By Colum Muccio | Project Leader
COLORES is a consortium founded in 2010 by One Earth Conservation, ARCAS and other partners with the goal of conserving the yellow-naped parrot (Amazona auropalliata) in Guatemala. It is estimated that there are only 500 individuals left in the wild of this species, classified by the IUCN as Critically Endangered. COLORES works in 10 "hotspots" in the Southwest region of the Pacific coast of Guatemala where the largest numbers of the species are concentrated.
NEST MONITORING
Continuing with the research and coordination work of previous years, patrols were carried out in each hot spot, to evaluate the presence of parrots, nests in cavities, features in the tree as signs of poaching, data that can be used to determine if these nests were active and successful. Threats such as the presence of bees, predators or the looting and/or destruction of nests were also evaluated. In each visit, time was taken to train the collaborators in the sites on the behavior of the parrots, to identify active nests, and it was used to maintain the bonds of friendship between the personnel of the Reserves and the COLORES project by sharing information and new findings.
ARTIFICIAL NESTS
The COLORS project continues to make and install artificial nests, experimenting with designs and placing them in places that are easy to protect against poachers. In the second half of 2021, around 47 nests were installed. Unfortunately, most were occupied by bees, and during 2022 no artificial nest was placed pending the development of a strategy to repel bees.
COUNTS
During the months of July and August, formal counts were carried out in each hotspot, taking the data: time, species, quantity, geographical movement and flight log, evidencing the presence of pairs, trios or groups of four to five individuals together, as well as movement in flocks.
ANNUAL WORKSHOP
One of the most important activities of COLORES is its annual training, education and coordination workshop for the various partners of the consortium, to present the results of the previous season (January – May) and plan activities for the following year. During the workshop of May 9, 2021 we were joined by our friends from the yellow-headed parrot (Amazona oratrix) conservation project who traveled from Izabal on the Caribbean side of the country to share their experiences. It was an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas, challenges, and solutions between the two projects.
NEST CLIMBER TRAINING
COLORES needs to form its own tree-climbing team in order to better research and verify nests. We contacted the IRTRA park who expressed great interest in participating in COLORES, and we held a training session with their grounds and tree-pruning teams who have committed to monitor the trees on the park for parrot nests. This training session and was a great step and achievement for COLORES since in the future the information collected in the field can be expanded.
EDUCACION AMBIENTAL
As part of our environmental education program and the participation of COLORES in the regional network Loros Sin Frontera (https://www.lorossinfronteras.com/), we participated in the Parrot Festival November 18-20, 2021, where gave a training workshop to teachers from the municipality of Asintal, distributing our psittacine education guide and coloring book. Educational activities with the children, included drawing contest and a bird watching tour on the grounds of the Tak Alik Abaj archeological site.
During the month of June, we visited the schools in the farms or reserves where COLORES works. In these visits we trained teachers and children, using the COLORES teacher's guide and coloring book. These types of educational activities are very important because most of these children are the children of workers or people who live in the fields and are closer to the areas where the nests are located, in addition to these they are the ones who better receive and transmit the information on the current problems of parrots in the field. In total, 4 schools were visited, reaching more than 50 children.
TRAFFICKING ENFORCEMENT
COLORES and ARCAS coordinated with CONAP in enforcement activities in the illegal trade of parrots and other wild animals. Contact was maintained with the Public Ministry, supporting activities for the investigation into the death of Pedro Viteri, a conservationist collaborating with COLORES.
NEW ALLIANCES
We also approached private entities such as the ICC, GUATEMAGICA and IRTRA in search of new alliances and new members to expand our range and purpose of work.
For more information on these and other parrot conservation activities carried out by COLORES, ARCAS and LSF, please visit ARCAS’s publications page (https://arcasguatemala.org/who-we-are/arcas-publications/), or LSF’s publications page (https://www.lorossinfronteras.com/)
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