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Simple Summary: Aspergillosis is an important fungal disease occurring in avian fauna, especially in birds kept in captivity. In Psittaciformes, severe disease occurs in the lungs and air sacs, with the development of white-to-yellow caseous nodules and plaques in the organs, in addition to greenish-grey fungal growth in the air sacs. Herein, we report the presence of disseminated infection with Aspergillus fumigatus in a 3-year-old male scarlet macaw parrot (Ara macao) that was presented to the Exotic Animal Clinic at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Iași University of Life Sciences (Iași, Romania) for its postmortem examination. The confirmation of the fungal infection was achieved using histopathological, microbiological, and molecular methods. Since birds suffering from Aspergillus spp. do not always show respiratory issues, or their clinical signs are non-specific, this may create diagnostic difficulty for clinicians unfamiliar with the parrots' pathology. Therefore, for a definitive diagnosis, the demonstration of fungal presence by cytology or histopathology and its identification using culturing and molecular techniques is required. A 3-year-old male scarlet macaw parrot (Ara macao) was presented to the Exotic Animal Clinic at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Iași University of Life Sciences (Iași, Romania) for its postmortem examination. According to the owner, the parrot had been raised only in captivity and after 5 days of inappetence, lethargy, and mild respiratory clinical signs, the parrot died. The post mortem examination revealed various-sized granulomas and caseous plaques in the lungs, air sacs, spleen, intestinal serosa, and liver. Microscopically, the granulomas were characterized by a necrotic center and the infiltration of numerous multinucleated giant cells and epithelioid-like cells and by the presence of hyphae typical of Aspergillus spp. Moreover, in the liver tissue, a diffuse inflammation, with numerous fungal hyphae, was noted. The fungal culture and the PCR assay allowed for the isolation and identification of Aspergillus fumigatus from the lung and liver samples. The macroscopical lesions and the histopathological findings, with the fungal isolation and molecular confirmation of Aspergillus fumigatus by nested PCR, provided the basis for the diagnosis of disseminated aspergillosis. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first report of disseminated infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus in a scarlet macaw parrot (Ara macao). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3-year-old male scarlet macaw parrot (Ara macao) was presented to the Exotic Animal Clinic at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Iași University of Life Sciences (Iași, Romania) for its postmortem examination. According to the owner, the parrot had been raised only in captivity and after 5 days of inappetence, lethargy, and mild respiratory clinical signs, the parrot died. The post mortem examination revealed various-sized granulomas and caseous plaques in the lungs, air sacs, spleen, intestinal serosa, and liver. Microscopically, the granulomas were characterized by a necrotic center and the infiltration of numerous multinucleated giant cells and epithelioid-like cells and by the presence of hyphae typical of Aspergillus spp. Moreover, in the liver tissue, a diffuse inflammation, with numerous fungal hyphae, was noted. The fungal culture and the PCR assay allowed for the isolation and identification of Aspergillus fumigatus from the lung and liver samples. The macroscopical lesions and the histopathological findings, with the fungal isolation and molecular confirmation of Aspergillus fumigatus by nested PCR, provided the basis for the diagnosis of disseminated aspergillosis. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first report of disseminated infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus in a scarlet macaw parrot (Ara macao).

ABSTRAK Macaw termasuk jenis burung yang berukuran besar dan bersuara keras. Dengan nama latin Ara macao, burung ini mempunyai sifat yang lincah, cerdas, dan sangat ramah. Di dunia terdapat 18 spesies macaw, beberapa di antaranya termasuk spesies yang dilindungi. Ektoparasit merupakan salah satu parasit yang banyak ditemukan pada hewan peliharaan dan satwa liar. Salah satu ektoparasit yang sering menyerang burung adalah infestasi kutu. Kutu (lice) memakan bulu dan kulit. Spesies kutu eksklusif dalam kelompok burung beo adalah Psittacobrosus. Kutu ini termasuk dalam keluarga menoponidae. Dalam penelitian ini diambil sampel dari macaw betina berumur 3 tahun yang dibawa ke Rumah Sakit Hewan Pendidikan Universitas Brawijaya. Hasil pemeriksaan menunjukkan bahwa ektoparit yang diduga tergolong Psittacobrosus sp. Pengobatan yang digunakan pada kasus ini adalah dengan Carbaryl 5%, Tetraclorvinphos spray 0,5% serta menjaga kebersihan kandang.

