The beautiful Purple-naped Lory (Lorius domicella) is forest-dwelling endemic to the islands of Seram, Ambon, and perhaps also Haruku and Saparua, South Maluku, Indonesia. It is considered endangered, the main threat being from trapping for the cage-bird trade.

The best place to see them is on Seram, Indonesia. It appears always to have been uncommon or rare, recent records deriving only from within Manusela National Park in central Seram, where it is scarce, and from the Wae Fufa catchment in the east, where it is fairly common on ridges between 900 and 1,050 m.I have a blog post about how to get to Seram. For more information about the Purple-naped Lory, check Birdlife and World Parrot Trust.

Seram

Moluccan Cockatoo (Cacatua Moluccensis)

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Tara

The Salmon-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua moluccensis also known as Moluccan Cockatoo is a cockatoo endemic to south Moluccas in eastern Indonesia. At 46–52 cm and 850 g, it is among the largest of the white cockatoos.

The best place to see them in the wild is Manusela National Park on the island of Seram, Indonesia.

One of the biggest problems facing this beautiful cockatoo is trapping. It is not only cruel to the bird, it is causing the rapid decline of the species in the wild.

Birding At The Barba Azul Reserve

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Tara

Armonia, the Bolivian birding and conservation organization is trying to save one of the world’s rarest parrots, the Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis). The Blue-throated Macaw is a very rare species, mostly found in isolated pairs in widely dispersed private cattle ranches. The best place to see the species is in Asociacion Armonia’s newly created Barba Azul Nature Reserve which protects the critically important strong hold for the species. Armonia is developing the reserve for tourism. Write to Bird Bolivia regarding a tour to the reserve.

Blue-throated Macaw

You can help the conservation efforts by donating to Bird Endowment who not only have the beautiful photo above but many others on their page and lots of information about “Saving the Blues”.

George Fenwick, president of American Bird Conservancy wrote in his blog about his very rewarding trip to Barba Azul reserve, very inspirational!

Barba Azul is on my wish list for the future, when I will probably revisit Peru and then travel into Bolivia. It’s pretty easy to get there on miles using Avianca Taca which is a member of the Star Alliance or LAN which is a member of One World Alliance. If you need to get more miles, check out my resource pages.

My Top Twenty Parrot Sightings Of 2012

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Tara

These are not being chosen because of the amazing image quality, rather that they represent the top twenty parrot sightings I had during 2012 over trips to the Cook Islands and Brazil. Some of them like the Golden Conures, Hyacinth Macaws and Rimatara Lorikeets are very rare and endangered, most of them are secure at present and we hope they stay that way! I saw a lot more parrots than these, some of them such as Kawall’s Amazon and Hawk-headed Parrot escaped before I could get a photo. They all made a unique impression on me, especially the Golden Conures!

They are being presented in chronological order of when I first saw them.

1. Tahitian Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana) – seen on Aitutaki, Cook Islands, April 2012

Tahitian Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana)

2. Rimatara Lorikeet (Vini kuhlii) – seen on Atiu, Cook Islands, April 2012

Rimatara Lorikeet (Vini kuhlii)

3. Blue-throated Conure (Pyrrhura cruentata) – seen at Rio Doce, Linhares, Brazil; Sept 2012 Unfortunately, he took off before I could get a better shot.

Blue-throated Conure (Pyrrhura cruentata)

4. White-eared Conure (Pyrrhura leucotis) – seen at Rio Doce, Linhares, Brazil; Sept 2012

White-eared Conure (Pyrrhura leucotis)

5. Monk Parakeet/Quaker (Mylopsitta monachus) and Peach-fronted Conure (Aratinga aurea) – seen in the Pantanal, Brazil; Sept 2012

Monk Parakeet/Quaker (Mylopsitta monachus) and Peach-fronted Conure (Aratinga aurea)

6. Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhyncus hyacinthius) – seen in the Pantanal, Brazil; Sept 2012

Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhyncus hyacinthius)

7. Yellow-chevron Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri) – seen in the Pantanal, Brazil; Sept 2012

Yellow-chevron Parakeet (Brotogeris chiriri)

8. Hahn’s Macaw/Red-shouldered Macaw (Ara nobilis) – seen in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil; Sept 2012

Hahn’s Macaw/Red-shouldered Macaw (Ara nobilis)

9. Illiger’s Macaw/Blue-winged Macaw (Primolius maracana) – seen in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil; Sept 2012

Illiger’s Macaw/Blue-winged Macaw (Primolius maracana)

10. Blue and Gold Macaw (Ara ararauna) – seen in Cristalino, Brazil; Sept 2012

Blue and Gold Macaw (Ara ararauna)

11. Blue-headed Parrot (Pionus menstruus) – seen in Cristalino, Brazil; Sept 2012

Blue-headed Parrot (Pionus menstruus)

12. Madeira Parakeet (Pyrrhura snethlage) – seen in Cristalino, Brazil; Sept 2012

Madeira Parakeet (Pyrrhura snethlage)

13. White-bellied Caique (Pionites leucogaster) – seen in Cristalino, Brazil; Sept 2012

White-bellied Caique (Pionites leucogaster)

