to be posted to potential exhibitors and equally it affects the exhibitors when they return their entries. In addition how much longer will bird clubs be able to afford to post magazines to their members? This must be a great worry to many club officials. Fortunately with an e-magazine we do

TION

BY THE EDITOR

LES RANCE

@theparrotsocietyuk.org not have this problem, or for that matter the cost of colour printing. As a result of increases to the costs of both postage and printing I am really pleased that we decided to produce Bird Scene as a FREE e-magazine. We have learnt a great deal over the past five years about this way of communicating with bird enthusiasts and I am sure that this knowledge will become more and more valuable as we see further increases in costs to paper magazines. We are always happy to receive articles about the species that are being exhibited at The National and are very pleased to give publicity to the club supplying the information. Regular readers will know that Bird Scene as been produced to publicise The National Exhibition held each year at our October Sale Day/Show at

Stafford County Showground which will be held on Sunday 8th October and to promote our Conservation efforts for threatened parrots in the wild. An archive of earlier editions of Bird Scene can be found on the Home Page of our website www. theparrotsocietyuk.org so if you would like to see earlier versions please do log on to our site.

BY LES RANCE

8TH OCTOBER 2017

THE NATIONA EXHIBITION

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he Parrot Society can only thank the bird club officials that have all worked so hard to increase the number of exhibits year on year and made this exhibition the success it has become. We are pleased that the Norwich Canary Club had the London Fancy canary club two of our newer recruits are settling in very well and are both enjoying being part of the National Exhibition. It is now ten years ago that The Parrot Society started out on a venture of hopefully rebuilding “The National Exhibition” that had been run up until 2003 at the Birmingham NEC. The defining factor was whether it was possible for all branches of our hobby to jointly pull together and ‘make it work’ after recording such a success in the first year the question was then whether the enthusiasm would be sustained. It has indeed worked each year since the first Show in 2007 the numbers of exhibits have increased and we are working hard to ensure that even more varieties of exhibition quality canaries are on the show bench for the 2017 event. By combining this exhibition with the already

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highly successful Parrot Society October Sale Day at the superbly equipped Staffordshire County Showground a large proportion of the exhibitors were familiar with both the location and the available facilities. UK bird exhibitors now view this event as the premier ‘all variety show’ on the UK calendar. We are delighted that the exhibition is obtaining increasing support from both continental judges and breeders who travel long

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UK bird exhibitors now view this event as the premier ‘all variety show’ on the UK calendar. We are delighted that the exhibition is obtaining increasing support from both continental judges and breeders…

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distances to attend this event. It is exciting to think that in a fairly short time this exhibition has been able to attract these dedicated fanciers from all over Europe. The continental influence is not only limited to the

fanciers, there is an increasing demand from continental traders to attend this event, further increasing the range of products available to all our enthusiastic visitors. As it is located only a few miles to the east of junction 14 of the M6 vehicles can quickly arrive at the Showground. Arrangements are well in hand for the next Show on Sunday 8th October 2017. A meeting with representatives of all the

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supporting clubs will be held at The Quality Hotel Coventry on Sunday 14th May. Each time we organise this Show we aim to improve both the exhibitor experience and that of the viewing public and the points discussed at this meeting prove invaluable in ensuring improvements continue to achieve these goals. Due to the need to cater for the ever increasing numbers of exhibits we have ordered another three blocks of staging

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which will be supplied by Ray Howells of Birds and Things. In order to store this additional staging we are also buying a 40’ long storage container to be located at Stafford County Showground.

FEATURE “The National Exhibition” will be again sponsored by Richard Johnston of Johnston and Jeff who is now our sole sponsor who has supported us from the start. This year their generous sponsorship has also financed additional new judging stands required are a result of new clubs joining. As exhibits are set to increase and the added attraction of

bird seed generously donated by Johnston & Jeff as prizes can only help increase the numbers benched. We are indebted to the management and editorial staff of Cage & Aviary Birds magazine for the production of a very well designed insert, with our contribution being the collation of the information from all the exhibiting clubs. The supplement will hopefully be

“The National Exhibition” will be again sponsored by Richard Johnston of Johnston and Jeff who is now our sole sponsor who has supported us from the start. This year their generous sponsorship has also financed additional new judging stands required are a result of new clubs joining.

spread over a number of editions to ensure that the event obtains maximum publicity in this excellent publication, it will as previously carry advertisements from all the exhibiting clubs and details as to who to approach to obtain the Show Schedule for your chosen species. This supplement has now become a feature of “The National Exhibition”. Since the show took on the name “The National Exhibition” in 2010 the demand

