Blue-fronted Amazon Project

Category: Pantanal, Video | Date: Oct 22 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

Vandir and I shot this movie a while ago, of a young parrot equipped with a radio transmitter being fed by one of its parents. Can you see the antenna?!

This was a male young parrot, which received the transmitter in November 2007, three days before its first flight.

The objective of this monitoring is to follow the young on its first months, to verify the behavior and health status. We monitor the birds every month, by direct observation, with a receptor and a portable directional antenna. The coordinates of these birds will are used to determine its home range by the minimum convex polygon method.

This is the first time that we had registered this kind of images! We are very happy to share them with you! We intend to acquire more radio transmitters with the support of the donors, to get to know even better about this species.

I hope you like it!

And keep an eye in our blog, as more and more videos are coming soon! ;0)

Glaucia

Tags: Parrot, radiotransmitter, Video

4 responses so far

Category: Diet, Pantanal | Date: Jul 16 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

On the first part of my PhD dissertation, I analyzed the feeding behavior of the Blue-fronted Amazon. Once a month, from July 2005 to Dec 2007, my team and I used trails in different environments in Pantanal to observe the parrots.

I registered 1,349 Blue-fronted Amazon eating flowers, fruits, and seeds from 48 different plant species. The high seed consumption indicates that this parrot is mainly a graminivore of canopy trees. In general, the Blue-fronted Amazon is a generalist, with a very diverse diet, in response to the intense variety of resources in a seasonal and heterogeneous environment, such as Pantanal. Our next step will be to evaluate the nutritional composition of the Blue-fronted Amazon diet, with the collaboration of researches from different institutions.

Parrot eating flowers of the Caribbean Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia aurea).

Vandir and I checking the trees.

Tags: Diet, Pantanal, Parrot, PhD

2 responses so far

Category: Award, Pantanal | Date: Jul 06 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

Hi everyone! I think I need to start apologizing for the lack of posts for the past few months… The Project continues very active, with many field trips. But I have been super busy finalizing my PhD dissertation (on Ecology and Conservation, Mato Grosso do Sul Federal University), and I did not have any time to post some news in the blog…

Well, finally, on June 22nd, I defended my dissertation, on a 12-year long study about the Blue-fronted Amazon, which is divided in three chapters: feeding ecology (3-year observation period), collective roosting sites (4-year observation period), and reproductive success (12-year observation period). Many people directly contributed to data collection, such as our field technician Vandir, several externs, biologists, veterinarians, and zootechnists, and, of course, the essential orientation of Prof. Dr. José Ragusa Netto/UFMS Três Lagoas. The material and financial support of many people and institutions was fundamental for this study. The Project continues, aiming to help the development of conservation plans for this species and its environment.

I would like to thanks everyone who direct or indirectly helped the Project, and to share with you the happiness of having concluded my PhD degree! And I promise new posts soon!!

Tags: Pantanal, Parrot, PhD

2 responses so far

Category: Pantanal, Partners, Support, Team | Date: Jan 02 2009 | By: Blue-fronted Amazon

Many days have passed since my last post, and, sadly, many other blue fronted nestlings have arrived at the CRAS (Wild Animal Rehabilitation Center/Environmental Institute of Mato Grosso do Sul state)… A total of 788 seized nestlings were brought to the CRAS on 2008. Certainly hundreds of other nestlings died on the action of the smugglers.
But we also had a lot of good news. We have been very busy and active in the field, checking the growth of the blue fronted nestlings, as well as other psittacines species. Many people got involved and helped us with the conservation of this parrot, either by volunteering at the field, or supporting our work (partnerships and material/financial support).

We ended 2008 with the certainty that we still have a lot of work to do for the conservation… However, we also have the conviction that we are not alone, and that more and more people are getting involved with the nature conservation. This manner, we would like to express our deep and sincere thanks to everyone, and wish you all a wonderful 2009!
A huge hug,
Glaucia Seixas and Team

Tags: 2009, Pantanal, Parrot

2 responses so far

Category: Partners | Date: Apr 28 2008 | By: admin

During February and March, the field activities of the Project were done under the financial support of Parrots International. The funds were donated trough the representatives Mark e Marie Stafford. I presented them the Project, after the invitation of Dr. Neiva Guedes, when they were visiting the Hyacinth Macaw Project in Pantanal. The financial support from Parrots International during these months was essential and we really appreciate their contribution!!
Other important moment for the Project during the past days was the signature of a technical cooperation contract between the Blue-Fronted Amazon Parrot Project (via Fundação Neotropica do Brasil) and the Instituto de Meio Ambiente de Mato Grosso do Sul (IMASUL). This cooperation will facilitate data, equipment, and personnel exchange between us and will strengthen the Project. We would like to thanks Dr. Francisca Fernandes, the manager of the Fauna e Pesca/IMASUL, Dr. Vinicius Lopes, and all the team at CRAS (Wild Animal Rehabilitation Center) for their cooperation and support for the parrots’ conservation.
We are very grateful and would like to thanks Emerentiane and anonymous person for their donations to the Project !!!

Thayane (top) and Veronica (bottom) in a field trip in February.

The beginning of the partnership with CRAS.

Tags: Pantanal, Parrot, Partners, Support

2 responses so far

Category: Pantanal | Date: Jan 31 2008 | By: admin

HAPPY NEW YEAR dear friends!
On 2007, the Blue-fronted Parrot Project completed 10 years of constantly research for the conservation of this species and its environment.
A large part of this success is due to YOU, who worked, helped and cheered for us and for the parrots during these years.

WE SINCERELY THANK YOU!
Gláucia H. F. Seixas and Team

Tags: New Year, Parrot

No responses yet