The Taylor White Collection of paintings from the 1700s, held at the McGill University Library, includes 661 paintings that illustrate 832 birds from around the world. With illustrations of 443 species in 30 avian orders, this collection represents a substantial proportion of the bird species known at the time and is one of the most comprehensive and accurate collections of coloured bird illustrations made during the eighteenth century. Most of the paintings were made by Charles Collins and Peter Paillou from live birds or dead specimens in the cabinets and aviaries of White and his contemporaries. We compared a large sample of the paintings with the same birds depicted in modern bird guides to assess quantitatively the accuracy of the illustrations with respect to the colours and patterns of plumages and soft parts. We found that fewer than 3% of the paintings contained errors, and usually only in one of the 28 body regions that we assessed. Given this high level of accuracy, we identified a small red macaw from the West Indies as likely representing a previously unknown but now extinct subspecies of the Scarlet Macaw, and two other paintings of species that could not be convincingly matched to any known species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) constitutes one of the main causes of mortality in children in low- to medium-income countries. Diverse animal species have been linked as reservoirs, including birds. The aim of this study was to describe the genomic and phylogenetic features of an EPEC recovered from a pet macaw and further characterizing the macro and microscopic lesion in a rabbit ileal loop experimental model. The isolate was whole-genome sequenced (WGS) obtaining its genotypic and phenotypic in silico characteristics and inoculated in a rabbit experimental model with subsequently evaluating the strain’s pathogenicity by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histopathology. The isolate was characterized as O109:H21-B1-ST40 typical EPEC, harboring several virulence factors of diarrheagenic E. coli. The macaw EPEC genome was located in a monophyletic clade of human and animal ST40 EPEC sequences. In vivo inoculation demonstrated severe hemorrhage with SEM and histopathological analysis confirming these lesions to be associated with intra-epithelial lymphocytes. Therefore, the isolate not only shared several genotypic and phylogenetic similarities with EPEC that affects humans and animals, but was able to induce severe tissue injury in a mammal model. These findings highlight the underrated role of pet birds as zoonotic reservoirs and the diversity in virulence factors being unraveled by new WGS studies.

Lateral deviation of the upper beak ("scissor beak" or "wry beak") is a common malocclusion in many species of birds but appears to be a common presentation in macaws (Ara species). This article describes transsinus pinning, a procedure in which a pin is passed through the frontal sinuses, turned parallel to the upper beak, and attached to the tip of the beak with an orthodontic rubber band to provide constant tension on the beak as it grows. The tension of the rubber band is maintained until the beak is considered straight. The results of 16 cases in which this beak-straightening procedure was used are presented. The age of the chicks that had their beaks straightened ranged from 7 to 28 weeks, and they were placed into 2 groups: those younger than 12 weeks (12 chicks; 75%) and those older (4 chicks; 25%). Complete resolution was achieved in 87.5% (14 of 16) of the avian patients that were treated with this procedure. The 2 remaining cases (12.5%) failed to fully respond. The 12 younger birds (75%; age, 7–12 weeks; median, 10 weeks; range, 5 weeks) responded to treatment within 2 weeks (12–85 days; median, 14 days; range, 73 days); the remaining 4 older chicks (25%; age, 14–28 weeks; median, 17.5 weeks; range, 14 weeks) required a longer period (13–90 days; median, 25.5 days; range, 77 days) for the beak to straighten. Transsinus pinning is a simple, effective, and rapid technique for correcting this malocclusion in macaw chicks younger than 16 weeks old. With this approach, in most cases, excellent results can be expected in only 2–4 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a 2016 archaeological salvage project in the municipality of San Francisco de Borja, Chihuahua, the mummified head of an adult military macaw (Ara militaris) was recorded from a rock shelter. Because of their aesthetic beauty and colorful plumage, macaws occupied an important place within the collective imagination of the pre-Hispanic communities. Macaws and macaw feathers also were important ritual and social symbols, often used in Pueblo ceremonial regalia. Radiocarbon analysis of the macaw has produced a Late Archaic calibrated date range of 150 BC – AD 20, making this the earliest macaw by several hundred years in northwestern Mexico or the southwestern United States. Stable carbon isotopes in this macaw were comparable to maize-fed domesticated turkeys from the Southwest suggesting some form of animal husbandry by this time. Our discussion includes comparison with the handful of other military macaws from pre-Hispanic contexts in northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The attribution of osteological remains of a bird discovered in Preceramic deposits at Nemocón IV rockshelter (Sabana de Bogotá, Colombia) to Ara sp. (macaws) is confirmed through osteological and morphometrical analyses. Thirteen bones were recovered from two adjacent, arbitrary excavation levels; and are considered the remains of a single individual because of the rarity of the taxon, their similar size and taphonomic alteration, and the presence of paired