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for trade space has significantly increased, with some new traders making their first appearance this year. So whatever your bird keeping requirements they will be on offer at Stafford on 8th October. The Sandylands Centre and half of the Argyle Centre will again be used to accommodate the exhibits with the ‘booking in’ and club stands filling the remainder of the Argyle Centre. This facilitates the management of the

FEATURE exhibition during the judging of the birds and allows both exhibitors and general visitor’s access to the exhibition at the earliest possible time on the day. The Parrot Society Council members hope that all the exhibitors and the officials of the specialist exhibiting clubs have a very enjoyable day and we would like to thank the clubs for all the kind words and support that you have given us. It will make the organisation of this year’s “National Exhibition” a pleasure to be involved with.

Since the show took on the name “The National Exhibition” in 2010 the demand for trade space has significantly increased, with some new traders making their first appearance this year. So whatever your bird keeping requirements they will be on offer at Stafford on 8th October.

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VETERINARY FORMULATED

PET or WILD BIRDS Health products for birds, Avipro AVIAN probiotic and Critical Care Formula for weak birds

AVIMIX powder, vitamin and mineral supplement

BSP vitamin drops and Zolcal D liquid calcium for the drinking water of smaller/tricky species.

SoluVerm, easy to use water soluble wormer

Ark-Klens, safe and effective cleanser disinfectant - against flu, Salmonella psittacosis etc

CitroSan, biodegradeable natural product sanitizes captive or wild bird drinkers and baths to reduce disease transmission via drinking water. SprinkleSupport, pre & probiotic to sprinkle on food for all birds

contact Vetark Professional +44-(0)1962-844316, or email: info@vetark.co.uk Visit the website/webshop for more information: www.vetark.co.uk Parrots A5 ad 2016.indd 1

06/01/2017 14:45

PARROT SOCIETY SUMMER SHOW Sunday 2nd July 2017 ALL P.S. Members enter our Shows EARLY provided they buy their entry wrist bands in advance. Again this year we will accept bookings from non-members selling Canaries, Budgerigars, Finches and Common Seedeaters, tables for these birds must be reserved by 24th June. Should you wish to sell your own bred Softbills or Rare Seedeaters you need to book by 26th May as special arrangements are being made for these birds. Tables are £15.00 each, two entry wrist bands can be purchased per table, wrist bands are £6.00 each in advance. On the door entrance tickets will be £7 each. ALL P.S. Me enter o mbers ur Show s EARLY pro they bu vided y th eir tickets in adva nce’

MEMBERS & NON MEMBERS TABLES – TRADE STANDS Bar and Restaurant facilities, everything for the Hobbyist & Breeder.

Staffordshire County Showground ST18 0BD Sunday 2nd July 2017 rs. from 7.30 am for table holders and P.S. members and 9.30 for non-membe Subscription to the P.S. for 2017 is £22.00 and includes 12 magazines and early entry into all our shows.

01442 872245.

Full details are available from our office tel: The Parrot Society, 92A High Street, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2BL. Office hours 9.00 am to 3.00 pm weekdays.

GILDED BARBET (CAPITO AURATUS) – HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING IN WELTVOGELPARK WALSRODE

BY WELTVOGELPARK WALSRODE

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s soon as the animal keepers enter the bird house they are welcomed by a loud and impatient knocking. Every morning our Gilded Barbets knock with their strong bills against the food dish while awaiting their breakfast. Latest by now, when the Gilded Barbets so clearly show their systematic relationship with the woodpeckers, this surely brings a smile to the keeper’s faces.

The Gilded Barbet takes its name from its appearance. Its strong bill is surrounded by forward standing bristles, which give the birds their characteristic look and which are name-giving for the complete bird family.

Male Gilded Barbet

Appearance The Gilded Barbet takes its name from its appearance. Its strong bill is surrounded by forward standing bristles, which give the birds their characteristic look and which are name-giving for the complete bird family. Just like all Piciformes the first and forth toe is directed to the front, while the second and third toe is directed towards the back. You have to love these birds also because of their plumage! Gilded Barbets show – like other South American barbets, but unlike most other African and Asian barbets – a strong sexual dimorphism. The male has a black back with yellow spots, black wings with distinct white spots, a black head with a yellow parting, a yellow belly and an orange breast. In contrast, the female has a black-yellow brindled plumage, which is clearly brighter at the belly and clearly darker on the back.

