New breeding boxes for endangered parrots

From left: Ryan Cafferky, Chris Monks, Rhys Spooner, Martin Spooner, Wynand Espach and Jack Keyzar. Hanging from the tree are, David Wiles, left and Drew Bristow, right. Image by Letaba Herald

Amorentia Estate has been testing different kinds of artificial parrot breeding boxes for the last few years to see if they can get the highly endangered Cape Parrot to breed in the Politsi Valley near Tzaneen in Limpopo.

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Rehabilitated Cape parrot thriving

Red visiting a suburban birdbath. Image by Rodnick BiljonHappy news for Cape parrot fans is that “Red”, a wild-born female Cape parrot rehabilitated from a deadly viral infection and released back into the wild in 2011 has been seen on several occasions visiting a suburban birdbath, apparently healthy and living the life.
cape parrot

The female Cape parrot (Poicephalus robustus) was one of four handed over to me in May 2011. All four were severely malnourished and suffering from the deadly Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD). My wife and I (plus a few willing helpers) nurtured the four parrots for six intense months before releasing them back into their native range in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province.
cape-parrots

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Environment Concern: Save Trees to Save Parrots

Cape parrot feeding. Image by Rodnick Clifton BiljonThe most beautiful and celebrated parrots, the South African Cape parrots are becoming the endangered species like many other creatures. Their numbers are reducing so fast that scientists concern in future they’ll be just stories, once lived on this earthen world. The Cape Gold parrots enlightened many forests, specially “Yellowwood” forests are dying without proper food or proper reproduction. The human society is flourishing at alarming rate influencing normal habitat of many creatures along with birds. Scientists say, we need to save trees to save these parrots.

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Keeping tabs on SA's rare parrots

The Cape Parrot, with its characteristic loud squawk, relies mainly on yellowwood forest patches for food and shelter. It has a strong beak to crack open nuts and seeds. Almost all of the Cape parrots in King William's Town congregate every morning at this specific bird bath. Notice their poor condition due to the ravages of beak and feather disease and malnutrition. Image by Rodnick BiljonAfter huddling in the cold and mist during a two-day vigil, a band of dedicated bird-watching volunteers has tracked down almost 1 200 of SA’s rarest parrots.

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Saving the Cape parrot

Cape Parrots are under threat from poachers, loss of habitat, and parrot beak and feather disease. Photo: Steve BurtonA COMMUNITY project in a mountain village is helping to create jobs at the same time as protecting a rare forest bird. The R1.6-million Cata Eco-Tourism Development Project was established through an agreement between the EU and the office of the premier in the Eastern Cape, to help the people of Cata, a village near Keiskammehoek, at the foot of the Amatola Mountains.

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