elements. Radiocarbon dating of the macaw reveals it comes from the ninth millennium cal BP, the oldest date recorded from Nemocón IV. Paleoenvironmental data suggest that, during the deposition of the Preceramic levels at Nemocón IV, climatic conditions were close to those of today. The modern range of the macaws is outside these climatic parameters, and all modern Ara species are allochthonous to the Sabana de Bogotá, indicating the archaeological macaw was also allochthonous in Preceramic times. Analysis of the remains shows the macaw was not dismembered, so it is unlikely that it was used as food. Early conquest records indicate macaws were traded and maintained outside their natural ranges as pets, as a source of feathers, for use in rituals, or for a combination of uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds kept in zoological gardens and aviaries are aesthetically pleasing but may act as pollinators for pathogenic fungi such as Cryptococcus neoformans. Occurrence of cryptococcosis in human is associated with exposure to the avian droppings. The preference of avian species as hosts has not been fully explored for C. neoformans. The present study was undertaken to detect the occurrence and antifungal susceptibility of C. neoformans in the excreta of wild birds kept in a zoological garden in India. A total of 161 pooled weathered dry and moist droppings were collected from apparently healthy caged wild birds during summer. The study detected occurrence (5.59%) of C. neoformans in blue and yellow macaw, chattering lory, pigeons, Chinese silver pheasant, kalij pheasant, ring necked pheasant and golden pheasant. All the isolates produced mucoid creamy colonies in Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) and Corn meal agar-Tween 80, and brown coloured colonies in bird seed agar. Negative staining with India ink showed characteristic encapsulated budding yeasts with blastoconidia. None of the isolates exhibited any growth in the Sabouraud's dextrose agar with cycloheximide or produced urease. All of the isolates produced CNLAC1 outer gene in PCR. The MIC study revealed resistance to amphotericin B, ketoconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, and flucytosine. Occurrence of C. neoformans in Chinese silver pheasant, kalij pheasant, ring necked pheasant, and golden pheasant has not been reported previously. The results are important from a public health point of view as the zoological garden is often situated in a crowded location and is frequently visited by children and the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four recent archaeological studies suggest that macaws came to Chaco Canyon and Mimbres, New Mexico, from Mesoamerica and that the Mayan epic of the hero twins accompanied them to Mimbres. An episode from a narrative about the origins of a Diné (Navajo) ceremonial repertoire is analyzed here to suggest avenues for future archaeological research. The Diné narrative presumably has come from one or more of the many southwestern US and other groups that, over many centuries, have become integrated into the Diné clan system. The narrative is set around Chaco and features a birdlike personage from Waving Willow, a home of plants far south of Chaco, possibly Mimbres. The narrative agrees with archaeologists that Chacoans got ceremonial birds from the south. In addition, an analytical framework from cognitive psychologist David Rubin that can distinguish history in a narrative from the history of the narrative supports the possibility that with the birds came psychoactive plants and ceremonial procedures, including boys' puberty ceremonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Costa Rica undertakes continuous efforts to recover the native population of macaw species through rehabilitation programs for breeding and releasing birds in protected areas. In the summer of 2018, a total of 107 scarlet (Ara macao) and 93 great green (Ara ambigua) macaws were sampled in four wildlife rehabilitation centers in Costa Rica. Fecal samples representing 200 individuals were analyzed for intestinal parasites, and 23 individuals were sampled for hemoparasites. Ascaridia and Capillaria were found in fecal samples. No hemoparasites were found. The distribution of percentage of infection was analyzed by location, species, and housing type. As part of a health screening prior to release, parasitological examination is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The release of captive-raised parrots to create or supplement wild populations has been critiqued due to variable survival rates and unreliable flocking behavior. Private bird owners free-fly their parrots in outdoor environments and utilize techniques that could address the needs of conservation breed and release projects. We present methods and results of a free-flight training technique used for 3 parrot flocks: A large-bodied (8 macaws of 3 species and 2 hybrids), small-bodied (25 individuals of 4 species), and a Sun Parakeet flock (4 individuals of 1 species). Obtained as chicks, the birds were hand-reared in an enriched environment. As juveniles, the birds were systematically exposed to increasingly complex wildland environments, mirroring the learning process of wild birds developing skills. The criteria we evaluated for each flock were predation rates, antipredator behavior, landscape navigation, and foraging. No parrots were lost to predation or disorientation during over 500 months of free-flight time, and all birds demonstrated effective flocking, desirable landscape navigation, and wild food usage. The authors conclude that this free-flight method may be directly applicable for conservation releases, similar to the use of falconry methods for raptor conservation.

