Love at first sight
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to hold a Blue-throated macaw at a bird shop. I was fascinated and quickly fell in love with the parrot. On another occasion, I visited a bird training center. I had a second opportunity to see another Blue-throated macaw, and since then, I have not had another chance to contemplate the beauty of this bird. After all those years, I never imagined the Blue-throated macaw was a critically-endangered species, and their population had decreased in the last two decades.
Our mission at Beakwings is to bring awareness to the most threatened bird species. The Blue-throated Macaw is one of the parrots we hold dear.
Origin
The Blue-throated Macaw is native to Bolivia, from the Llanos de Mojos in the northern part of the country. According to the Red List, the wild population was discovered in 1992 in Beni's eastern savannas, Marabán province.
Population
The current population is approximately 312 to 455 mature individuals in the wild. According to the Red List, In the past, the population has dropped dramatically, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s. During the 1980s, an estimated 1,200 or more wild-caught birds were shipped from Bolivia, implying that the population was once much larger (Yamashita and Barros 1997). The trend has been reversed, with the population being constant or even expanding slowly, thanks to successful conservation measures like a nest-box program and the near eradication of trade. (Herzog et al. 2020).
Resources: Asociación Armonía 2016-2017.
Threats
Legal and illicit exploitation for the national and international cage-bird trade has posed a severe threat to the species in the past.
Climate change also threatens the blue-throated macaw by increasing storms and flooding in its area. The blue-throated macaw is one of the world's most endangered macaw species. They are an essential part of the Beni savanna ecology and the Motac palm tree's life cycle because they disseminate the tree's seeds. The loss of this species will impact the forests, which humans rely on for food, lumber, and other resources.
The Hope
Nest box program
The Nest Box Program, which began in 2005 in what would later become the Laney Rickman Reserve, is a crucial part of the Blue-throated Macaw species' recovery. A lot has been learned and put into practice to enhance nest box design and reproductive performance. Laney Rickman's nest boxes have produced almost 100 successful chicks, significantly contributing to the small population.
Recent monitoring missions have found nesting sites different from Laney Rickman's, and the nest box design has been adjusted accordingly. Macaws are very clever, and if they learn to utilize nest boxes at Barba Azul, they may not need to relocate to their breeding habitat, allowing them to spend their whole lives in a protected environment.
A pair of Blue-throated Macaws on one of the artificial nest boxes on the Laney Rickman Reserve in Bolivia.
What will Beakwings do to support this cause?
Beakwings is a brand, a fashion brand with an authentic message. Our goal is to represent and advocate for every endangered bird alive and help associations that work day and night to help preserve wildlife.
Beakwings is making an exclusive shirt representing the Blue-throated macaw. The unique design of our clothing symbolizes the bird's colors and anatomy—making it a unique piece of clothing to wear. You will become an advocate and participator in this grand mission.
Beakwings will donate part of the sales for the Blue-throated macaw projects.
Blue-throated Macaw inspired shirt by Beakwings.