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Life in the wild Gilded Barbets are distributed in South America. Their occurrence ranges from Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, towards north-western Brazil and northwestern Bolivia. Here they are found in mountain and floodplain forests, as well as in gardens and plantations, mainly in areas where old tree populations allow them to hollow out tree trunks. The holes are used as cavities for both, breeding and resting. Gilded Barbets are opportunistic and feed preferably on fruits and insects. Husbandry in Weltvogelpark Walsrode It was a great pleasure for all animal keepers when a pair of Gilded Barbets moved to the paradise hall in Weltvogelpark in autumn 2015. The birds were accommodated into a : 3 x 3,5 x 2 m (length, width, height) large aviary. Its substrate is partly covered with forest soil and partly with bark mulch. The aviary is loosely planted with tropical shrubs and foreground plants and furthermore equipped with a water basin, a feeding station and different branches to perch on. For the construction of cavities different thick birch tree trunks are provided. Our experience showed that Barbets love to carve every type of wood with their strong bills, however, they do not construct a nesting hole out of every wooden tee trunk. While pine tree and spruce are only superficially carved,

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Gilded Barbets seem to have a preference for birch, which is straight away very intensively treated and carved. Breeding in Weltvogelpark Walsrode In spring 2016 our Gilded Barbets started building a nesting hole in one of the birch tree trunks. Very diligent and persistent they excavate the tree trunk and carpenter their own nesting hole. After a four-week construction period, the female moved into the nesting hole and it became clear to everybody, that shortly afterwards a clutch of eggs must have been laid in the cavity. Gilded Barbets lay 3-4 eggs. Because the inside of the nesting hole, which is completely built by the birds themselves, is not visible for us, the actual number of eggs remains the female’s secret. Also the exact breeding time can only be estimated with two to two and a half weeks. During this time female and male take turns in incubating, whereat our animal keepers observed that in the morning the female stays in the nesting hole, while the male takes over the afternoon shift.

Very diligent and persistent they excavate the tree trunk and carpenter their own nesting hole. After a fourweek construction period, the female moved into the nesting hole and it became clear to everybody, that shortly afterwards a clutch of eggs must have been laid in the cavity

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Male Juvenile Gilded Barbet

Birch Tree Trunk

Female Gilded Barbet

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Both birds behave very discreet during rearing. As soon as an animal keeper is present they take care to not fly into their nesting hole.

Female juvenile feeds independently

Food for rearing A fruit mixture, which is enriched with vitamins and produced by the Weltvogelpark Walsrode, Nutri bird T16/ T20 pellets from Versele Laga and sufficient live mealworms and morioworms are available for rearing of the birds. The insects are also enriched with vitamin rearing powder. It has been shown that our Gilded Barbets prefer morioworms over the mealworms. Before the adults 20

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feed the morioworms to their offspring they remove the sharp claw-like mouthparts by biting off their heads. Our female has a strong preference for the blueberries, which are part of the fruit mixture, and the male regularly feeds her with blueberries. Behavior during rearing Both birds behave very discreet during rearing. As soon as an animal keeper is

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Food plate for rearing

Male juvenile feeds independently

present they take care to not fly into their nesting hole. Having the worm already into their bills, the birds wait as long as necessary till the respective animal keeper is again outside their visible range. Not until then the chicks are fed. Also the nesting hole itself is created very imperceptible. There is a large hole in the visitor’s walkway direction, which obviously shall mislead possible enemies, while the real entrance

to the nesting hole is located at the opposite side of the tree trunk, facing away from the visitors. While the adults communicate with rattling and growling noises, the chicks keep exceptionally silent. Only on one occasion, when our animal keepers approach the nesting hole, they could hear sounds from the chicks. Exactly at that moment the female however emits a short, high warning call and the chicks immediately fell silent. BIRD SCENE

Father and son

Offspring Approximately six to seven weeks after the female disappeared the first time within the nesting hole, the juveniles fledge and leave the nesting hole. At that time the juveniles are already fully feathered and it is evident that the juveniles are one female and one male. After fledging they are fed for further 10-14 days by the adults. Often they sit on the food plate and wait for their parents to provide them with food.