14. Blue-winged Parrolet (Forpus xanthopterygius) – seen in Cristalino, Brazil; Sept 2012

Blue-winged Parrolet (Forpus xanthopterygius)

15. Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata) – seen in Alta Floresta, Brazil; Sept 2012

Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca manilata)

16. Crimson-bellied Conure (Pyrrhura perlata) – seen at Alta Floresta, Brazil; Sept 2012

Crimson-bellied Conure (Pyrrhura perlata)

17. Santarem Conure (Pyrrhura amazonum) – seen at Amazonia National Park, Brazil; Sept 2012

Santarem Conure (Pyrrhura amazonum)

18. Golden Conures (Guarouba guarouba) – seen at Amazonia National Park, Brazil; Sept 2012

Golden Conures (Guarouba guarouba)

19. White-eyed Conure (Aratinga leucophthalmus) – seen at Amazonia National Park, Brazil; Sept 2012

White-eyed Conure (Aratinga leucophthalmus)

20. Orange-winged Amazons (Amazona amazonica) – seen at Parrot Island near Belem, Brazil; Sept 2012

Orange-winged Amazons (Amazona amazonica)

The Enigmatic Macaws Of Tambopata

Posted on December 23, 2012 by Tara

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words is this video worth? Sorry, they don’t allow embedding but click on the link below to watch it on Vimeo.

The enigmatic Macaws of Tambopata from Christian Declercq on Vimeo.

Every time I watch this I want to book the next flight back to Peru. If you are inspired, check out the other posts I have on how to see the Enigmatic Macaws of Tambopata for yourself!

Getting to Peru

Gateway Lima

Getting to Tambopata

Choosing an Eco-Lodge

Tambopata Eco-Lodges

Review of Refugio Amazonas and Tambopata Research Center

Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana) Aka Tahitian Lorikeet

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Tara

Today is my day to blog about Vini Lorikeets! It just didn’t seem right to do such a comprehensive post about Rimatara Lorikeets without doing one about their cousins, the Tahitian Blue Lorikeets.

Tahitian Blue Lorikeet

These birds have a somewhat larger distribution area and can be found in around 8 islands: Motu, Manuae, Tikehau, Rangiroa, Aratua, Kaukura, Apataki, Aitutaki, and possibly Harvey Island and Manihi. Its plumage is mainly dark blue and it has a white area over its upper chest, throat and face.

This species qualifies as Vulnerable (rather than endangered) because it has a small and fragmented island distribution and is likely to continue to decline owing to ongoing predation by black rats and, to a lesser extent, cats.

The easiest place to see them in the wild is on Aitutaki in the Cook Islands where the locals affectionately call them “Kuramoo”.

Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana)

Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana) bonded pair

Blue Lorikeet (Vini peruviana) checking me out!

Tahitian Lorikeets

Kuhl’s Lorikeet (Vini kuhlii), Aka Rimatara Lorikeet

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Tara

This is one of my favourite parrot species and I have made two trips to see them in the wild in Atiu, Cook Islands. The first time was in 2008 and they had only been released less than a year and everyone was caught up in the excitement about having the beautiful little birds back on the island after so many years. The actual name of the species is Kuhl’s Lorikeet or Kuhl’s Lory but they are much better known as Rimatara Lorikeets. In their native lands, they are called “Ura in French Polynesia and Kura in the Cook Islands.

UPDATE: I have also been to see them in their original native land, Rimatara! I have been blogging about this trip taken in June 2014.

Young Rimatara Lorikeet

New photos taken in Rimatara.

There are only four places where these highly endangered little parrots can be seen in the wild. Of course one is their original homeland of Rimatara, French Polynesia and there are a few in Kritimati Island. Then there is their new home of Atiu, Cook Islands and a few of the Atiu lorikeets flew off to Mitiaro, Cook Islands and have been breeding so there is a small population there. Out of all these places, the easiest to get to on airline miles is the Cook Islands, then you need to fly on Air Rarotonga to Atiu. You can also fly from Papeete to Rimatara on Air Tahiti.

LEARN MORE ABOUT RIMATARA LORIKEETS

Wikipedia

Word Parrot Trust & Magazine Article

Birdlife

Birdguides

Manu

Cook Islands Bishop Museum

VIDEOS

This is where I get to sit back and take it easy because to tell you the background of the Rimatara Lorikeets and their story is much easier to do with a collection of videos. So sit back, relax and enjoy!

A much less professional production is my own visit to see them in 2008. It does give an idea of what to expect from your own eco-tourism experience if you go to see these birds in the wild!

Orange-Bellied Parrots (Neophema Chrysogaster)

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Tara

Orange-bellied Parrots (Neophema chrysogaster) are one of the rarest parrots species in the world; and unless something is done, we risk losing them from the planet forever.

I took the photos below on my trip to see them at Melaleuca, Tasmania in March 2014.

Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster)

Orange-bellied Parrots eating

According to this video report, there are only 20 at the traditional breeding grounds at Melalueca, Tasmania. They are one of only two species of parrot which migrate. OBPs breed in Tasmania and spend the winter in coastal grasslands on southern mainland Australia. With only 36 wild birds known to be alive after the summer 2011/12 breeding season, it is regarded as a critically endangered species. This map shows their range.