A 12-year-old blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Amazona aestiva) of unknown sex (case 1) and a 14-year-old female hybrid Catalina macaw (Ara ararauna × Ara macao) (case 2) were evaluated and treated for an open tarsometatarsal fracture and a tibiotarsal fracture, respectively. In case 1, 1 month of external coaptation resulted in a delayed union, significant osteolysis, and presumptive osteomyelitis, which led to the decision to treat with a key ring fixator. In case 2, a key ring fixator was chosen for fracture repair because of presumed resistance to destruction by the bird. In both cases, fractures were stabilized with makeshift circular external fixators composed of key rings, K-wires, orthopedic wire, and acrylic resin. After key ring fixator removal, radiographs confirmed complete bone healing. Both patients had acceptable function of the affected limbs 5 years (case 1) and 2 years (case 2) after their procedures. The key ring fixator described in this report is a viable option for fracture repair in pelvic limbs of moderately sized birds (300–1500 g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 5-month-old gold and blue Macaw showed different clinical symptoms and poor growth compared to the other chicks of the same clutch, born after artificial incubation and all kept under the same conditions. Clinical symptoms were: intermittent regurgitation, diarrhea, dehydration and an obvious state of poor nutrition. Other detectable clinical signs were crusty-type lesions of the skin at the paws (flat portions), stress-lines and slow growth of the plumage. The breeder suspected dwarfism or other defects of hereditary origin. By sampling of the crop, many colonies of Escherichia coli and Shigella sp. were isolated, suggesting an infection, which was also complicated by the presence of Candida albicans. The antifungal and antibiotic treatments rapidly resolved the clinical symptomatology, but did not solve the persistent growth problem, compatible with a case of stunted chick syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a phase field model of char oxidation during atmospheric entry in the ablation zone of the Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA). The phase field model is coupled to a model of heat transport, to capture the interaction between the oxidation and temperature, and it is based on our previous model of carbon fiber oxidation. We explore the char oxidation behavior using three 2D examples. First, we simulate oxidation with an imposed temperature gradient for char structures with increasing amounts of initial porosity. The oxidation time decreases with increasing porosity and the oxidation rate fluctuates as pores are opened to oxygen transport. Next, we predict the decrease in temperature due to the endothermic oxidation reactions in thermally-insulated systems with and without transport of oxygen through the top boundary. In both cases, the temperature decreases until oxidation stops; it stops due to the decrease in temperature in the case open to oxygen transport and due to lack of oxygen in the case closed to oxygen. Finally, we explore the oxidation behavior under different heat fluxes. The oxidation reactions compensate for the heat flux until the char is fully consumed and then the temperature increases. Our results demonstrate the importance of considering the interactions between the oxidation reactions and the temperature when modeling char oxidation. [Display omitted] • We present a novel model to simulate char oxidation in the ablation zone of PICA. • We use a phase-field model of the char oxidation coupled with heat transport. • Transport of oxygen through the char is necessary to sustain the oxidation. • In thermally-insulated systems, the material cools due to oxidation. • With an applied heat flux, the temperature increases once the char is consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The incidence of the psittacine beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) was investigated in Brazilian native parrots with normal feathering arriving at rescue and triage centers for wild animals (CETAS, IBAMA) in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. BFDV DNA was investigated by previously described PCR technique for the partial amplification of BFDV ORF-1 in DNA extracts from blood, cloacal swab or liver of psittacines. Some birds provided more than one sample. Nine species of psittacines were sampled between January 2009 and October 2010. Blood (n=46) or cloacal swab (n=128) samples were obtained from psittacines immediately upon arrival at the triage centers. Liver samples were collected from necropsied birds dead on arrival (n=167). All swab samples were negative, except for one Ara ararauna individual (n=3) which blood presented the BFDV DNA. On the other hand, 11 liver samples were positive for BFDV DNA, with a prevalence of 7.8% in Amazona