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During
the breeding season
by June, the scarlet macaw breeding season has pretty much ended. This
year we did not have high hopes for the number of young fledging into
the population due to the stormy rainy season (see ‘Heavy rains,
late nesting’). Therefore when a LAPPA member found three mature
nestlings in one nest on the 24th May, we were astounded to say the
least.
Although macaws can lay up to four eggs,
often only one nestling will survive. As the eggs are laid several days
apart, the first nestling to hatch has a significant size advantage
by the time the other eggs have hatched, and will often out-compete
it’s younger siblings, so that many starve. In a small number
of nests, two nestlings do survive to fledge.
Finding
three nestlings at such a late stage of development,
however, is almost unheard of. Of course the youngest nestling will
be weaker than the others, and the fledglings will have to be monitored
as they leave the nest, in case they fall to the ground. But in a year
when we were expecting so little, this really has given us hope for
the survival of the rest of this year’s nestlings. This nest is
now under 24 hour protection from poaching and the fledglings will be
monitored as they leave the nest.
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