June 2022: Endangered baby parrots now in the wild

Your gifts helped protect nesting parrots and their young this spring!

CONSERVATION IN ACTION

Friends like you helped to spare thirty-nine baby parrots from poachers this spring. This was a record season for our yellow-naped Amazon conservation program in western Nicaragua since it began in 2007. Thank you!

The season started eight months ago with our ranger team climbing dozens of trees to remove invasive bees and clean out debris from the nests. Then, our team members, together with local farmers, began to look out for pairs of critically endangered yellow-naped Amazon parrots (Amazona auropalliata). Once a pair was spotted, the nests nearby were located, and protection efforts were begun.

Ten farmers entered nests found on their properties into our conservation incentive program. Farmers like Martha Barrera (featured in the photo below) earned income and helped this critically endangered species along its road to recovery. Three-quarters of the nests protected this season were thanks to this incentive program.

YOU helped people protect these critically endangered parrots by supporting community rangers and local farmers. These birds are known as 'forest engineers' because research has shown that these intelligent birds deliberately plant trees that will later provide food to their offspring. Without their presence, many tree species would likely decline. But you've given hope for the forests!

Two yellow-naped Amazon chicks waiting to be weighed and measured by rangers this past season

In less than two decades the yellow-naped Amazon parrot went from a species of "least concern" to the present day when it is categorized as "critically endangered" in Central America. When the species is disappearing from many forests across the region, your support is all the more critical. Your gifts for our nest protection program is helping to reverse the decline of the species and secure its future. Thank you.

Thank you for helping these beautiful parrots that help to seed trees!

TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Carlos Chevez grew up near a dry tropical forest area in southwestern Nicaragua. In 2011, he joined the Paso Pacifico team as a ranger monitoring the forest and spider monkey populations. Through the years, Carlos has assisted on many wildlife projects including surveys for bats, reptiles, and amphibians. His colleagues have remarked on his attention to detail when collecting data and his ability to learn new field techniques.

More recently, Carlos began to assist in the parrot program due to the high number of nests. As part of his job, he verifies parrot sightings from community members by climbing tall trees to see if a nest is occupied. He also installs artificial nests that provide parrots with extra support and protects them from poachers! This is physically demanding work, but Carlos does not flinch. When it's not parrot season, Carlos returns to his duties looking after the forest and other wildlife.

Carlos continues to reside near the forests that he protects. He and his wife are presently raising two young children under age eight. We are so happy to have Carlos on our team. Thank you for supporting him.

IN GRATITUDE

We are so deeply grateful to everyone who supported Sarah Otterstrom's 50th birthday campaign earlier this year. Together, you gifted $5,214 to save yellow-naped amazon parrots! Sarah was so touched by your donations and also very happy to watch your money be used to save endangered birds. Thank you!

The funds went directly towards paying farmers cash incentives to protect parrot nests at their properties. This successful program creates an extra source of income for people while also reducing the risk that poachers steal nests for the illegal pet trade.

Thank you for helping us protect parrot nests in 2022! We could not have had such a successful season without your support.

IN THE NEWS

On May 14, Paso Pacifico rangers kicked off the Global Big Day volunteer birding event at twenty-two locations across Nicaragua. A total of fifty people participated as bird observers or citizen scientists. From dusk to dawn, the volunteers counted and recorded the species they observed, with the Paso Pacifico team documenting a total of 233 species! To read more about the birds observed across Nicaragua that day, visit this eBird summary page.

In parallel to this birding event, we also celebrated World Migratory Bird Day with Junior Rangers in Nicaragua and youth in Eastern El Salvador. In El Salvador, this activity was possible thanks to the local nonprofit Mujeres en Naturaleza (MUNAT) and the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Children and teachers in Nicaragua were recognized for their active participation and were awarded a prize of binoculars for the program! We thank World Migratory Bird Day and Environment for the Americas for this honor.

We're inspired by the growing interest in birds and citizen science and are so thankful to the donors that have supported our birding events year after year.

Donate today!

PARTNERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE

We recently teamed up with Oriente Salvaje and WSL Pure to plant native trees and raise awareness about the Rio Chilama and the Punta Roca surf break. Our event was held in the lead-up to the Surf City El Salvador Pro competition. Thanks to this activity, we learned about the #WeAreOneOcean coalition which aims to promote the protection and restoration of coastal and marines habitats globally.

We are thrilled to join this important coalition alongside other organizations that are committed to raising awareness and protections for our oceans. Tune in to #WeAreOneOcean hashtags on social media to follow coalition efforts.

INSTAGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Thank you to all the photographers who contributed photos used in this e-newsletter. These include the group photo by World Surf League/Aaron Hughes, the Eastern Meadowlark taken by Oswaldo Saballos, and other photos taken by Paso Pacífico staff.