aestiva (n=140). No BFDV DNA was detected in the liver of Amazona amazonica (n=11), A. vinacea (n=5), A. rhodochorytha (n=4), Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus (n=3), Ara ararauna, (n=3), Aratinga leucophtalma (n=2), Guarouba guarouba (n=1) and Pionus maximiliani (n=1). In most cases, alopecia was not associated with BFDV detection in liver, and liver histopathology was inconclusive. Although all cloacal swab samples were negative, a few psittacines (n=19) that died at CETAS-Belo Horizonte were retested, and 21% were detected as positive in liver. A group of psittacines (n=16) was clinically evaluated, and despite showing feather dystrophy, all birds were negative in the cloacal swabs, except for one, which blood sample was positive (A. ararauna). The obtained sequences of the BFDV strains BH 215 and BH 732 were deposited in the GenBank (JQ649409 and JQ649410). A 98% similarity with strain sequences described in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand was observed. It is possible that these strains arrived in Brazil through the legal and illegal trade of parrots. However, it was not possible to associate BFDV infection with the geographical origin of birds and no local marker was detected. The rates of detection, although similar to other studies, indicate the tendency of a high incidence of the disease, possibly associated with stress, and high bird density and wide transmission in captivity conditions.

Abstract Two juvenile macaws presented independently with clinical signs associated with respiratory signs that included coughing, wheezing, and increased respiratory effort and rate. Whole body radiographis were obtained from one patient, and were considered normal. Computed tomography identified unilateral complete primary bronchial obstruction in both cases. Tracheoscopy was performed in both cases and identified a partial obstruction of the syrinx in one case. Biopsy samples collected during tracheoscopy were submitted for microbial culture. Aspergillus spp. was isolated and treatment was unsuccessful for this macaw. The second case was euthanized upon diagnosis. In both cases, a complete necropsy confirmed the primary bronchial obstruction and fungal organisms were identified, consistent with Aspergillus spp. As demonstrated by these two cases, radiography and tracheoscopy do not allow for the diagnosis of primary bronchial obstruction in birds. Therefore, a computed tomography scan is recommended to accurately diagnose this condition in avian patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present study was performed to identify the species of ascarids from macaw parrot, Ara chloroptera , in China. Total 6 ascarids (3 males and 3 females) were collected in the feces of 3 macaws at Guangzhou Zoo in Guangdong Province, China. Their morphological characteristics with dimensions were observed under a light microscope, and their genetic characters were analyzed with the partial 18S rDNA, ITS rDNA and nad 4 gene sequences, respectively. Results showed that all worms have no interlabia but male worms have two alate spicules, well-developed precloacal sucker and a tail with ventrolateral caudal alae and 11 pairs of papillae. The partial 18S rDNA, ITS rDNA and nad 4 sequences were 831 bp, 1015 bp and 394 bp in length, respectively. They showed the highest similarity of 99.8% (18S rDNA) with Ascaridia nymphii , 93.8% identities (ITS rDNA) with A. columbae and 98.5% to 99.5% identities ( nad 4) with Ascaridia sp. from infected parrot. All Ascaridia nematodes from the macaws were clustered into one clade and formed monophyletic group of Ascaridia with A. columbae and A. galli in two phylogenetic trees. It is observed that the combining morphological and sequencing data from three loci, the present Ascaridia species was identified as Ascaridia nymphii , which is the first record of A. nymphii from macaw parrot in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geophagy, the consumption of soil, is common in many species, but the drivers of geophagy are not well understood. The best-studied example of avian geophagy is the parrots of the western Amazon Basin, but even here, there is debate over what drives the behaviour. There are two possible explanations: (1) extra nutritional demands of reproduction drive an increase in geophagy, which would predict that geophagy should be highest during the breeding season, and (2) consumption of naturally toxic plant foods increases the need for the toxin protection effects of soil, which would predict that geophagy should be highest when food availability is low and animals are forced to consume more toxic foods. We used long-term data from lowland Amazonia to compare seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, food availability, parrot breeding and parrot geophagy, and conducted novel tests of these hypotheses. Our analyses of annual patterns suggested