By Colum Muccio | Development Director
COLORES PROGRESS REPORT
January 2024
Guatemala is one of the countries in the world with the greatest diversity in flora and fauna due to its strategic position as a bridge between North and South America. But this biodiversity is being threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal trafficking. One of the most threatened wildlife species in the country is the yellow-naped parrot (Amazona auropalliata), a species subject to habitat loss due to the expansion of industrial agriculture and a species valued by parrot traffickers and consumers for its high capacity to imitate the human voice and other sounds. COLORES began its work to conserve this charismatic parrot in 2010, focusing on the southwest sector of the Pacific coast of Guatemala.
Due to the ecological, cultural and economic complexities of the country, within its limited budget, COLORES attempts to address different issues related to scientific research, population monitoring, veterinary medicine, natural resource and protected areas management, taking into consideration issues that affect wildlife and local communities.
The yellow-naped parrot is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In Guatemala it is reaching alarmingly low numbers. A WCS/DOS-INL funded case study estimated that fewer than 400-500 individuals remain in the wild (Joyner, Muccio, 2019).
COLORES carries out nest protection and monitoring in the following hotspots where the largest numbers of parrots are concentrated:
• Los Tarrales Reserve, Patulul, Suchitepéquez - https://es.tarralesreserve.com/
• Las Marías Farm, Patulul, Suchitepéquez
• Farm and Private Reserve María del Mar, Chicacao, Suchitepéquez
• El Patrocinio Farm and Private Reserve, San Luis, Retalhuleu –
https://reservapatrocinio.com/
• Tak'alik A'baj Archaeological Site, El Asintal, Retalhuleu - https://mcd.gob.gt/takalik-abaj/
• Las Margaritas Farm, San Francisco Zapotitlán, Suchitepéquez
• San Carlos Farm, San Francisco Zapotitlán, Suchitepéquez
• La Gracia Farm and Lost Tinamou Reserve - https://www.lostinamou.com/, Santa Lucía
Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla
• Serranía Private Farm, Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango
• Las Margaritas Private Estate, El Asintal; Retalhuleu
• Parque Hostales del IRTRA – www.irtra.org.gt/hostales
COLORES is an effort of a variety of actors, with a tight budget, depending on the voluntary support of farms, companies, donors, and communities. Our many thanks to all those who have donated to COLORES via our GlobalGiving campaign.
2023 ACTIVITIES
During the December – May breeding season our field coordinator Manuel Galindo worked with local volunteer data collectors to identify and monitor nests and detect and control threats faced by the yellow-naped parrot, maintaining the personal friendships with farm employees and owners needed to effectively share information and findings. This is a day-to-day task that involves a lot of work and a certain amount of risk, being exposed to poachers and traffickers.
In this 2023 breeding season, it was possible to integrate new work sites such as Finca El Manantial in Taxisco, Santa Rosa and the IRTRA theme parks (where we had a successful nest).
PARROT COUNTS
In June, formal parrot counts were conducted at each hotspot. These counts were taken during the last 2 hours of the afternoon to record the populations at each site, collecting the following data: time, species, number of individuals in each flock (adults and juveniles), and direction of flight.
One way to determine how many nests are successful is to see how many fledglings are flying with their parents during our annual counts. We can estimate the number of fledglings by their lack of yellow plumage, and by assuming that a group of 3 consists of 2 parents and 1 fledgling, a group of 4 is 2 parents and 2 fledglings, and a group of 5 is 2 parents and 3 fledglings. We then determine what percentage of the total flock consists of fledglings. The higher this percentage, the higher the success of nests in terms of fledgling output and recruitment into the general population of new birds. Figure 3 shows these percentages.
NEW MEMBERS AND POSSIBLE ALLIANCES
In 2022 - 2023, rapprochements were achieved with different institutions with the purpose of establishing alliances to expand the COLORES consortium and efforts to conserve the yellow-naped amazon.
GUATEMÁGICA: is a group of tourist destinations in the Retalhuleu area that seeks to work with businesses and local actors to promote tourism and territorial development. COLORES is promoting the use of the yellow-naped parrot as GUATEMÁGICA’s flagship bird since it is emblematic of the area and in need of support for its conservation. In 2023, COLORES was able to participate in a roundtable and present its ideas for collaboration.
IRTRA: Located in Retalhuleu, the Recreation Institute for Private Company Workers - IRTRA - is one of the largest and most prestigious touristic destinations in Guatemala. COLORES staff met with the general administrator, Mr. Rafael Anleu, to present its work and a proposal for collaboration, after which a letter of agreement was signed. Manuel Galindo prepared an inventory of birds that inhabit the park, and IRTRA is assisting with tree climbers to inspect parrot nests.
FINCA EL MANANTIAL: Located in Taxisco, Santa Rosa, this farm intends to become an agro/touristic site. COLORES staff conducted a site visit, meeting with communities leaders and carrying out a parrot count.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
In June, COLORES staff visited schools within the farms or reserves where the project carries out activities. Environmental education activities were given to the teachers and children using our teaching guide and coloring books (https://arcasguatemala.org/who-we-are/arcas-publications/). These types of educational activities are very important because most of these children are the children of farm workers who remain in the field and are closer to the areas where the nests are located, and better transmit information on the current problems of parrots in the field.
Also in June, we visited the schools of Asintal mentioned above, taking into consideration that many students and teachers are relatives of people who live near or on the farms surrounding the Takalik Abaj archeological site.
In order to reach more people with a more concise document, we produced a pamphlet to inform farm workers and community residents about the current situation of parrots in Guatemala, a description of COLORES, conservation actions that can be taken and how to file a complaint with the authorities. This brochure is the preamble to a Conservation Guide for Parrots that will be presented in the near future.
For a full report of COLORES 2023 activities, contact us at cmuccio@arcasguatemala.org
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