User:Paightyn/Hyacinth macaw

Ecology:

The Hyacinth macaw mostly nests in Manduvi trees, which rely on the Toco Toucan for 83.3% of the tree's distribution of seeds. The Toco Toucan also feeds on 53% of the hyacinth macaw's offspring as eggs.

Threats:

Because this species exclusively relies on the fruit produced by two palm species, if these species were to suffer due to disease or habitat destruction, it would put the parrot species at risk. This species specifically requires previously occupied holes within the Manduvi trees in order to nest, so nesting availability can be sparse. Furthermore, old growth of these trees, the youngest being 60 years, is required for the species to produce large enough holes to nest. This limits the future potential of reproduction if these trees are destroyed or competition with other species for space is increased.

If populations and genetic diversity continue to decrease, it could become a major conservation issue in the future. A smaller population of hyacinth macaws will increase the influence of genetic drift, and, therefore, increase the risk of extinction. A lower genetic variation can send populations into an extinction vortex.

Conservation:

A study completed in 2021 tackles the problem of low genetic diversity in parrot species with the use of free flight. Through intricate training, captive bird species can be released into the environment with a low risk of death. In this training, parrots are taught to recognize specific human calls for danger such as nearby predators. Likewise, during this training, they are able to learn foraging techniques and recognize where the aviary was. This strategy of releasing captive bird species in free flight can encourage the reproduction of parrot species to increase genetic variation in the case of low diversity in an extinction vortex.

Pizo, M. A., Donatti, C. I., Guedes, N. M., & Galetti, M. (2008). Conservation puzzle: Endangered hyacinth macaw depends on its nest predator for reproduction. Biological Conservation, 141(3), 792–796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2007.12.023

Woodman, C., Biro, C., & Brightsmith, D. J. (2021). Parrot free-flight as a conservation tool. Diversity, 13(6), 254. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13060254