“GrrlScientist” is the pseudonym of an evolutionary ecologist/ornithologist & parrot researcher. Earned a B.S. in microbiology (emphasis: virology) & biochemistry at the University of Washington. Worked at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for 2 years. Earned her Ph.D.
Scarlet macaws lay as many as four eggs per clutch, but only one or two chicks survive until fledging due to parental neglect .Scarlet macaws are one of the most recognizable New World parrot species, and they are highly sought after as pets due to their brilliant plumage colors.
These large colorful parrots are also widely celebrated for the long-term bonds they form with their mates. But they apparently do not form such strong bonds with their chicks., living in Peru has documented what has long been known by aviculturists who work with captive-bred scarlet macaws: the parents neglect some of their chicks, allowing them to starve to death — even when there is plenty of food available. “Scientists have known for years that scarlet macaws hatch more chicks than they fledge,” said the study’s senior author, Donald Brightsmith, an Associate Professor of Ecosystem Health in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. His research focuses on a wide variety of parrot topics including parrot conservation, clay lick use, nesting, movements, habitat use, etc. He also conducts research on the diets of captive and wild parrots, on parrot enrichment, and he also studies wild red-crowned parrots living in Texas To watch what the macaws were doing in their nests, Professor Brightsmith, Dr Vigo-Trauco and collaborators installed video cameras in the artificial nest boxes in the Reserve, and collected and analyzed video for ten years. At the same time, Professor Brightsmith, Dr Vigo-Trauco and collaborators also checked the nests to see which chicks were being fed. This was how they came to the conclusion that some chicks were intentionally being starved.“Scarlet macaws have a food sac on their necks called a crop, and in chicks it’s very easy to see when it’s full of food,” Professor Brightsmith explained. “We caught video of female macaws trying to over-feed their oldest chicks while the third chick would be running slowly around the base of the nest with an empty crop, begging for food.” Disturbingly, not only did the female macaws not feed her smallest and hungriest chicks, but she even refused to keep them warm. “he chicks at that age can’t regulate their own body temperature, so they need to be in the nest. We saw that the mother won’t even share her body heat with her dying offspring,” Professor Brightsmith continued. “As scientists, we try not to do what’s called anthropomorphizing — attaching human ideas about morality to animals. But it’s hard to watch that and not think of it as parental abuse.”“Sometimes the female macaw will start to bury a chick that she’s decided not to feed by kicking nest substrate on top of it,” Professor Brightsmith added. “But then the father will come home and unbury the chick and feed it. So, they’re not always in agreement, which makes the whole process even more complex.”of all scarlet macaw chicks hatched every breeding season is a tremendous loss, as well as a waste of energy. Is it possible to save these neglected wild chicks from starvation? Yes. In fact, as part of her doctoral research, Dr Vigo-Trauco developed a program to save these chicks and to give them a chance at life. Basically, the neglected chicks were removed from the nest and raised in captivity for a few weeks before being placed into the nests of macaws that lost their chicks to predation, or that had chicks at a similar developmental stage. “The key to success is making sure that the chicks all look about the same size,” Dr Vigo-Trauco noted. “This encourages the new parents to take care of the foster chick as if it were their own.” Amusingly, the parent macaws were quite surprised when a foster chick mysteriously appeared in their nest box. “We see them on camera as they land on the nest box, look in, and then look around like they’re thinking, ‘Did I walk into the wrong house?’ It’s kind of hilarious,” Professor Brightsmith laughed. “They turn their heads sideways to get a good look at the new chick, think about it for a moment, and then start to feed them.” This conservation program not only successfully saves wild macaw chicks from starvation, but also provides them the opportunity to grow up and live as wild parrots, thanks to their foster parents’ care. So far, during three breeding seasons, the foster chick program has already saved the lives of 28 macaw chicks. Although scarlet macaws are not endangered, many other parrot species are, so this program could be adapted to help endangered parrots increase their numbers. “Parrots are one of the most endangered groups of birds in the world,” Professor Brightsmith observed. “We hope that this program, and the understanding of brood reduction behind it, can assist with the conservation of a broad array of parrot species across the tropics.”10.3390/d16110657Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kindContinuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejectedAttempts or tactics that put the site security at riskProtect your community.
Brood Reduction Grrlscientist Food Availability Siblicide Infanticide Chick Quality Parental Neglect Ara Macao Conservation
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