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Further broods Once the two juveniles start to feed independently, the animal keepers observe how the adults expand their nesting hole. Afterwards we assume the presence of a new clutch within the nesting hole. And really: Shortly after fledging of the second brood, the older juveniles get nervous and are thereupon weaned to another aviary. Also the two new juveniles, two females, are lovingly cared for by the adults. Meanwhile they already

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Male Gilded Barbet

feed independently and who would have thought this: Since yesterday the whole Weltvogelpark team is pleased about a third clutch of eggs. Latest till season opening of the Weltvogelpark, also these juveniles will be fledged and visitors can admire them in the paradise hall. Barbets in Weltvogelpark Walsrode Throughout Europe - and to the best of our knowledge - Gilded Barbets are only seen in Weltvogelpark Walsrode. Besides

Once the two juveniles start to feed independently, the animal keepers observe how the adults expand their nesting hole. Afterwards we assume the presence of a new clutch within the nesting hole. And really: Shortly after fledging of the second brood, the older juveniles get nervous and are thereupon weaned to another aviary. Gilded Barbets, visitor can also see numerous other, more frequently kept barbets, as for example the Red-fronted Barbet (Tricholaema diademata), Brownbreasted Barbet (Lybius melanopterus), Bearded Barbet (Lybius dubius), und Redand-yellow Barbet (Trachyphonus erythrocephalus).

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BY DAVID ALLEN

Ray Smith’s White Scotch

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NO 1 IN THE SERIES LESSER KNOWN CANARY BREEDS -

THE SCOTCH FANCY CANARY

he Scotch Fancy Canary is a canary of position, a very small and neat bird. I can remember the first time I saw this lovely little canary was back in the early 80’s at the City of Oxford Open show that was held in a school in Barton. This show hosted the Old Variety Canary Club, club show so there was a good number of old variety canaries of which the scotch fancy is one. The first thing that caught my eye of these little curvy birds was their show cage, it was the most beautiful of cages with a pattern of inlaid wood on the bottom of the show cage.

In recent years, there has been an upsurge in the Scotch Fancy with the Scotch Fancy club putting out a call for all breeders of the Scotch to answer a questionnaire on how many they keep and how many the bred. Following on from that at last year’s National there was record number benched, more than any that have been seen for a long time, probably going back to the late 80’s at Oxford. What was more pleasing for me was to see my good friend Ray Smith take best Scotch with a white Scotch Fancy. He also sent two of his Scotch to the World show in Spain earlier this year. As I said earlier the Scotch is a bird of position, when it is shown it should stand in the shape of the letter C or crescent shaped like the moon. The tail should curve under the perch and the head over the front of the perch, hence taking on the shape of the letter C. There are a number of breeders of Scotch Fancy in my area this is some part due to the OVCA chairman Mr Brian Hogg

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arranging for some stock to come down from Scotland, which has enabled breeders down here in the South to build up a number of birds. The Scotch Fancy as its name suggests

was created in Scotland. The Old Variety Canary Association set the following standard for the Scotch Fancy in 1971 after discussion with Breeders of the bred.

THE SCOTCH FANCY CANARY

POINTS

Shape: body long and tapering and curved in the form of a half circle, convex above, concaved below, with a clean outline feather being close, short and tight.

Head and Neck: Small, neat, snaky head, long, tapering neck

Shoulders and Back: High, narrow, rounded shoulders, well filled in. Long, narrow, well filled back, curving from the shoulder to the tail.

Tail: Long, narrow, closely folded and well curved under the perch,

Style, Nerve and Travelling: Well raised up, forming a high circle, Bold, Free and jaunty carriage with plenty of lift and action.

Size: Approximately 63/4 inches 17cm

Quality and Condition: clean, healthy, perfect condition.

TOTAL

The classification is limited at most shows due to the limited number of birds being exhibited, but this is beginning to

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change as there are now many shows where large numbers are being benched which is very pleasing to see.

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The classification is limited at most shows due to the limited number of birds being exhibited, but this is beginning to change as there are now many shows where large numbers are being benched which is very pleasing to see.

Another White Scotch from Ray Smith

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BY EMMA FREEMAN

DON’T BLAME THE BREEDER

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As parrot enthusiasts we cannot deny the sad fact that there are many unwanted parrots looking for homes in this country and my motivation for joining a rescue charity was to try to help these birds find a happy and contented life. Little did I know that the world of parrot rescue was more fraught with bickering, back stabbing and egotistical behaviour than the House of Commons.

