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Human disturbance due to unsympathetic tourism development threatens the world's most important colony of Burrowing Parrots.
The Burrowing Parrot (Cyanoliseus patagonus) is a beautiful South American bird, found on the World Land Trust’s Ranch of Hope wildlife refuge in Patagonia. The reserve’s relatively small colony of parrots, nesting in the cliffs along the shoreline, are undisturbed and doing well, but there is a real threat to other colonies of Burrowing Parrot found along the Patagonian coast.
The largest and most important Burrowing Parrot colony in the world is located near the mouth of the Rio Negro, not far from the WLT reserve. Here, the species is in serious decline.
The neighbouring village of El Cóndor is an expanding holiday resort with 10,000 tourists present in the area during the height of the season. It is the increase in human disturbance, including the development of holiday houses and access of four-wheel-drive vehicles to beaches near the parrot colony, that is putting pressure on the Burrowing Parrots. The presence of humans causes the adult birds to stay away from the nests, leaving chicks vulnerable to starvation, predators and nest destruction.
Many other coastal birds found at the mouth of the Rio Negro are also affected: Frequently their breeding and nesting grounds are being destroyed by sand dune erosion and the burning of vegetation to discourage mosquitos that are not welcome on the holiday resort.
This is an example of the threat of unsympathetic tourism development and highlights the importance to protect as much of the Patagonian Coast as possible. The good news for the Rio Negro colony is that as a direct consequence of research conducted by German scientists on these parrots, the area is now considered a ‘Priority Important Bird Area’ as well as being a candidate for a national park.
For more information on the Rio Negro colony of Burrowing Parrots visit the following websites:
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This article reproduced, with permission, from the World Land Trust ( www.worldlandtrust.org ) eBulltetin, May 26, 2004 edition.
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