Red-fronted macaw nest in the endemic “Janchicoco Palm tree”. Photograph by the El Palmar National Park
Images of two Critically Endangered Red-fronted Macaw chicks in their natural nests are going viral on social networks and Bolivian press for being the first time a photograph of this kind has been taken. These birds were found in a nest within the Janchicoco palm tree, at the El Palmar National Park, located in the Presto municipality, Chuquisaca . This species normally breeds in rock cavities along cliffs, but in El Palmar National Park they breed in the endemic Janchicoco Palm.
This historical finding of Red-fronted Macaw chicks was thanks to the park rangers of the El Palmar National Park with the support of Asociación Armonía, whom provided specialized equipment for Red-fronted Macaw monitoring, such as binoculars, GPS, camera traps, Bird of Bolivia field guides and professional digital cameras. These are indispensable tools for finding macaw nests, assured Guido Saldaña, Red-fronted Macaw Program Coordinator at Armonia.
In addition to the mentioned equipment, Armonia installed 50 artificial nestboxes to support the reproduction of these macaws, and special training was offered to the park rangers to monitor the natural and artificial nests.
“Special thanks to the Armonia for opening its doors, listening to us, and allowing the provision of essential equipment, materials, and digital tools that will boost the work of the park rangers”, wrote Tomason social media, Protection Chief at the El Palmar National Park.
The park rangers together with Armonia will continue monitoring natural and artificial nests on a regular basis. Monitoring of nests are crucial to better understand the species reproduction biology in order to improve our conservation actions.
Armonia has worked for over 15 years on the conservation of the Red-fronted Macaw and published in 2022 the Red-fronted Macaw species Action Plan. In 2021, Armonia carried out a population census and identified around 160 nests and a population of approximately 1,200 individuals found in the river basins of Caine, Mizque, Rio Grande, and Pilcomayo. This Bolivian endemic species can only be found only in four departments: Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Potosi and Chuquisaca.
Armonía’s new Red Fronted Macaw nestbox program placed 50 nestboxes in El Palmar. Photograph by Romeo Rojas/Asociación Armonia