or those of you who have read my previous articles, you may be aware that for the past six years I have worked for a parrot refuge, something I threw myself into wholeheartedly, working as an area coordinator, the newsletter editor and finally becoming a trustee of the charity. As parrot enthusiasts we cannot deny the sad fact that there are many unwanted parrots looking for homes in this country and my motivation for joining a rescue charity was to try to help these birds find a happy and contented life. Little did I know that the world of parrot rescue was more fraught with bickering, back stabbing and egotistical behaviour than the House of Commons. Just over a year ago I decided enough was enough when I, along with four other trustees resigned, not because I felt I could no longer help unwanted parrots find the homes they needed but because I was sick and tired of the rigid, know it all attitudes of others working in parrot rescue. In particular one very prevalent attitude infuriated me more than any other, and this was the belief that parrot breeders are solely to blame for the vast quantity of unwanted and neglected birds which need to be re homed every year. Over and again I was told by different members of the organisation that ‘there wouldn’t be a problem if breeders didn’t

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keep churning out baby parrots for the pet trade’ and ‘parrot breeders are only in it for the money.’ Each time I heard this opinion I was amazed, how had they come to this conclusion? Was their thinking so simplistic that they had forgotten the pet owner’s part in the process? Or, as I suspect, maybe it was more convenient and less painful to blame a group of faceless breeders than to look at the real reasons that so many parrots are moved from home to home. I am not a parrot breeder, so I was welcomed into the world of parrot rescue with open arms but I have never shared the ‘them and us’ attitude held by so many towards parrot breeders. I have many friends who are parrot breeders and I admire the time, effort and commitment they put into the welfare of their birds, many of them have years of experience and far greater knowledge of their birds than the average parrot owner. For these reasons I suggested that a few of these parrot breeder friends join the parrot refuge and help, although they were more than willing to give their time and to offer homes to some of the more problem birds, their motives were questioned from the start. To say they were treated with suspicion would be an understatement; in fact a saliva frothing, rabid dog would have been made more welcome. But as they proved, on many occasions, that their knowledge and experience meant that they could advise

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and deal with a range of birds with problem behaviour they were eventually, if somewhat reluctantly, accepted. The parrot breeders I refer to here became trustees of the charity and being of the same mind, we all agreed that the birds’ needs must come first. If a parrot came into the refuge that was desperate to breed/ too noisy to live in a family environment/ too stressed to live with humans and exhibiting problem behaviour that couldn’t be corrected, then we agreed that the bird should be allowed to live in an aviary with its own kind. This decision was met with opposition and seen as a ploy to breed with the rescue birds. It was patiently explained on a number of occasions that the birds would not be encouraged to breed and no nesting boxes or materials would be available in the aviaries. However, it still remained an issue with some of the members who would have preferred the birds to be placed in yet another unsuitable home, only to be moved again and again. There were many problems within the refuge which we worked as a team to correct and for a while we managed to overcome the prejudice towards the parrot breeder trustees. We all worked tirelessly to find new members, to promote the charity and to find good homes for the birds that came into our care. I found myself constantly defending my fellow trustees and justifying their

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decisions, despite the amount of hard work and time they had given to the refuge they were still treated with suspicion and I still heard the same criticisms of parrot breeders. Everything was blamed on the breeders, if a bird was a fussy eater, the breeder hadn’t weaned it properly, if a bird was temperamental, the breeder hadn’t socialised it, breeders didn’t give enough information to new parrot owners, breeders didn’t care about the future of their baby birds, they were

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only interested in making money. I pointed out that the baby parrot was only with the breeder for a very short part of its life and although this time was crucial to give the bird a good start in life it was up to the parrot owner to guide and nurture the baby bird, as it was also up to the parrot owner to research as much as they could before they brought their baby home. It was also apparent to me from observing my friends, who bred baby parrots that they were very much

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concerned about the future welfare of their baby birds, they often spent hours advising and helping people with any problems they had. And for the record, I’m sure that if you counted the hours spent with a baby bird before it went to its new home then you would realise that the breeder had earned every penny of the price asked for the bird. None of them were millionaires, parrot breeding was very much a hobby and not an alternative career.

