Blue-fronted Amazon Project

Category: Nestlings, Pantanal, Team | Date: Feb 13 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

The reproductive season of the blue-fronted parrot at Pantanal occurs always between July and December. On July, the couples start to look and compete for cavities in trees to make their nests. In August they start to lay the eggs (with an interval of 2 to 15 days between eggs) which will be incubated for about 28 days.

Female in the nest.

Just born chick.

Females taking care of the nest.

The nestling are featherless, and have their eyes closed; and in my opinion they are wonderful! But not everyone agrees with that… ;0)

They stay 54-60 days in the nest, under extreme careful parental care. And around November/December, they are ready for their first flight!

These guys are ready for their first flight!

On 2008, we monitored 155 cavities on trees (which have been previously used as nest), from which 51 were used for nesting this reproductive season. The nests had anything between 1 and 5 eggs each, with a total of 131 eggs. Many eggs were lost, either due natural predation or rain/wind. Sixty-four parrots hatched, and around 40 of them made through their first flight (and were leg banded). We wish them good luck and a long life. Happy with this success we continue our work for their conservation.

Some more pictures for you… Enjoy!

Here I am checking a nest!

And Vandir is checking this one.

Everyone helps to check the equipments, to make sure everything is working properly.

Veronica is monitoring some chicks.

These guys grow fast! We need to measure them often to monitor their development.