Improving Fledgling Recruitment and Habitat Quality for the Yellow-shouldered Parrot at Margarita island, Venezuela

Laurie Fajardo

Margarita Island is a threatened species hotspot. It is home to the yellow shouldered parrot, whose survival depends on active management interventions. In the absence of protection, 100% of monitored nests are regularly poached. Here, we propose to complement an innovative partial captive breeding technique tested recently, with an experimental artificial nests trial, dry forest restoration, environmental education, and creation of economic incentives for conservation through ecotourism. We aim to enhance parrot recruitment in the short-term, increase the availability of breeding habitat in the medium-term, and generate a long-term interest in parrot conservation that would result in the reduction of its extinction risk.