Puerto Rico Parrot Update

							                                               U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service


                                               Puerto Rican Parrot 2002
                                               Update
                                              What are the origins and numbers of             What are the current numbers of
                                              parrots to be released on May 14,               parrots in the wild and in the two
                                              2002?                                           aviaries?
                                              On May 14, 2002, nine (9) Puerto Rican          The last population survey documented
                                              parrots all from the Luquillo Aviary will       21-24 wild parrots. These numbers are
                                              be released into the Caribbean National         very low, and suggest that either the
                                              Forest. Due to a potential threat of a          population is declining rapidly or that the
                                              serious disease at the Río Abajo Aviary, a      wild birds are dispersing to undetermined
                                              decision was made not to use parrots            sites in or outside CNF. As of the end of
                                              from that aviary until the health issues        March 2002, we had 144 Puerto Rican
                                              are completely addressed. Nevertheless,         parrots at both aviaries including 16
                                              the group of nine parrots to be released        hatchlings. Less than 24 individuals,
                                              includes two birds transferred from the         however, comprise the fertile breeding
                                              Río Abajo Aviary in 2001. These are birds       population at both aviaries. The low
                                              that were not ready to be released last         number of fertile pairs highlights the
                                              year.                                           need to improve husbandry techniques
                                                                                              including remodeling the aviary facilities
                                              Why is the release scheduled for                and infrastructure. In order to resolve
                                              May?                                            major safety and health concerns for both
                                                                                              parrots and employees, the Service is
                                              The wild parrots start flocking after the
                                                                                              proposing the relocation of the Luquillo
                                              breeding season (usually the end of May).
                                                                                              Aviary. This action is expected to enhance
                                              Scientists believe that it is easier for the
                                                                                              opportunities for the formation of new
What are the survival rates and               released birds to integrate into the wild
                                                                                              pairs and breeding success at Luquillo.
causes of mortality of parrots from           flock following the breeding season.
the two previous releases?                    Rapid integration into the wild flock may
In 2000, ten (10) captive-reared parrots      increase chances of survival for the
were released into the Caribbean              released birds.
National Forest (CNF). Sixteen (16)
additional birds were released in the         When will the next release be and
summer of 2001. The survival of these         why?
released parrots can only be documented       USFWS scientists will not release parrots
for 9-12 months after their release due to    in 2003 and perhaps not in 2004. Further
the life expectancy of the batteries in the   evaluation is needed to continue refining
radio telemetry transmitters each             the release techniques. Time is also
released bird is wearing. Five of the ten     needed to increase the numbers of birds
parrots released in 2000 were still alive     that are suitable for release. In addition, a
after 9 months. In 2001, transmitters         greater number of parrots will be
signals for nine (9) of the sixteen (16)      necessary in order to start a second wild
parrots were lost , within five (5) months    population in the Karst region of
after their release. Since that time,         northern Puerto Rico. During 2003 and
USFWS personnel has been unable to            2004, scientists will concentrate on
locate them again. Three released             developing the plans and strategies to
parrots, from 2001, were confirmed alive      start this new phase of the release
9 months after the release, and four          program including building the
either succumbed to predation by Red-         infrastructure necessary for pre-release
tailed hawks or died of other causes. The     training in Río Abajo Commonwealth
fate of the remaining released parrots is     Forest.
undetermined at this time. It appears
that predation by Red-tailed hawks may        Meanwhile, USFWS personnel will
be a major mortality factor for both wild     concentrate on improving census
PR parrots and those released from            methods, and searching for parrot
captivity.                                    activity within CNF and surrounding
                                              areas to confirm the parrot’s current
                                              status in the wild.