The use of tree cavities and cliffs by the Military Macaw ( Ara militaris ) in Salazares Nayarit, Mexico

Abstract

We recorded a population of Military Macaws in the community of Salazares, Nayarit, Mexico. The observations were made in 2 sites, the Pilas and Mirador del Aguila; both sites have vegetation of tropical semi-deciduous forest with trees of 8-28 m high with a diameter at breast height greater to 40 cm. The objective of this study was to describe the activities of the Military Macaw, as well as the use of the cavities presents at cliff and trees. For 5 years of non-continuous counts, we recorded 43.5 ± 2.6 individual encounters; most records were made in the morning. Reproductive activity was also observed in the tree cavities (n = 1), and in the cliff ones (n = 1). Nine cavities were also recorded that served for roosting. This species record is important because it provides information about the existence of a breeding population in central Nayarit. We suggest working with the community and encourage efforts to make the zone a natural protected area.

El habillo (Hura polyandra) en la dieta de la guacamaya verde (Ara militaris)

“…Sin embargo, las aves que consumen alimentos secos como las semillas, experimentan una necesidad más grande para cubrir sus requerimientos de agua (Gill 1994), por lo que con base en nuestros resultados, consideramos que en el bosque tropical subcaducifolio de la vertiente del Pacífico, el habillo le proporciona a la guacamaya verde un importante aporte de agua, como también sucede en la región semiseca de Cuicatlán con las semillas del cacalosúchil (Contreras-González et al 2009). Además en el sitio de estudio donde la temperatura tiene un rango de los 24 a los 43°C (Rivera-Ortíz et al 2016), los nutrientes que contienen las semillas de habillo también pueden tener un papel relevante respecto a la producción de agua metabólica. El metabolismo de 1 gr de grasa produce 38.5 kilojouls de energía más 1.1 gr de agua, mientras que el metabolismo de 1 gr de carbohidratos o proteína produce aproximadamente 0.6 y 0.4 gr de agua respectivamente (Gill 1994), así la guacamaya verde puede cubrir, en parte, sus requerimientos de agua.…”

Assessing spatial dispersion, abundance, and conservation perspectives of Military MacawAra militarispopulations in Mexico

“…Counts were initiated at sunrise and lasted for three hours. The sites presented good visibility and were adjacent to nesting, roosting, foraging, and/or regular flight routes, detection distances ranged from 300 to 400 m (Bonilla-Ruz et al 2007a, Rivera-Ortíz et al 2008, 2016, Jiménez-Arcos et al 2012, Bonilla-Ruz et al 2014). Time, date, weather, number of individuals, and activity such as perching, courtship, flying, feeding, were recorded for each sighting (Marsden 1999, Bibby et al 2000, Snyder et al 2000).…”

An important new record of Military Macaw, Ara militaris (Linnaeus, 1766) (Psittacidae), in Santo Domingo Narro, Oaxaca, Mexico

“…New locations of the Military Macaw in Mexico started being reported in 2000 and as of 2016, populations have been sighted at resting and reproduction sites La Sierrita (Sonora); Nuestra Señora del Mineral (Sinaloa); El Mirador del Águila and Las Pilas (Nayarit); El Tuito, El Refugio, and Bahia Balderas (Jalisco); Papalutla and Xixila (Guerrero); Santa Maria de Cocos and Sótano el Barro (Queretaro); Atarjea (Guanajuato); El Cielo (Tamaulipas); and Cañada Los Cocos, Achichipilco (Puebla) (Gaucin 2000;Hernández-Castan et al 2012;Jimenez-Arcos et al 2012;Rivera-Ortiz et al 2013;Ramirez-Albores 2016;Rivera-Ortiz et al 2016).…”