It’s not that I am so naïve as to believe that there aren’t any disreputable breeders, I have heard enough stories to know that there are some motivated more by money than the welfare of the bird but it’s unfair to paint everyone with the same brush. Likewise, there are many people working in parrot rescue who care passionately about parrots and don’t all share the belief that the breeder is always to blame, I met many of them during the time I worked for the refuge, otherwise I

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FEATURE wouldn’t have stayed with them for so long. The intentions of those working for the refuge were good, it was the politics that caused the problems. I also had to constantly defend my associations with The Parrot Society, I was asked why I was an area representative for a ‘group of parrot breeders’, (said with a sneer.) I argued that The Parrot Society is a long running, well respected charity that provides information and advice on all aspects of bird keeping, pets included, that the society is involved with and supports many conservation projects and that breeding in captivity is, for some species, the only way that they will survive. The Parrot Society has been a lifeline for me and is far more than ‘a group of parrot breeders’. I’m certain that these opinions from the people in parrot rescue, were not based on personal experience as none of them were members, however I’m not surprised as I found many of them to have strong opinions on countless areas of bird keeping and most of these were based on very little fact and even less experience. Open mindedness and tolerance were not words I would have associated with these people, this surprised me as I thought the reason for a parrot rescue was to help the birds involved and not to squabble and score points with who had the most knowledge and who was right or wrong. I can

understand that some of these attitudes were because of the sights they had seen, it is easy to want to blame somebody but there is no single group of people responsible, often circumstances beyond anyone’s control cause people to re home their bird. Things finally came to a head with the charity when a new member made allegations that two of the trustees had sold a charity bird, a totally unfounded claim with no evidence to support it. This member had wanted to foster a bird and had already accepted and then turned down three birds for not being friendly enough. The trustees had agreed not to let him have another bird as his expectations were unrealistic, he then approached an area coordinator who offered him a bonded pair of cockatoos, one of which was his own bird, the other belonged to the charity. He was made to understand that they shouldn’t be separated but against advice he separated them as he only liked the female and wanted to return the male. Obviously this caused the male cockatoo extreme stress and the end result was piteous and prolonged screaming. When the trustees learned what had happened we attempted to take both birds off the new member, his response was to make these allegations against two of the trustees, not to the founders of the charity but on the charity’s Facebook page, knowing full well that this would cause the most

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trouble. Without knowing the full story many members were quick to criticise and blame the trustees accused as they were also parrot breeders. There was no support from the founders of the charity and we soon realised that we would never be able to reason with these people, their prejudice was so strong that they had lost the ability to show understanding and loyalty to people who should have been trusted and valued members of staff, just because these people had bred parrots.

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The end result was that five out of seven trustees resigned, two of the trustees had been with the charity for over fifteen years, we had all worked closely as a team for a number of years but unanimously agreed that we were fighting a losing battle and could no longer work for someone who showed us so little loyalty. I share this story with you not because of sour grapes, although I have felt anger and disbelief at the way these

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people were treated, but mainly to make others aware of the ‘them and us’ attitude which does exist. To warn others who may, as we did, stroll unknowingly into the world of parrot rescue with the belief that everyone would be working towards the same goal, sadly this is not the case. Apart from anything else, to state the obvious, if it wasn’t for parrot breeders then none of these people would have their pet parrots in the first place and

now more than ever, with the ban on imported birds, we are completely reliant on breeders in this country to keep our hobby alive. Call me dim but I could never understand the belief that all parrot breeders, regardless of whether they sold birds, hand reared birds, had parent reared birds or even had aviary birds living collectively could possibly be responsible for all the birds that needed re homing.

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BY CHRISTOPHER VAUGHAN

EVOLUTION OF A COM BASED, SCARLET MAC CONSERVATION ORGA 38

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FEATURE

E N O T PAR

MMUNITY CAW ANIZATION

ABSTRACT This paper analyzed the evolution of a communitybased effort to conserve the Central Pacific Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) population in Costa Rica. Between19901994, research demonstrated that the macaw population was declining, primarily due to chick poaching. Club Punta Leona, the town of Quebrada Ganado and the Universidad Nacional initiated the conservation efforts. Two regional workshops (1994, 1999) outlined and evaluated a protection strategy. Both workshops recommended: (a) carrying out strong environmental education programs, (b) protecting chicks in nests, (c) increasing macaw food and nesting sources, (d) research and monitoring of the macaw population, and (e) promoting the project and providing economic returns for local inhabitants. A local conservation organization, LAPPA, was created and attempted to carry out the strategy. Reviewing their successes, LAPPA’s board of directors considered they had been effective with respect to items a, b and d. Strategic planning conducted at the workshops was essential for the conservation work. The methodology utilized in the second workshop helped outline the Scarlet Macaw work plan more clearly then the first. Finally, funds channelled through LAPPA for macaw

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conservation work have been utilized effectively. To ensure future success, board members believe that this program requires: (a) additional community leaders in more communities, (b) yearly strategic planning, (c) funding to hire a fulltime staff member, (d) continued environmental education for children, (e) a transparent accounting system, and (f) continued research and monitoring. KEY WORDS Ara macao, communitybased conservation, Costa Rica, environmental education, monitoring, Scarlet Macaw, strategic planning. Research Journal of the Costa Rican Distance Education University (ISSN: 16594266) Vol. 4(1), June, 2012 40

