{"id":2283,"date":"2018-05-27T05:10:34","date_gmt":"2018-05-27T05:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/afabirds.org\/2018_WordPress\/?p=2283"},"modified":"2024-09-18T19:57:40","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T19:57:40","slug":"conservation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/afabirds.org\/2018_WordPress\/conservation\/","title":{"rendered":"Conservation"},"content":{"rendered":"

AFA Conservation 2024-2025<\/h1>\n

The AFA has partnered with Harrison’s Bird Foods to assist wild parrot conservation projects taking place in the native habitats. To apply for a small grant, send project information and funding requests to: AFAoffice@AFAbirds.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Thank you for Harrison’s Bird Foods for their support and generosity. \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Be sure to support our Conservation Partners. Click the logo to shop at Harrisonsbirdfoods.com<\/p>\n

Representatives of Harrison’s Bird Foods present AFA CFO Janice Lang with a check for $25,000. \"\"<\/p>\n

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Become an AFA Conservation Partner<\/h2>\n

You will be recognized in the AFA Watchbird Journal and on the AFA website in our Conservation site pages. Interested persons or organizations should contact Rick Jordan by email at\u00a0<\/span>AFAOffice@AFABirds.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Current Projects:\u00a0<\/span>
\n(Partial funding and support contributed by the members of the American Federation of Aviculture, Inc.)<\/h2>\n

The AFA continues to seek out important research, conservation, or field biology projects that may benefit from our financial assistance. The AFA Conservation committee reviews inquiries or applications each year and decides on the projects that are a good fit with the \u201cmission\u201d of the American Federation of Aviculture, Inc.<\/p>\n

Below is a list of links to information about current AFA Conservation\u00a0<\/span>projects .\u00a0<\/span>Please take a minute to familiarize yourself with these projects and their goals, and please donate to the AFA so that we can assist these projects and others this year. If you have information on a project that may benefit from AFA’s assistance, please visit our pages explaining How to Submit a Conservation Grant Proposal<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Grant Proposal Submission Form<\/a>, and then contact Rick<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jordan by email at\u00a0<\/span>AFAOffice@AFABirds.org<\/a>, or write to The American Federation of Aviculture, Inc. P.O. Box 91717, Austin, TX 78709.<\/p>\n

Chajul Biology Station, Natura Mexicana, Chajul, Mexico<\/strong>. The official 2019 AFA Conservation Project has been working to save wild scarlet macaws in the Lacandon rain forest of southern Mexico. Due to poaching for the local and international trade, nest production of wild scarlet macaws in this area is near a zero percent fledgling rate without intervention. Biologists at the Chajul station monitor wild nests, identify hatchlings, or rear and release wild-hatched scarlet macaws back into the forest. The program is experiencing very high success rates and has “fledged” over 150 scarlet macaws back into the wild. The station biologists need equipment such as brooders, incubators, portable incubators, gram scales, and various medical supplies. The goal for the 2024 fund raising season is $5000 to assist this project to procure the needed equipment and supplies.<\/p>\n

Selva Maya Living Landscape Program, Wildlife Conservation Society-Scarlet Macaw Chick Survivability Research-Guatemala<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Since 2002, the WCS has been working to further the understanding of the conservation status and to address key threats to scarlet macaws and their habitat in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. In recent years, they have implemented a mix of threat-based interventions and direct population enhancements to increase population recruitment through new experimental interventions designed to increase chick survival. Scarlet macaws remain one of the top five landscape species of WCS\u2019s Selva Maya Living Landscape Program.<\/p>\n

Prevention protocol to protect parrot nest boxes from colonization by Africanized honey bees,\u00a0<\/span>
\nPrinciple Investigator: Caroline A. Efstathion<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>
\nFrom Abstract: We have developed a preventive method, called push-pull that repels home seeking scout bees from parrot boxes with a\u00a0<\/span>bird safe\u00a0<\/span>insecticide, permethrin, and simultaneously draws them to\u00a0<\/span>pheromone baited\u00a0<\/span>traps. Providing additional sites for bees to nest that\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>more attractive to their needs (small entrance opening, bottom entrance\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>south facing entrance) than bird nest boxes, along with the attracting pheromone\u00a0<\/span>nasonov, bees are more likely to choose these boxes as homes over bird nest boxes. So far we have worked with several locations to address this problem (primarily with psittacines) using whatever donations we can obtain. Since we will be writing papers explaining our successes and describing our protocols, we anticipate eventually our method will become well known and others will begin to apply it without needing our assistance. Until then, we need to find funds for our anti-bee invasion projects.<\/p>\n

Investigation of Wild Parrot complete blood counts and causes of death in the Tambopata Region, Peru\u00a0<\/span>
\nPrinciple Investigators: J. Jill Heatley, Lizzie Ortiz-cam, Donald Brightsmith\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>
\nFrom Abstract: Electrolytes, venous blood gases, lactate and ionized calcium are determined bird-side in the field with an i-STAT analyzer. These data will provide invaluable physiologic baseline data for the growing nestling macaw and the adult free-flighted parrot. Simultaneously, birds are evaluated for health via complete blood count and differential white blood cell determination and examined for external and internal parasites. As in other areas, the overlay of basic biological data (age, gender, mortality, growth rate) provided by biologists at this site should information directly applicable for use in the avian veterinary practice while also provided guidelines for conservation biologists in assessing parrot population and individual health. Additionally, the reasons for clay lick use still remain theoretical. The possibility that birds visit clay licks for necessary electrolytes is one theory which may be investigated though serum electrolytes determinations when data such as crop contents, bird age\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>reproductive status are considered together. Results may be useful in formulating appropriate rations for companion avian species. We are in need of funding for a dedicated student worker trained for determination of white blood cell counts from the slides which have already been transported from Tambopata. We have over 100 samples in which to count the differential. Electrolytes and venous blood gases have already been determined.<\/p>\n

Lear\u2019s Macaw Corn Subsidy Program<\/a><\/u><\/strong>: Working with partners to supply farms in Brazil with corn that are losing crops to the wild Lear\u2019s macaws.<\/p>\n

Tambopata Macaw Project<\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>Assisting in the funding to collect nutritional, nesting,\u00a0<\/span>behavioural\u00a0<\/span>and general ecology data on macaws in the Tambopata preserve, Tambopata, Peru.<\/p>\n

AFA Conservation
\nPast Projects<\/h1>\n

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AFA has a long history of funding medical and husbandry research, including psittacine conservation projects designed to better manage and save endangered species in the wild. AFA promotes population management and cooperative breeding programs to ensure the long-term survival, health and genetic diversity of parrots and other birds in captivity.<\/p>\n

Recent grants include:<\/p>\n