An eye on the Blue & Gold macaw, group monitors nests in Campo Grande

Staying on the nest. These macaws won’t budge to the researchers. (Photo: Simon Nogueira)One of the benefits of living in Campo Grande, Brazil, is witnessing blue & gold macaws flying unceremoniously across the city's sky. About 100 of these macaws live in the city of Campo Grande today. Their beauty is breath-taking and to see them and you just need a little bit of luck.

According to biologist and founder of the Arara Azul Institute, Neiva Guedes, the species is not at risk of extinction in Brazil, but the bird is no longer seen in Central America. "It used to live from southern Mexico to northern Argentina."

Baby blue & gold macaw weighing 93 gram. The "Urban Birds" project, part of Arara Azul, studies this macaw in the urban area of ​​Campo Grande, weekly monitoring 12 of the 20 known nests that exist in the city.

Goal for this year is to get a good grasp of the blue and gold macaw population size in the city. Estimates are that in the last couple of years 20 young macaws have fledged in Campo Grande.

This type of bird nests in trunks of dead trees, especially palms. "One way to help preserve these trunks is leaving them as they are and never cut them down," Neiva said.

The macaws breed in front of the CREA buildingAlthough the blue and yellow macaw is the a common species, Neiva explains, there has been little researches done on it. "To know a species it is necessary to study it."

Neiva already finished her investigation into the diet and pair behaviour of the macaws. The nesting phase of the blue and yellow macaw has also been studied and starts with laying eggs. After hatching it takes up to two and a half months for the young to fledge.

Blue and yellow macaws feeds on various fruits and nuts, and can live up to 30-40 years in the wild, much like the other macaw species. In captivity this may be even longer, explains Neiva.

Before urban development started these macaws lived naturally in this area, but with the arrival of man, the blue and gold macaws took refuge in other wild areas. Between 2000 and 2001 however they returned and where first seen in the city in a quest for food. Food shortages caused by a drought are seen as the main reason for their return.  

Neiva, the founder of the project, together with biologist Daphne from Belo Horizonte, take measurements of a blue and gold macaw chick.This return worried the biologist, as it is a sign that nature was no longer able to provide for these macaws. However, their ability to adapt to an urban environment is met with enthusiasm. "You’re truly witnessing the resilience of a bird species when it is able to adept to a different environment."

The Arara Azul Project was created in 1990 and apart from the blue and gold macaw, has had a 20 year involvement with hyacinth macaws in the Pantanal.

Biologist Neiva Guedes, founder of the project, says the hyacinth macaw occurs in both the Brazilian and Bolivian Pantanal, but used to occur in Paraguay as well. "But it has not been seen there for a long time now."

A different species then the Blue and Gold macaws, the Hyacinth macaws diet consists exclusively of two types of palm nuts; Bocaiuva (Acrocomia aculeate) and Acuri (Attalea phalerata). Hyacinth macaws are only seen where these palms occur.

Equally beautiful as the other two species, Green-winged Macaws also live in the state capital. The biologist estimates there are only 40-50 of these birds. Like Hyacinths, the Green-winged Macaws make their nest in rock cliffs and hollow trees.

Biology student Edson, carefully extracts the macaw chick from the nest.This morning, the Campo Grande News team joins the biologist as they collect data from two nests situated neatly in front of the CREA (Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy) building. With the help of volunteers, the project biologist take pictures and weigh the young macaws that are briefly taken out of the nest for this inspection.

When inspecting the nest biology student Edson, 22, stands on top of a ladder and carefully coerces the attending adult macaw to leave the nest. They usually return within a few hours.

The nest contains one baby of only a few weeks old weighing 93 grams, which is a bit underweight according to Neiva.

Surprisingly, at the second nest on the agenda the two attending macaws would not leave the nest and made it clear with their wing movements that they were to stay to defend their chicks.

Neiva says this reaction is rarely seen, it is the first time that happened. "They normally fly off to return later," said the biologist.

What followed was an unusual and tense scene with volunteer Edson at the top of a ladder trying to persuade two battle ready macaws to leave their nest.

Neiva’s daughter, Sofia, is just 10 years old, but already considers herself keen photographer and is a true lover of these animals.

Biologist Daphne Nardi, 30, who came especially from Belo Horizonte (MG) to work for the institute at the Pantanal is delighted with the show, "I had never seen anything like this. I arrived on Tuesday and I'm simply amazed by all this. "

Daphne will stay with the institute for a year and will study these and other macaws. Expectations run high. "I do not know where to look, they are so beautiful. The experience of seeing these birds is just overwhelming, "she added.

The joy that these macaws are is not for a happy few. If you keep you ears open for their distinctive calls and with a bit of luck you can regularly see these birds. Who would want to resist tilting their heads to the sky to marvel at their exuberant colours?