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Guacamai de front vermell

atenea — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 16:14:31 +0000

Red-fronted macaw

This small macaw, approximately 60 cms long, is only found in the rainforests in the provinces of Cochabamba, Potosí and Santa Cruz in Bolivia, at altitudes of between 1,000 and 3,000 metres. Given this small range and the fact that there are very few specimens in captivity, it is one of the least known of the South American parrots, and is currently in grave danger of extinction.

atenea Tue, 12/13/2016 - 17:14

Ara rubrogenys

Bolivia

Degree of risk

Critically endangered

Class

Aves

Order

Psittaciformes

Family

Psittacidae

450-650 g

55 - 60 cm

More than 15 years

Habitat

Forest

Social life

Gregarious

Feeding

Frugivorous

Oviparous

Days

25-27

Baby

1 to 3

Description

The red-fronted macaw has green plumage on its body, with blue on the tips of the wings and a green tail that is longer than the entire body. The area surrounding the eye is bald, the forehead and back are red, as well as a round spot located behind the eyes and its beak is black.

Habitat

It only lives in dry forests in a limited region of central Bolivia, in the provinces of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Chuquisaca, between 1000 and 2500 metres above sea level.

Feeding

It feeds on seeds, nuts, fruits, berries and different types of plant matter.

Reproduction

It makes nests in holes in trees and, more rarely, on platforms dug into the steep banks of rivers. It lays one to three eggs that are incubated for some 26 days (data taken from experiences with this species in captivity at different zoos).

Conduct

They travel in pairs or in small family groups, sometimes made up of over a dozen individuals.

Status and conservation programs

Like all macaws, their populations are in danger of extinction today, due to the destruction of their habitat and excessive capturing for the pet trade. In this case, the situation is worse due to their small area of distribution and the limited original population.

The Barcelona Zoo participates in the EEP for this species.

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Cacatua blanca

atenea — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:34:33 +0000

White cockatoo

This species, now rarely found in the wild, inhabits the forests of the islands of Halmahera, Tidore, Batjan and Obi among others, in the Moluccan archipelago.
A tree-dweller, it is most often found in pairs or small groups in the topmost branches of the highest trees in the forest. Although it was common until a few years ago, its numbers have declined rapidly and it is difficult to see nowadays.

atenea Tue, 12/13/2016 - 16:34

Cacatua alba

Forests of islands Moluccas

Degree of risk

Endangered

Class

Aves

Order

Psittaciformes

Family

Cacatuidae

500-630 g

46 cm

Up to 30 years

Habitat

Forest

Social life

Gregarious

Feeding

Frugivorous

Oviparous

Days

27-28

Baby

2 to 3

Description

The white cockatoo is a bird in the Cacatua family, in the Psittaciformes order, which is primarily characterised by the bright white colour of its plumage. It has a slight yellowish hue on the inside of its wings and tail, and the orbital skin, with no feathers, is a blue colour. It has a considerably long crest, which moves forward slightly when standing on end. It has the classic parrot shape, although it is more robust and compact.

Habitat

It mainly inhabits primary low-lying forests and lands that are quite flat and plains on the Maluka Islands.

Feeding

It mainly feeds on seeds and fruits, although recent studies have revealed that it can complement this diet with quite large insects.

Reproduction

The breeding season generally starts in May, although nesting attempts have been reported even earlier. It makes its nest in holes in trees, laying two to three eggs, which it incubates from 27 to 28 days.

Conduct

It is quite solitary—generally in a pair—and larger groups have rarely been witnessed, always with very few individuals.

Status and conservation programs

It is endangered. Due to the loss of habitat and capture of birds for the pet market, this species has shrunk greatly, moving from a vulnerable status to seriously endangered in a short time. If the island’s development pace and individual development there continues at the same rate, it is estimated that this cockatoo may be irreversibly headed for extinction.

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Guacamai gorjablau

atenea — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 16:46:45 +0000

Blue-throated macaw

Its appearance is very similar to the blue macaw, with very similar colouring in their plumage, although they can be distinguished by the presence of a blue spot on its throat, which led to its name.

atenea Sat, 12/10/2016 - 17:46

Ara glaucogularis

Northern Bolivia

Degree of risk

Critically endangered

Class

Aves

Order

Psittaciformes

Family

Psittacidae

600-1000

Up to 50 years

Habitat

Forest

Social life

Gregarious

Feeding

Frugivorous

Oviparous

Days

26-28

Baby

2 a 5

Description

Its appearance is very similar to the blue macaw, with very similar colouring in their plumage, although they can be distinguished by the presence of a blue spot on its throat, which led to its name.

