Use of artificial nests by Scarlet macaws (Ara macao) in Los Tuxtlas region, Veracruz

Abstract

Artificial nests are a potentially useful tool for the recovery of wild populations, but their reception by psittacines has been variable. In 2014, the reintroduction of the Scarlet Macaw, an endangered species, began in Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Currently 120 free-living macaws form the new wild population. In the present study, we explored the placement of artificial nest-boxes as nesting sites for this reintroduced population. We placed 17 nest-boxes of different materials, covered with various additives to avoid competition with bees. The boxes were monitored for a total of 1,496 hours over 11 months. Macaws were constantly present at six nest boxes, two of which contained long pieces of chipped wood and small pectoral feathers. In another box a macaw egg was laid accompanied by pectoral feathers. Two of the boxes were not accessible to macaws due to the invasion and establishment of bee (Apis mellifera) hives, and another was visited by a predator (Potos flavus). Nest-boxes visited by macaws were installed in trees of the species Ficus insipida and Sapium lateriflorum at an average height of 20 m, with a free peripheral view of 71.7% visibility in occupied nests. There were no marked differences in occupation of nest-boxes based on the treatment used against bees, and the material used for nest-boxes. Peripheral visibility, nest-box connectivity, and nest-box height above the ground may be important factors for nest-box visitation by the Scarlet Macaw, as this may provide advantages for vigilance against the access of potential predators to the nest. Additional boxes and nesting seasons are need to expand our dataset as our results were not statistically significant.