that seasonal changes in rainfall drive plant fruiting, the resulting food availability patterns drive the timing of parrot breeding, and breeding drives seasonal patterns of geophagy. Surprisingly, chicks of the largest psittacine species fledged as food supplies approach their annual lows, suggesting that future climatic changes that alter peaks in food availability could have unexpected impacts on the reproduction of large psittacines in this system. Our tests found no evidence to support the toxin-protection hypothesis. Instead, we found that the peak of geophagy occurred during species' breeding seasons, which strongly supports the supplemental nutrients hypothesis. Our findings join a growing body of biochemical, physiological, behavioural, ecological and biogeographical evidence suggesting that a need for sodium is driving soil consumption in this classic model system of avian geophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloacal papilloma is commonly found in Amazon parrots and macaws. There are many treatment options for cloacal papilloma. Chemical cautery is one of the recommended methods. In this study, 6 mature chestnut-fronted macaws (Ara severus) with cloacal papilloma were treated weekly with 50% silver nitrate solution. All tumors completely regressed after 2 to 5 weeks of treatment. One bird died after the second treatment from another cause. Three months after the last treatment, one bird died from internal papilloma in the esophagus and the crop. Recurrence was found in one bird at 6 months after the last treatment. The result suggested that cauterization with 50% silver nitrate solution was effective in the treatment of cloacal papilloma in macaws. However, recurrence of the tumor or papilloma in the gastrointestinal tract could be observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psittaciformes (parrots, cockatoos) are among the most endangered birds, with 31% of Neotropical species under threat. The drivers of this situation appear to be manifold and mainly of anthropogenic origin. However, this assessment is based on the last extensive consultation about the conservation situation of parrots carried out in the 1990s. Given the rapid development of anthropogenic threats, updated data are needed to strategize conservation actions. Using a population approach, we addressed this need through a wide-ranging consultation involving biologists, wildlife managers, government agencies and non-governmental conservation organizations. We gathered up-to-date information on threats affecting 192 populations of 96 Neotropical parrot species across 21 countries. Moreover, we investigated associations among current threats and population trends. Many populations were affected by multiple threats. Agriculture, Capture for the Pet Trade, Logging, each of them affected > 55% of the populations, suggesting a higher degree of risk than previously thought. In contrast to previous studies at the species level, our study showed that the threat most closely associated with decreasing population trends is now Capture for the local Pet Trade. Other threats associated with decreasing populations include Small-holder Farming, Rural Population Pressure, Nest Destruction by Poachers, Agro-industry Grazing, Small-holder Grazing, and Capture for the international Pet Trade. Conservation actions have been implemented on < 20% of populations. Our results highlight the importance of a population-level approach in revealing the extent of threats to wild populations. It is critical to increase the scope of conservation actions to reduce the capture of wild parrots for pets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three adult birds of the species Ara chloropterus and five of the species Ara ararauna from a conservation breeding facility suffered a massive attack by honeybees. The A. chloropterus birds presented swollen puncture lesions with stingers (mainly in the facial regions without feathers), swelling of the eyelids and subcutaneous tissue, and respiratory distress, and they were treated with intramuscular injections of 1.67 mg/kg of promethazine and 10 mg/kg of hydrocortisone followed by removal of the stingers. Complete remission of the clinical signs occurred 48 hours after start of treatment. The five A. ararauna birds died before they arrived at the veterinary hospital, and the necropsies found stingers in the areas of the face without feathers and the subcutaneous tissue, which were associated with erythema, bruising, and swelling. Food content from the crop was found in the oral cavity and the tracheal lumen, and marked congestion was observed in the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, brain, and cerebellum. Among the histopathological findings, significant swelling of the myocytes in the endocardium and vascular dilation with erythroid repletion were observed, and there were multifocal areas of