Habitat

Its area of distribution is extremely restricted, as it only occupies the region of Llanos de Mojos, in north and east Bolivia. It lives in savannahs and floodable forests with tropical climates, generally at altitudes of 200 to 300 metres.

Feeding

It mainly eats fruits and seeds.

Reproduction

It nests in holes in trees with hard bark and in palms, generally between August and December—end of the dry season—in which it lays from two to five eggs that they incubate for 26 to 28 days.

Conduct

It has a basically gregarious behaviour like other macaws, although it breeds alone. It is resident and sedentary throughout its area of distribution.

Status and conservation programs

This species, one of the most endangered in the Psittacidae family, is critically endangered due to deforestation and capture for the illegal pet trade. Its future is not hopeful, as the 1000 or 1200 individuals counted at the beginning of the 1980s have today shrunk to some 150, an exceptionally worrisome decline. It is critically endangered today.

The Barcelona Zoo participates in this species’ EEP.

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Guacamai blau

atenea — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 16:06:47 +0000

Blue-and-yellow macaw

The blue-and-yellow macaw is a native of rainforests and marshlands from the east of Panama and the island of Trinidad down to Paraguay and southern Brazil.
These days, it is only common in the remoter regions of its range of distribution, having disappeared or almost disappeared, from the more accessible areas. It feeds on seeds and fruit.

atenea Sat, 12/10/2016 - 17:06

Ara ararauna

From the east of Panama and Trinidad south to Paraguay and Brazil.

Degree of risk

Least Concern

Class

Aves

Order

Psittaciformes

Family

Psittacidae

995-1380

80-86

More than 20 years

Habitat

Jungle

Social life

Gregarious

Feeding

Frugivorous

Oviparous

Days

25-30

Baby

1 a 3

Description

The blue-and-yellow macaw is a bird that can measure up to 85 cm long, from the Psittacidae family. It is characterised by its blue plumage all over, except for the yellow breast and neck, white cheeks and face, black throat and greenish forehead. It is a quite large and robust bird, even though its extremely long tail gives it a more graceful appearance than it really has.

Habitat

The blue-and-yellow macaw is a typical inhabitant of rainforests and other types of drier forests in South America, from east Panama to the island of Trinidad and to Paraguay and southern Brazil.

Feeding

It has a frugivorous and granivorous diet: they eat grain, seeds, nuts and different types of fresh fruits.

Reproduction

Sexual maturity takes place at four or five years of age. They are monogamous and most couples stay together for many years, often for their entire lives. They make nests in holes in trees and, more rarely, holes in rocks. They tend to lay from one to three eggs.

Conduct

With gregarious habits, they tend to join up in large flocks and even form mixed groups with macaws from other species. However, they are not considered a migratory bird, even though some populations can make nomadic movements looking for food, especially during the wet season.

Status and conservation programs

The blue-and-yellow macaw is highly valued as a caged bird. The excessive capture they are subjected to is why they have disappeared from many areas of their former distribution area.

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Gamarús d'ulleres

atenea — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 17:48:02 +0000

Spectacled owl

The spectacled owl is a large bird of prey that can measure up to 50 cm in length with a wingspan of nearly a metre. It lives in a range of habitats in Central and South America, from tropical rainforests to savannahs with scarce tree cover between sea level and 1,600 metres in altitude.
It is a nocturnal hunter that feeds on small mammals, birds, insects, frogs and crabs, which it catches by stalking.

atenea Wed, 12/07/2016 - 18:48

Pulsatrix perspicillata

Woods and forests from southern Mexico to northern Argentina

Degree of risk

Least Concern

Class

Aves

Order

Strigiformes

Family

Strigidae

500-900 g

50 cm

Up to 30 years

Habitat

Forest

Social life

Solitary

Feeding

Scavenger

Oviparous

Days

30-35

Baby

1 to 2

Description

The spectacled owl is a large bird of prey, which can be up to 50 cm long with a wingspan of almost one metre. It is characterised by its coffee colour, cream breast and belly, and its white feathers on its eyebrows and above its beak, creating a type of glasses around its eyes.

Habitat

Feeding

This nocturnal hunter feeds on small mammals, birds, insects, frogs and crabs, captured by perching on a branch and swooping down.

Reproduction

Its breeding season starts between April and June, until the end of the dry, and beginning of wet, season. It builds its nest in holes in trees, sometimes stolen from other species such as woodpeckers and toucans, in which it lays two eggs that are incubated for five weeks.

Conduct

Resident and sedentary.

Status and conservation programs

Despite not being endangered, and considered quite common in the majority of its distribution area, the destruction of its habitat from deforestation and the degradation of wooded habitats have led to it starting to have difficulties and negative outcomes for breeding and numbers.

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