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Back to the Future…The Mighty Red-browed Amazon

by Karen McGovern

It’s that special time of year—the weather is getting warmer, the days longer and the aviary is alive with activity.

For the past 20 years, the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF) has been working with—among other species-- Amazona rhodocorytha, the red-browed Amazon parrot. Red-brows are endangered, listed as CITES Appendix I on 2 June 1970. For those of you unfamiliar with the species, red-brows are, simply put, beautiful birds. Large adults can reach up to 700g in weight—with flaming red feathers on their foreheads, blue and yellow cheeks and throat, and a bright green body. Native to eastern Brazil, fewer than 800 likely remain in the wild.

The red-brow fascinates and inspires me. Anyone who breeds any species of parrot can attest to the almost “addictive” quality of working with these amazing creatures. Parrots have captured the attention of humans for centuries. The red-brow is, for me, an enigma of a species. Unlike more common Amazons, the red-brow is shy, relatively quiet, and extremely difficult to breed in captivity. In fact, all the red-brows in the U.S. are derived from perhaps 15 wild caught birds brought into the country from 1975-1985, and many of these birds were “mistakenly” identified as festive and blue-cheek Amazons.

I love to cheer for an underdog and the red-brow is a perfect example. Rosemary Low herself believed the species doomed, writing in 1984:

"Were there as many as one dozen pairs in captivity there would be some spark of hope for the future of the Red-browed Amazon. Instead, there is none."

Well, don’t count the red-brow out yet—there is some good news to report. For many years now, RSCF has been focused on red-brow recovery with the ultimate goal of red-brow repatriation. That’s right—we hope to one day to help re-establish red brow populations in the wild, in Brazil. Beginning with eleven birds in 1982, our captive population now numbers 34 from three generations. As I write, there are two fertile eggs in the incubator and judging by the behavior in the aviary, more are on the way.

As I said, the species inspires me. The red-brow simply doesn’t want to give up. That being said, this blog posting isn’t about how to raise red-brows. I’m not going to list incubation techniques or nest-box designs. I wanted to talk about red-brows because to me, the species represents what the future of aviculture could be—a collective group working together to maintain and recover endangered avian species with the ultimate goal of supporting habitat protection and supplementing dwindling populations in situ. If this can be done with red-brows, the precedent will be set that aviculture can—and should be—much more than a consumer-driven hobby. There have been attempts to reintroduce parrot species before but unfortunately there are few shining success stories. The red-brow could change that.

I’ve spoken, blogged and written many times about the history and current status of aviculture. The past few years have been tough, to say the least. Private bird breeders have been dealt some serious blows to the industry and currently the trade in captive raised pet birds is on the decline. Economic woes, bad press, animal rights activism, tightened legislation in animal trade, and the threat of avian flu are but a few of the troubles dramatically affecting bird breeders all over the country. While this may sound like totally bad news, I see it as a fantastic opportunity. What better way to promote aviculture in a positive light than by working with scientific organizations to breed and repatriate endangered species? How about giving range states for endangered species real sovereignty over their wildlife, no matter where the animals live? Imagine the pride that comes with local communities seeing their own famously rare parrots rebound with the help of international friends and support.

You may ask, “isn’t all of that what zoos are supposed to do?” Good question, and the answer is usually “no”. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) is the governing body for all accredited zoological institutions in the United States. The mission of the AZA is primarily to educate the public. They also “Promote and facilitate collaborative conservation programs”, (http://www.aza.org). What this means is that many zoos and aquariums don’t have sufficient staff or money to independently implement conservation programs on their own—at least not substantially. Zoos know how to house and exhibit animals. When it comes to conservation programming, with few notable exceptions, zoos partner and fund those programs that bring them the best return for the dollar (i.e. more people through the gate).

Again, I see all of this as an opportunity. I would challenge aviculturists as an industry to begin a dialogue to come together as a unified force to support avian conservation programs in a structured, powerful and public way. The face of private aviculture, in my opinion, has to change. I’m not directing this to the folks out there with a few budgies or cockatiels—although they can certainly support conservation programs as well. I’m really directing this to those folks who have been breeding parrots for decades, who know that the future of many species can directly benefit from their expertise, and who also recognize that something has to be done now. Parrots are a perfect flagship species—one of those select few charismatic groups of animals that have a direct link to human influence and history. People love—and will support—saving parrots in the wild. Aviculturists have an opportunity here: take part in protecting and preserving the very animals that have paid the bills for so many years before they, and the aviculture industry, disappear forever.

If ever there was a need for a super-hero for parrot conservation and aviculture it’s now. Luckily, we just may have one in the mighty red-brow.