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Wildlands and wildlife conservation in the crucible Beginning in the 1970’s, many developing countries followed the U.S. model of creating wildlands (national parks and equivalent reserves) by setting aside undisturbed habitats for the “enjoyment of current and future generations”(Ghai 1994). However, local politicians and residents increasingly questioned exclusion of locals from areas they had utilized for generations. Over 75% of wildlands in Latin America had ineffective protection, longterm management plans nor economic resources (World Conservation Monitoring Center 1992). Resentment, mistrust and conflicts often ensued between local communities and park officials (Boo 1990). Many leaders in developing countries labeled reserve creation a second wave of colonialism, and political pressure

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increased for radical changes in wildlands management (Kramer & VanSchaik 1997). Discussions at the international level focused on understanding the complex links between development, poverty and the environment resulting in the “sustainable development” concept. Following the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), a consensus emerged that rural “sustainable development” should be grounded in locallevel solutions emanating from community initiatives (Ghai & Vivian 1992, Ghai 1994). “Communitybased conservation” promoted topdown, centerdriven efforts to favor “natural resources or biodiversity protection by, for, and with the local community” (Western & Wright 1994).

Conservationists recognized longterm success depended on fostering cooperation and support of local communities (Western & Wright 1994, Brandon et al. 1998, Agrawal & Gibson 1999). However, most communitybased conservation efforts fell short of expectations (Wells & Brandon 1992, Wells 1994, Leach et al. 1999, Hulme & Murphree 2001b). Communitybased wildlife projects Excellent reviews of African, communitybased wildlife conservation projects exist (Western & Wright 1994, Hulme & Murphree 2001a). These projects are naturally complex because they take into account multiple interests, actors and institutions that interact and influence decisionmaking (Agrawal & Gibson 1999). Most conservation BIRD SCENE

Average August counts of three fly routes for the Central Pacific Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) population in Costa Rica (1990-2006) 270 250 230 KEY Before After Pub Model After Trend

210 190 170

1990

1994

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1998

2002

2006

FEATURE scientists have focused their efforts on the “high, hard ground” of species and ecosystem conservation (location, status, why important) (Salafsky et al. 2002). However, scientists have ignored the larger and more difficult “human” issues of conservation that reside in the “swampy lowlands”. For instance, do local communities benefit from ecotourism in national parks (Vaughan 1999). According to Salafsky et al. (2002) several crucial questions remained: (a) what should conservation goals be, (b) how can we take action to achieve conservation, and (c) who are the people and groups that make conservation happen? I had the opportunity to address the above questions while working with an endangered species in Costa Rica since the 1990’s. This paper considered how strategic planning resulted in a Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) conservation plan which was carried out by a conservation organization specifically set up for this purpose. I examined the what, how and who in tracing the evolution of Scarlet Macaw conservation project.

Study site, human and Scarlet Macaw populations Costa Rica, National Parks and social issues During the 1970’s and 80’s, Costa Rica created a worldclass wildlands system, consisting of 29% of the national territory (14 500 km2) in 78 protected and private areas (Umaña & Brandon 1992). However, by the early 1990s, the wildlands system and its biological riches were increasingly threatened by adjacent human communities. Facing similar wildland problems as those outlined above, Costa Rica also adopted a “sustainable development” approach and created the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) to manage its 78 wildlands and surrounding zones, as nine regional areas. This system promoted participation by all groups sharing the common objective of preservation, restoration, and protection of ecological equilibrium and biodiversity. Eventually, SINAC wanted civil society and local communities to become responsible for management, concessions and

Facing similar wildland problems as those outlined above, Costa Rica also adopted a “sustainable development” approach and created the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) to manage its 78 wildlands and surrounding zones, as nine regional areas. This system promoted participation by all groups sharing the common objective of preservation, restoration, and protection of ecological equilibrium and biodiversity.

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research of wildlands while the state would be responsible only for facilitation and financing (Garcia 1993, Vaughan & Rodriguez 1997). Although communitybased projects were promoted, usually with international funding, results to date have been mixed. These conservation projects are rare in Costa Rica, especially with wildlife species. A whitetailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) reintroduction project at Cobano, Nicoyan Peninsula involving the local community functioned for 5 yrs in the late 1980’s (Hernandez 1993). The community of Ostional has been working for over a decade to manage the oliveridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) with mixed results (Alvarado & Ballestero 1995).

