Conserving the Bahama Amazon

Since 1985, I have been studying the breeding biology of this subspecies and its current status in the wild. Although my research efforts have largely concentrated on the Abaco [pronounced A-bah-ko] population, I made two brief trips to Inagua in 1989. The overall objective of this project has been to develop a sound biological understanding upon which an effective conservation program can be based.

The Abaco population is found in the Caribbean pine and mixed broadleaf coppice (native, evergreen hardwood) in areas of southern Abaco from a well defined minimum of 860 to 1142 parrots actually counted, to a less well defined maximum of 1,300.

Unlike the Inagua population and other subspecies which nest in tree cavities, these nest in limetone-solution cavities beneath the ground. The Abaco population of the Bahama parrot is the only New World parrot that nests in subterranean rock cavities. In the 70 nests which we found, nest depth ranged from 39.2 to 32.3 cm. and the mean nest depth was 124.2 + 55.4 cm. Many of these nests have internal ledges or rocky overhangs to protect and conceal the eggs within.

A clutch of 2-4 eggs is laid in late May, early June. Eggs hatch asynchronously, approximately 26-28 days after the female begins incubation. During the years 1985-87, the mean clutch size at hatching was 3.47, but the mean number that hatched per nest was 1.74, a 46- failure rate.

The cause of this poor reproductive performance was increased nest predation by feral [wild] cats, at least for 14 nests (45-). The nesting female was injured in two (14-) and killed in seven (50-) of the 14 known attacks. Prior to 1988, I had observed but four attacks. The eggs and chicks are sometimes eaten by large land crabs or snakes, or nests are flooded.

Bahamaensis mate for life. While the female sits on eggs, the male visits the nest 4-6 times a day to feed the female. Should the male die or abandon the female, she would be unable to raise the chicks alone and would probably desert the nest. Parents return to the nest 5-7 times a day to feed youngsters, spending considerable time in the area to watch and protect it. While the adults are in the nest, they preen the head, cheek and neck feathers of their mates.

Conservation efforts are being undertaken by the Bahama Ministry of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, the Dept. of Lands and Surveys, and the Bahamas National Trust. Citizenry are asked to report illegal parrot-taking and asked not to disturb the parrots in the spring and summer nesting periods. I have worked on a Bahama Parrot conservation awareness program for Abaco with Jill Weech of the Forestry Section who in 1989 started an environmental education program in the primary schools of Abaco. In these grass roots efforts, we give public lectures, show a video on the parrot, and distribute pamphlets, some published by the Friends of the Abaco Parrot. The Abaco Chapter of the Bahamas National Trust has assisted us in this and other conservation efforts. [Ed: the coloring book is now in distribution.]

Eating Seeds From Unripe Pine Cones

Throughout the nesting cycle, Bahama Parrots feed opportunistically on fruits of native shrubs. I observed parrots feeding on at least 13 plant species. Staples in their diet are seeds extracted from unripe cones of Caribbean pine and the fruits of poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum), pigeon berry (Duranta repens), wild guave (Tetrazygia bicolor) and gumbo- limbo (Bursera simaruba).

The Bahama Amazon nests in trees on Inagua. It is thought that the Abaco Bahama Amazon has adapted to ground nesting because Abaco's trees have few holes.

A Plan for Survival

A multi-faceted approach is necessary if progress is to be made in addressing the threats to the Bahama Parrot and implementing its recovery. Unless a long-term conservation management plan for this parrot is implemented now, the survival of the Bahama Parrot is questionable. Too often, conservation efforts begin only when populations have declined to such low levels that they may no longer be genetically or ecologically viable.

1. The Forestry Section and the Dept. of Agriculture should formally commit themselves to the conservation and recovery of both extant Bahama Parrot populations in the wild. Since the Forestry Section manages Crown lands (parrot habitat) and Dept. of Agriculture is responsible for conservation and the enforcement of wildlife laws, a cooperative effort between these agencies will be required to insure the long-term stability of parrot populations.
2. The proposed parrot reserve and forest reserve on Abaco should be established immediately.
3. Those agencies should seek long-term solutions to the feral cat problem on Abaco. If possible, technical and operational assistance from the Pest Control Div., Dept. of Agriculture, should be requested.
4. A recovery team should be formed to offer recommendations to the responsible government agencies in the Bahamas. The team could be set up under the sponsorship of ICBP [now, APC?] and should include a number of biologists with expertise in the field study of parrots as well as governmental representatives from the Bahamas and one from the Bahamas National Trust.
5. Research efforts on Abaco should be continued and expanded. Other aspects of the ecology of Abaco, such as the role of fire in the Caribbean pine and coppice ecosystem, need to be addressed.
6. A comprehensive study of the Inagua population, including census efforts, should be initiated.
7. Environmental education efforts by the government and the Bahamas National Trust should be expanded to a national level.
8. Translocation efforts to establish new populations on other Bahamian islands should be initiated.

Parrot Breeding Grounds

There is a parrot reserve (park) on Great Inagua for the tree cavity nesting Bahamaensis, maintained in a natural environment, secure from exploitation. At a club meeting where she spoke on Apr. 17, 1994, she said that the Bahamanian Parliament just announced they had set aside 20,000 acres at Sandy Point on the southern part of Abaco Island as a national park.