CAMPAIGN SUPPORTING THE URBAN BIRDS IN THE CITY PROJECT
HOW DID THE URBAN BIRDS – MACAWS IN THE CITY PROJECT COME ABOUT?
In 1999, Neiva Guedes came across a sui generis environmental situation in the city of Campo Grande. Blue-and-yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) and Red-and-green macaws (Ara chloropterus) began to migrate to Campo Grande and settle in the city. In the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul, they found food easily and later also found cavities to breed in the hollows of dead palm trees. The establishment of these birds in the city has been monitored since the beginning, with observation of food items.
Studies on behavior and reproductive biology began in 2010 and 2011 by the Hyacinth Macaw Institute. In 2012, the “Aves Urbanas – Araras da Cidade” (Urban Birds – Macaws of the City) project was created, with the aim of studying the biology of the blue-and-yellow macaw and its interactions in the city (people, traffic, buildings), as well as using it as a tool for education, ecotourism and promoting biodiversity conservation.
WHERE AND WHEN IS THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTED?
This work is being carried out in the urban area of Campo Grande, where from July to February, the period corresponding to the breeding season of the Blue-and-yellow Macaws, nest monitoring is carried out, which has increased annually. The chicks are weighed, measured and photographed. Before flying off, the chicks are ringed, nanochipped and have biological material collected. Some chicks are also identified with an identification badge.
WHICH SPECIES ARE THE ADOPTED CHICKS?
In addition to blue-and-yellow macaws, nests of hybrid macaws (a cross between a blue-and-yellow macaw and a red-and-green macaw) are monitored, with the birth and survival of hybrid chicks up to the second generation. Nests with red-bellied macaw and toucan are also monitored, with survival and flight of chicks. In the last two years, the nests have been occupied by black-headed vultures, which are also being monitored.
ARE FRUIT TREE SPECIES PART OF THE PROJECT STUDY?
Other interactions with nature also attract the attention of researchers, who can already point to the knowledge of 44 fruit species that are serving as food for the blue-and-yellow macaws in the urban area, mainly the fruits of both native species (bocaiuva, pindó, gueroba, cumbaru, pau-terra, pequi) and exotic ones (mango, sete-copas, imperial palm, guava, coco-da-bahia, cashew, seriguela).
HOW HAS THE URBAN BIRDS – MACAWS IN THE CITY PROJECT IMPACTED PUBLIC POLICIES?
Public policies have also been a reflection of the good results presented by the project. In 2015, through MUNICIPAL LAW n. 5.561, of June 15, Art.1, the Blue-and-yellow Macaw was instituted as the Symbol Bird of the Municipality of Campo Grande; meeting the effort and dedication of the “Urban Birds – Macaws in the City” Project for the conservation of the species.
In 2018, MUNICIPAL LAW n. 6.075, of August 28, prohibited the cutting, felling, removal or sacrifice of trees, adult or not, where nests of the Blue-and-yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna) and the Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloropterus) are located.
In 2021, MUNICIPAL LAW n. 6.567, of March 19, recognized Campo Grande as the “Capital of the Macaw” and established September 22 as the “Municipal Day for the Protection of Macaws”. This date is commemorated with actions aimed at raising awareness among the residents of Campo Grande about the importance of macaws and urban biodiversity.
HOW DO LOCAL COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATE IN THE PROJECT?
In 2023, the date was celebrated in partnership with SEMADUR (Municipal Department of the Environment and Urban Development), which donated seedlings and provided the area where the fruit species were planted. This action was supported by local residents and partners of the Hyacinth Macaw Institute through the “Adopt a Chick Campaign”, who brought their children to take part in the event, which included an educational gymkhana, the planting of seedlings and ended with a delicious picnic. This action brought great visibility through the local media (TV, digital newspapers).
The Hyacinth Macaw Institute also takes environmental education talks and workshops to schools to engage different audiences in protecting the species that make up the biodiversity of the state capital. Schools can also visit the Hyacinth Macaw Institute and take part in expeditions with the project’s researchers.
Observation tourism is also a way of raising awareness among tourists and/or the community who want to accompany the project in Campo Grande.
In addition to all the options mentioned above, social networks are important allies for getting information out to the community at large.
WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF KEEPING THE PROJECT GOING IN CAMPO GRANDE?
Maintaining the Urban Birds – Macaws in the City Project has been a challenge, given that the project depends on the support of individuals and companies. To encourage and support the continuation of the project, the Hyacinth Macaw Institute has created the “Adopt a Chick” Campaign. The campaign is for the symbolic adoption of a nestling from the parents of the birds that occupy the cavities in the dead palm trees located in Campo Grande MS.
CAN I TAKE MY ADOPTED CHICK HOME? CAN I PICK IT UP OR PHOTOGRAPH IT?
No, sponsorship is symbolic. What it means is that you will be able to follow your godchild through the information in the research project, which you will receive periodically. You will contribute to the research activities, name the cub with the name of your choice and be happy to know that your godson will remain free in the wild. You will also be able to accompany the research team on their activities to get to know the adopted cub.
CAN THERE BE ANY COMPLICATIONS WITH THE ADOPTED CHICK?
Yes, we feel the need to remind the Campaign’s partners that, when dealing with nature, unforeseen events can happen, such as falling nest trees, flooding of nests, laying of infertile eggs, predation of eggs and chicks, mortality due to malformation, infertility, among others. All of these cases have already been observed over the years by our researchers and, should they occur, they will be reported to the godparents.
WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT?
The Urban Birds Project – Macaws in the City team carries out its work with seriousness and responsibility, earning recognition for the results achieved.
Just to give you an example, in the reproductive period of 2022/2023, around 50 natural nests were registered, adding up to a total of 414 registered nests in the municipality of Campo Grande, of which 233 were monitored with exploration by Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Hybrid Macaw, Hyacinth Macaw, Red-bellied macaw, Red-shouldered Maracana, Toucan, Black-headed Vulture and American Barn Owl. Around 400 Blue-and-yellow macaw eggs were monitored, of which more than 210 chicks survived and fledged.
BE A GODPARENT YOURSELF!
Translated by: Nuna Arakaki
Text by: Eliza Mense
Biologist, post-graduate in environmental education and business management, with 36 years’ experience in managing social and environmental projects. Since 2014, she has been a member of the Executive Board of the Hyacinth Macaw Institute, developing management and financial sustainability actions for the execution of research and conservation projects.