Author’s note: As of this writing, RSCF is hosting the organization’s first conference with representatives from Brazil to begin a collaborative program supporting the captive breeding of red-browed Amazon parrots in Brazil. For more information about this program contact .

Posted by Karen McGovern on 03/25 at 11:06 AM

Vacations, Yard Sales, and Other Thoughts

by Karen McGovern

Note: The thoughts and opinions expressed here belong to the author alone and do not neccessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of the World Parrot Trust.

Vacations are wonderful. A time to re-charge, refresh and “get away from it all”. I just returned from a short but delightful stay in Northern Michigan enjoying sunshine, good food, family, friends, and freshwater swimming. Coming from Florida, where I have lived for the past 15 years, the feeling of freshwater on my skin was a liquid-cool reminder of a childhood spent lakeside.

This vacation turned out to be an escape from more than just the pressures and challenges facing all of us in the conservation field. Little did I know that when I planned my trip many months ago, I would be away the very weekend that a major private collection of rare parrots would be offered for public auction.

The reasons I want to bring this topic up for consideration are both personal and professional. A well-known avian veterinarian and self-proclaimed parrot conservationist owns the aviary in question. Anyone working in the field of private aviculture in the U.S. (and abroad) probably knows this person, who is also my neighbor. We live less than three miles from one another. I worked with her at another privately owned parrot breeding facility—now long gone, birds also sold at auction years ago. I respect her skills—she is a phenomenal bird vet. She is a walking encyclopedia of avian medicine, and has always been kind and supportive of my interests. I remember her allowing me to watch her work on birds in her clinic, marveling at her steady hand and magical intuition with parrots. The organization I work for relies heavily on her veterinary skills, and I truly care for her as a person. That being said, I HATE that these birds ended up at auction. While I was sipping local wines in Michigan, animal rights activists were picketing along the road near our conservation facility in Loxahatchee. While I was splashing in crystal-clear Grand Traverse Bay, a collection of exotic animals (a phrase I ABHORE—the idea that living things can be “collected” like trading cards is personally offensive to me) was being dismantled and sold to the highest bidder. Sad? Yes. Tragic? Absolutely. Avoidable? I believe so.

My point is not to attack the people responsible, or to cause them injury or pain—no doubt they agonized over their decision. Rather, I write this as a parrot conservationist, examining this story as it illuminates a greater problem. Without going into all the details, which have been broadcast ad nauseum in bird chat-rooms and lists all over the ‘Net, the aviary owners were facing a crossroads in their personal lives which supposedly forced the decision to sell the collection (again—that horrible word) for cash. While I empathize with others' personal troubles, my first and only question is, “What does this have to do with anything?” If a zoo were to announce that it had decided to close and was going to sell off all the animals to anyone with the cash to purchase them, the public outcry would be deafening. Why should it be any different for anyone holding large groups of exotic animals in captivity?

To say that the regulations concerning the exotic pet trade are flawed is a ridiculous understatement. Offered at this auction were threatened and endangered parrots. Hyacinths, galahs, and even blue-headed macaw babies were sold like once-upon-a-time treasures at a yard sale. Once again, a group of exotic birds that were held and bred for personal profit (yet were also claimed to be part of conservation breeding efforts) were scattered to the wind as if they never existed in the first place. Private aviculturists rally and protest that they are demonized in the press, that they are misunderstood stewards of parrot preservation and conservation. Yet, here we have one of their well-known icons dumping birds for the highest dollar—just like all the rest. Is any of the money raised going to support parrot conservation efforts in the field? No. Have any private aviculturists ever banded together to contribute portions of their sales to conservation programming? Yes, but so few it’s almost meaningless. This is just another example of what’s wrong with the regulatory system, and a fine example of why private individuals shouldn’t be allowed to have personal ownership of large collections of exotic animals.

In the years that I have worked as a wildlife conservationist, I have seen over and over the private accumulation and casual dismantling of exotic animal collections. The Avicultural Breeding and Research Center (ABRC) was my first eye-opener. This facility was a prototype parrot-breeding center—first class, state-of-the-art. Richard Schubot amassed a collection of parrots that included the absolute crème-de-la-crème—palm cockatoos, red and white-tailed black cockatoos, gang-gangs, galahs, red-front macaws, hyacinths, buffons—you name it, he had it. The veterinary facility was on-site, and most of the staff lived on-site as well. 24/7 we churned out 800-1000 babies a year, and sold them all into the pet trade. Upon his death his son closed the place, fired the staff and sold the entire collection for cash.