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Scarlet Macaw and Central Pacific Region In Costa Rica, the Scarlet Macaw originally occupied approximately 42 500km2 (85% of national territory) (Vaughan 2011). Today, most of the population is found in three sites on the Pacific slope: (a) the Osa Peninsula 73 Cuadernos de Investigación UNED (ISSN: 16594266) Vol. 4(1), Junio, 2012 (8001200 estimated individuals) (Stiles & Skutch 1989, Dear et al. 2011), (b) Palo Verde National Park (15 individuals) and (c) the Central Pacific (CP) region (327 individuals)(Marineros & Vaughan 1995, Vaughan et al. 2005). Wildlands in the CP include: Carara National Park (5 500ha), Guacilillo Mangrove Reserve (1 100ha), Turrubares

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Protected Area (3 000ha) and Club Punta Leona (CPL) Private Biological Reserve (250ha). In 1990, my assistants and I began ecological research on the CP Scarlet Macaw population. After several years, we determined that the population consisted of about 330 individuals living in a 560km2 range of humandominated landscape of cattle ranches, secondary forest, towns, primary forest and mangrove swamps (Marineros & Vaughan 1995). About 10 000 people inhabit the region, mostly in the towns of Tarcoles, Quebrada Ganado (QG), Herradura, Jaco, and Bijagual (Direccion General de Estadisticas y Censos 1987).

After several years, we determined that the population consisted of about 330 individuals living in a 560km2 range of humandominated landscape of cattle ranches, secondary forest, towns, primary forest and mangrove swamps The principal economic activities of the region are ranching, tourism and fishing. Tourism employs up to 80% of the working class in some towns, such as Quebrada Ganado. The nearby resort of CPL is the major employer in the region, with 300 workers, mostly from Quebrada Ganado. Employment in tourism and smallscale fishing are major job sources in Tarcoles and Playa Azul, the poorest towns in the area. Agriculture occupies the working class in Bijagual. Tourists regularly visit beaches at Playas Blanca, Herradura, Jaco, Hermosa, Esterillos and Quepos (Vargas 1992).

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Macaw population decline, poaching, communitesand Punta Leona After years of population monitoring, the Scarlet Macaw showed a six percent annual population decrease (Vaughan et al. 2005). Habitat loss was not a major factor, as secondary forests and exotic plantations of teak (Tectona grandis) and Gmelina arborea were increasing, replacing cattle ranches, and providing additional macaw food sources. Park guards and local residents suspected that chick poaching was causing population decline (Vaughan et al. 2005). For the estimated 10 poachers who lived in Tarcoles and Playa Azul, a macaw chick was worth between US$300400, equivalent to 2 months salary. Wildlife

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and park officials could not stop this illegal trade because of the difficulty of patrolling macaw nests randomly throughout their 560km2 home range (Vaughan & Liske 1991, Marineros & Vaughan 1995). Local community and institutional support were needed to attack the poaching problem. Interest in Scarlet Macaw conservation varied between and within communities in the region. Poachers from Tarcoles and Playa Azul, sold about 18 chicks yearly (Marineros & Vaughan 1995). Both towns were within a kilometer of Carara National Park and Guacilillo Mangrove Reserve, where many macaws nested, fed and roosted. In Bijagual and Quebrada

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Ganado, the other sizable towns, employment was greater and teachers and community leaders favored Scarlet Macaw conservation, relating it to tourism. This information was transmitted to children and townspeople. However, fewer macaws nested in these areas and only four known poachers lived in these two towns. In 1994, the declining macaw population interested and worried the two owners of CPL, who wanted to increase the number of Scarlet Macaws in their resort. In mid1994, CPL and the Universidad Nacional signed an agreement to collaborate on Scarlet Macaw conservation. The Universidad Nacional agreed to organize regional meetings to develop a strategy to conserve the Scarlet

Macaw population. The rest of this paper explains the first two regional meetings carried out and the preliminar results, finalizing with lessons learned which can be applied to other conservation efforts involving endangered species and local human communities. Christopher Vaughan 1,2,3 1 Dept. of Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706; cvaughan@wisc.edu 2 International Institute in Wildlife Conservation and Management, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica 3 Associated Colleges of the Midwest, San Jose, Costa Rica; cvaughan@acm.edu Received 31I2012 Corrected 14III2012 Accepted 10IV2012

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