centrilobular necrosis associated with severe congestion and hemorrhaging in the hepatic tissue. Severe acute tubular necrosis and hydropic-vacuolar degeneration were observed in the kidneys. The clinical signs and pathological findings suggest envenomation due to a massive bee attack, the first such report for Psittacidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild Amazonian parrots likely consume soil to supplement sodium-deficient diets. However, it remains uncertain whether parrots can detect sodium at the concentrations found in mineral licks. During 3-8 day trials, we presented 20 captive Hispaniolan Amazon Parrots ( Amazona ventralis) two foods with experimentally manipulated sodium concentrations. Parrots consumed more of the lower sodium food, confirming that they could distinguish between 891 ppm and 1,644 ppm available sodium-values well within the range of concentrations found in mineral licks in the wild. This study strongly suggests that wild parrots can use taste to detect salty soil horizons in the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En el pensamiento prehispánico, la guacamaya (Ara macao y Ara militaris) ocupó un lugar preferente, como lo atestigua su imagen plasmada en los murales creados por diferentes pueblos, como el maya, el zapoteca, el teotihuacano, o como se ve en Cacaxtla. Esto no es una coincidencia, por lo que este estudio tiene por objeto analizar y reconocer la identidad taxonómica de los individuos recreados, además de argumentar su presencia en el lenguaje pictórico como un medio de expresión gráfica irrefutable. Para este fin se trabaja con la pintura mural de dos sitios arqueológicos: el mural 1, Los pájaros, de la Estructura 86 en Xelhá, situado en la zona norte de Quintana Roo; y el mural oriente del Templo Rojo en Cacaxtla, Tlaxcala. De acuerdo con las modalidades de representación gráfica y bajo los criterios de integración temática se aborda la lectura de las escenas considerando a los otros elementos iconográficos que las integran. El resultado es una propuesta de participación simbólica de las guacamayas enfocada en la abstracción del tiempo a partir de la conducta diaria y estacional de esta especie de psitácido ruidosa (y de plumaje llamativo y sugerente); también se considera la asociación de estos animales con los conceptos de vida, movimiento y temporalidad, y con el Sol y el agua (este último como el elemento primordial vinculado con la fertilidad).In pre-Hispanic thought, Macaw (Ara macao and Ara militaris) occupy a place of honour, as witness its image captured in the murals created by different peoples, such as the Maya, the Zapotec, the ancient inhabitants of Teotihuacan and Cacaxtla. This is not a coincidence, which is why this study aims to analyze and recognize the taxonomic identity of recreated individuals, as well as argue their presence in the pictorial language as a mean of irrefutable graphic expression. To this end works with mural paintings from two archaeological sites are analyzed: the mural 1 "The birds" of the 86 structure at Xelhá, located in the northern part of Quintana Roo, and the wall East of the Red Temple in Cacaxtla, Tlaxcala, are studied. According to the modalities of graphic representation and under the criteria of thematic integration addresses the reading of the scenes taking into acount other iconographic elements that make them up. The result is a proposal for a token participation of the macaws on the abstraction of time from the daily and seasonal behavior of this kind of noisy psitacid and suggestive and striking plumage and its association with the concept of life, movement and temporality, in addition to its association with the Sun and water as the primary element linked to fertility.

Cross-amplification was tested and variability in microsatellite primers (designed for Neotropical parrots) compared, in five macaw species, viz., three endangered blue macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii [extinct in the wild], Anodorhynchus leari [endangered] and Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus [vulnerable]), and two unthreatened red macaws (Ara chloropterus and Ara macao). Among the primers tested, 84.6% successfully amplified products in C. spixii, 83.3% in A. leari, 76.4% in A. hyacinthinus, 78.6% in A. chloropterus and 71.4% in A. macao. The mean expected heterozygosity estimated for each species, and based on loci analyzed in all the five, ranged from 0.33 (A. hyacinthinus) to 0.85 (A. macao). As expected, the results revealed lower levels of genetic variability in threatened macaw species than in unthreatened. The low combined probability of genetic identity and the moderate to high potential for paternity exclusion, indicate the utility of the microsatellite loci set selected for each macaw species in kinship and population studies, thus constituting an aid in planning in-situ and ex-situ conservation.