The Peace River Refuge in Arcadia, FL is another example of a wealthy individual throwing around huge amounts of cash to get exotic, rare, and endangered animals for no other reason than ego and whim. This facility amassed a mind-boggling collection of rare hoofstock—rhinos, pygmy hippos, bongo antelope, red river hogs, anoa, tapir, okapi—the list goes on and on. The owner of this facility even fooled the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. Zoo around the country sold, and even gifted, their surplus animals to Peace River—all on promises from a billionaire who could afford to throw around enough money to turn heads and get what he wanted. Of course the facility is now gone to a housing development, the animals scattered. All of this brings me back to my point—private individuals should not be allowed to personally own large collections of exotic animals.

WPT has been a strong voice for parrot conservation. The campaign to stop the importation of wild parrots is a shining example of how to bring about change using science, fact, and common sense. We must go further. Saving parrots in the wild is directly linked to parrots in captivity. The pet trade has a direct influence on conservation programming and fundraising. As long as rare parrots in captivity are considered personal property, public opinion will reflect this. As long as rare parrots can legally be bought and sold as commodities, with little or no regard to their conservation or welfare, wildlife will suffer. As long as exotic animals of any kind are kept as pets the ethical link between these animals and those in the wild will be lost. Regulations must change. Tougher restrictions must be imposed, and soon. Wildlife management and law enforcement agencies need to be better run and funded. Most importantly, private aviculture must change—aviculturists must be held accountable for the animals they keep and dispose of. Those within the private sector that have the experience and credentials to be termed “expert” should, at the very least, be held to a higher standard—be exemplary role models for the rest of the community, and have the courage to speak out, especially about events like this auction. Where is the voice advocating change? Why didn’t this become a cause celeb within the private aviculture community? Why was auction the only recourse for these birds? In the end, this sad event did nothing but give the press, animal rights activists, and the science community further proof that private aviculture does nothing to support wildlife conservation or animal welfare, even within their own community. These birds deserved better and everyone associated with the sale knows it. To anyone out there breeding rare birds in captivity—please don’t forget or choose to ignore this incident. To do that would be equivalent to declaring that the lives of these birds have no meaning—that they are nothing more than objects for personal amusement. I’d like to think that any of us, even on our worst day, would find the pain of that insufferable. We have to do better.

Now, I need a vacation.

Note: While I was away I received word of Mike Reynolds passing. I never had the pleasure or privilege of meeting him, but I am, and will remain, a huge admirer of his courage, fortitude, and perseverance. Mike’s energy and dedication to parrot conservation will remain legendary and he will be greatly missed. Fly free, Mike.

Posted by Karen McGovern on 06/20 at 05:37 AM

Parrotphenalia

by Karen McGovern

It's 3:00 am, and I'm feeding one of the rarest Amazon parrots in the world. He's tiny, nearly naked and could rest comfortably in the bowl of a teaspoon. Perhaps it's the lack of sleep on my part from feeding these newborn creatures every 90 minutes around the clock that causes me to ponder the question, "What the heck am I doing?"

I am a conservation biologist specializing in rare parrots. Really rare parrots -- like almost extinct rare. So, here I am -- up at 3:00, trying to get what looks like pancake batter in the mouth of a creature who's head is smaller than the tip of my pinkie finger. Again, what the heck am I doing -- and how did I get here?

I'm crazy about parrots. Certifiably. From the first time a parrot looked into my eyes and regurgitated all over my hand (a scarlet macaw to be exact), I was hooked. That's part of why I do this, but how I got here is another story. For the past 10 years, I have been the curator of a wildlife conservation organization specializing in psittacine ecology as it relates to natural resource management. In other words, we preserve habitat around the world by drawing attention to the endangered parrots that live there. Oh, and by the way, this actually works.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush -- really?
I can't help but wonder -- what is it about parrots that we humans find so fascinating to the point of obsession? I would submit that with few exceptions, no other wild animal has captivated human beings with such intensity. History has proven this -- parrots have been traded, gifted, bought, sold, and collected since the moment humans figured out how to travel to get them. The Queen of Bavaria's Conure of Brazil got its name simply because it was a gift for -- you guessed it -- the Queen of Bavaria. We know this brilliant yellow bird as the golden conure now, and it is still a highly sought after acquisition for any parrot collection. This is but one example among thousands of how parrots have been an imbedded part of human history.

Parrots are incredibly beautiful, amazingly intelligent, and draw us like moths to flame. The idea that humans collect parrots and term it that way is itself an interesting phenomenon. No one would refer to his or her neighbor's dogs, cats, horses, rats, etc. as a "collection". Collection infers acquiring a complete set of something -- which when you think about it in reference to a living thing is actually pretty creepy. Not only do people love and own parrots -- they strive to own all of them -- or at least all of a certain species or family. The rarer the better, too -- like a fine Monet or Renoir. You could almost say we love them -- to death. Like the Carolina parakeet -- a parrot species eradicated for the wont of ladies hats.