OBP range

There is extensive information on the species on the Australian Biodiversity site, but I do want to point out the major threats.

The main current threat to the Orange-bellied Parrot is the loss and fragmentation of its non-breeding saltmarsh habitat. Suitable habitat has been lost to the construction of farmland, industrial sites and saltworks (Ashby 1924b; Brown & Wilson 1982; Loyn et al. 1986; Menkhorst et al. 1990; Starks 1995b; Stephenson 1991; Yugovic 1984). The main factors contributing to the loss of Orange-bellied Parrot habitat are:

drainage of wetlands for grazing

alteration and destruction of saltmarsh for industrial and urban development

grazing of native vegetation

vegetation clearance for agricultural purposes

changes to land use practices

recreational activities (OBPRT 2006a).

Potential threats to the Orange-bellied Parrot population include loss of unknown breeding sites, competition from introduced species, predation, Psittacine Circoviral Disease (PCD), collision with structures, ingestion of toxic weeds and reduced availability of food due to the changed species composition at feeding sites (OBPRT 2006a).

Threat Abatement and Recovery

The current Recovery Plan includes the following objectives:

To monitor the population size, productivity, survival and life history of the Orange-bellied Parrot.

To identify all sites used by Orange-bellied Parrots and better understand migration.

To increase the carrying capacity of habitat by actively managing sites throughout the species’ range.

To identify, measure and ameliorate threats, particularly in migratory and winter habitats.

To increase the number of breeding sub-populations /groups.

To maintain a viable captive population.

How can you help?

Zoos Australia have a captive breeding program and you can help by virtually “adopting” an Orange-bellied Parrot.

Visit their website to learn more about this.

Orange-bellied Parrots are also represented on Facebook and I recommend you like these pages to keep up to date with what is happening with them.

Orange-bellied Parrot Project

Save the Orange-bellied Parrot

In spite of their rarity, it is still possible to see Orange-bellied Parrots in the wild at Melaleuca, Tasmania. In this post I show you how to get there on airline miles and organize a visit. They can also be seen in coastal Victoria while they spend the winter there but they are more spread out and more difficult to spot. I recommend making the trip to Tasmania to see them between January-early March when there are both adults and newly hatched babies around.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ORANGE-BELLIED PARROTS

VIDEO

Polytelis Media has a superb clip from their excellent series on Australian parrots on Youtube.

Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii)

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Tara

Spix’s Macaw

Believe me, there is nothing I would love more than to be able to post my usual map of where you can see the enigmatic Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) flying free in the wild and tell you how to get there. Unfortunately, they are extinct in the wild and the species survives only to this day due to a handful of conservation efforts. They had a very small range in the Brazilian state of Bahia near Curaca. This map show the rough idea of where they were last seen in the wild back in October, 2000.

A single survivor, the last of his species tried to pair with an Illiger’s Macaw out of loneliness. No one knows exactly what happened to him, whether he died of natural causes or was trapped and sold to the highest bidder. The heartbreaking story is told in the excellent book by Tony Juniper, “Spix’s Macaw, The Race To Save The World’s Rarest Bird”.

As of Nov 2012, there are around 93 Spix’s Macaws in the entire world, all in captivity. The majority are in the Al Wabra Wildlife Preserve (60). There are 7 in Loro Parque’s breeding centre in Tenerife, Spain, 7 in Germany and 5 in Brazil. The others are probably in private collections.

Opportunities to see a Spix’s Macaw in person are very limited. Unlike most conservation projects, Al Wabra is privately owned and financed by Sheikh Saoud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al Thani so they do not require fundraising via ecotourism. I was lucky enough to pay them a visit in April, 2009; but this was a rare privilege afforded to me through private contacts. Their website states:

Located on a 2.5 square kilometer large area close to the town of Al Shahaniyah in central Qatar. The farm is not open to the public.

The easiest way to see Spix’s Macaws is to attend the World Parrot Congress held every 4 years at Loro Parque, Tenerife, Spain. Delegates who join the Loro Parque Fundación are given a tour of La Vera and a chance to see the Spix’s Macaws along with other rare parrot species.

The next conference is scheduled for 22-25 Sept, 2014 and you better believe I have miles earmarked to get there! The exact details aren’t available yet but I will be blogging about it once they are. In the meanwhile, you have almost 2 years to collect enough miles to get yourselves from your home to Spain!

Last year, the animated feature film “Rio” was based on the plight of the highly endangered Spix’s Macaw and would make a great gift for anyone in the family!

Although at present, the only Spix’s Macaws are in captivity, there is hope yet that they may once again fly freely in Brazil, in the land of their ancestors. AWWP has purchased the Concordia Farm in Curaca, where the last wild Spix’s Macaw was seen in hopes of restoring the land and implementing a release program in the not-too-distant future!

Miles To The Wild

Create unforgettable eco-tourism and birding adventures using miles & points!

Category Archives: Parrots

List Of Parrots In Australia

Purple-naped Lory (Lorius domicella)