Project Update: January 2007

Rediscovery of the Black-Capped Piprites
This April, after 47 years without records in Argentina, the globally vulnerable Black-capped Piprites was rediscovered by a project collaborator at the site of the future “Caá Yarí Provincial Park”. We tape-recorded and photographed this bird, and published the discovery in a scientific journal, national newspapers, and local radio.

In October, we found a nest - the first known for the species.

Cavity Nests
We found and monitored 31 active cavity nests of 18 species of birds. Now, we will measure nest cavities to compare with un-used cavities. In eight random 1-ha plots, logged forest had less than half as many cavities suitable for nesting (4 per ha) as primary forest (9 per ha). Of four cavities used by Vinaceous Amazons in 2004, only one was active this year. A further seven active nests were discovered, but only one chick fledged. Nests failed because of flooding, predation, and nest-poaching. With the help of park ranger students, we installed and monitored 27 nest boxes in Araucaria Provincial Park.This season, twelve boxes were occupied by three species of birds and one mammal.

Thanks
We especially thank the farmers of Tobuna and the students from the Carrera de Guardaparques. More than 40 local volunteers helped study birds on their farms and in parks.