"God loved birds and invented trees. Man loved birds and invented cages."
So, fast forward from 1492 when Columbus traveled the globe filling his ships with anything he thought remotely interesting, including a pair of Cuban amazons, to take back home for his Queen Isabella. Here we are, in 2006, and I could now inundate you with statistics, graphs, and perhaps even a chart or two illustrating the sorry state of remaining populations of wild parrots -- wild places -- left on this planet. That would make this article scientific. Well, in my opinion, I'd rather not waste time with material no one really wants to read and just get to the point. If we as a people love and revere parrots so much, why are we watching as they disappear from the wild and their habitat is destroyed? Why are we not doing more to protect and preserve them? When did we loose the connection between "Charlie", our pet parrot of whatever species living in a cage in the kitchen, and his wild counterparts struggling to survive? What are we -- what are you, going to do about it?

Dr. Paul Reillo, Director of the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, said that anyone keeping rare and endangered parrots in captivity without seeing these animals free in the wild cannot say that they have a true understanding of the species they keep. I agree. I think parrots in captivity have become too commonplace, and we have lost the connection to parrots in the wild, and therefore lost the incentive to protect them.

So, we're back to me sitting bleary eyed in the middle of the night carefully syringe feeding a naked blob of pink flesh, and I'm angry. I shouldn't have to do this -- no one should. This tiny creature, this little 16-gram wiggling life force should not have to depend on me, or anyone else to ensure its entire species' survival, and yet here we are. It's estimated that less than 900 of this particular parrot remain in the wild. Yet they, and other critically endangered parrots, are still bought and sold, legally and illegally, every day for countless dollars that should be spent keeping them where they belong -- in the forest. I'd name the species I'm currently describing, but a conservation organization specializing in highly sought after rare parrots has to be careful -- parrot theft is a common occurrence in my neck of the woods. Some folks will do just about anything to acquire a rare parrot. So not only do I have to go to extremes to simply keep these creatures alive, I can't even tell anyone about it in any detail. And they say the field of conservation is glamorous... excuse while I wash baby parrot poop off my hands.

Keep those cards and letters coming...
This is what I want to discuss with you over the course of this blog. I hope to begin a conversation about the critical issues facing the field of wildlife conservation, and what we can all do to bring about much-needed change and action. I will be inviting folks who work at this every day to participate and share their perspectives, and we'll get a glimpse into the daily lives of these on-the-ground field workers and scientists who do what no one else will -- whatever it takes to get the job done.

Some names you will recognize, some you won't, but all are working tirelessly to protect what remains of nature. Like long-time parrot conservationist and "environmental cowboy" Dr. Charlie Munn, who gave us the wonderful statistic that if we save the top 50 endangered parrot species we'll also save over 500 million acres of rainforest; and WPT director, Dr. Jamie Gilardi, who invited me to join this blog, hopefully because he realizes that the voice of conservation needs to be much more active. I'm also anxious to introduce you to Stephen Durand, a forestry worker on the Caribbean island of Dominica. He's been in the forest striving to protect his national bird, the Imperial Amazon, for the past 25 years. We'll also hear from private aviculturists -- a group whose perspective should to be heard, addressed, and integrated into this discussion of parrot preservation and wildlife conservation.

I'd love to go on, but I have to get back to feeding these babies. Ninety minutes has flown by and we're all hungry and exhausted. Before I go, I'd like to leave you with my favorite quote by Dale Jamieson, from Ethics on the Ark. The moment I read it I knew it would become my own battle cry -- my manifesto, so to speak. When I'm feeling really rotten, tired, and completely overwhelmed by what seems to be a continually losing battle, I read this. I live this:

"One hope that I have for the future is that we will recognize that if we keep animals in captivity, then what we owe them is everything. I hope we can come to the consensus that these animals are in our custody through no wish or fault of their own. They are refugees from a holocaust that humans have unleashed against nature. If we are to keep animals in captivity then we must conform to the highest standards of treatment and respect -- for these animals themselves have no voice in human affairs, and as nature recedes their voices are ever more silent."

Until next time...
I could say I hope to inspire readers here. I could use words like "empower" and "environmental stewardship". Personally, I think we're way beyond that. Let's just get mad and get to work to solve some of these problems. We have the tools, and manpower. What we lack is enough resources. I've got some ideas about that -- like placing a "conservation surcharge" on parrots and related supplies sold in pet shops, to be directed toward in situ conservation programs. I'd like to hear what other conservationists and interested parties suggest as well. There are some brilliant and dedicated individuals out there -- let's get together and shake things up. Give me a couple weeks though -- when I'm getting more than an hour and a half of sleep at a time, okay? In the meantime, to quote the well-known conversationalist Linda Richman, please -- talk among yourselves.

Posted by Karen McGovern on 10/09 at 05:43 PM

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