Scarlet Macaws fledge young for the first time in 17 years
Not without pride, with a sigh of relieve and great joy City Parrots can announce that 2 young Scarlet Macaws have fledged. After 23 days in an egg and 3 months in the nest the two youngster fledged early Tuesday morning within an our of each other.
This success marks the end of a series of disappointments for the parents. Year after year the chicks were systematically stolen from the nest. This year as well 3 men with a ladder were caught at the foot of the tree and send away.
Thanks to the press which extensively reported on robbery of the chicks last year and a camera surveillance, this years breeding season became a success. On the 2nd of July we announced on the Dutch version of our website that the camera’s were installed and the clutch failed. This to discourage anyone with bad intentions towards the youngsters. Tuesday morning, after several nerve-wracking weeks in which we woke up at any sound at the nest tree we could finely breath easy again. This year no robbery of baby macaws.
For the City Parrots team a new period of uncertainty begins. During the breeding season we were able to observe the macaws every day but after fledging the birds will roam the area. Travels of 15 Kilometres a day are no exception. In the past we received sightings of the macaws in nearby municipalities like Vogelenzang, Zandvoort, Bloemendaal and Haarlem. They often visit peoples backyards were they forage on fruit trees. We request anyone who has seen them to report to us. Just so we know they are all right.
Young macaws are recognisable by their shorter tail and dark eyes. The eyes of the parents are white except for the pupil.
It is for the first time in at least 17 years that young macaws fledge in the Netherlands. Now that the macaws do not get stolen we hope the population will grow and at some future time can be repatriated as a functional group to Central America where Scarlet macaws are native and threatened with extinction.
As a safety procedure the young are micro chipped. The were also DNA sexed and turned out to be a male and a female.