Photos from Bolivia- Green-Winged Macaw chick saved!

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6/24/03
see final update at bottom of page

We received an interesting e-mail from Niels Raes, a Tropical Ecologist/Botanist from The Netherlands, who is currently in Bolivia, working on the BOLFOR project. The work
is carried out in the "La Chonta" timber concession, 60 km east from Ascension de Guarayos. While working in the forest researching lianas, his group came upon a HUGE tree that had fallen. Upon examination, it was found that there was a Green-Winged Macaw nest in the tree that contained two nearly-fledged chicks. Sadly, one of the chicks was killed in the fall, but the other was alive and was rescued by Niels and his team! Niels emailed me to ask my advice on feeding the chick and it is being kept at their jungle camp. He is currently working in town with his plant materials but will be returning to the camp and has kindly agreed to send me an update in a couple of weeks as to the bird's progress and more photos! I appreciate his permission to publish the photos and thank him and his team for saving this helpless baby macaw!
update 3/27/03 We have good news from Niels Raes on the progress of the baby Green-Winged Macaw! The baby is learning to eat on its own with the jungle camp cook sharing hand-feeding duties with other camp members. Niels says the baby is very curious and wants to taste all foods. One of its wings was slightly injured in the fall of the nest tree but the baby is learning to fly in spite of its injury. See below for new photos of the beautiful baby being cared for by camp members.

Thanks to Niels for the update and permission to use the photos!

All photographs are by Niels Raes and are copyrighted. They may not be reproduced by any method without written permission.

Detour in the path! That is one BIG tree! photo by: Niels Raes

This tree was quite old and very likely was rotting (see the rotted area at the bottom left of the previous photo). Macaws like to excavate nests in such trees but it can be a dangerous gamble as these trees will eventually fall! Macaws use the same nest year after year and defend the nest site from other birds and predators.
photo by: Niels Raes

This unfortunate baby Green-Winged Macaw did not survive the fall of the tree.
photo by: Niels Raes

Luckily the sibling did survive and was rescued by the botanist, Niels Raes, and his team!
photo by: Niels Raes

This is the jungle camp.
photo by: Niels Raes

The baby Green-Winged Macaw enjoys a meal of fresh fruits.
photo by: Niels Raes

Isabel, a Peruvian student, helps in the feeding duties.
photo by: Niels Raes

The baby is doing very well- what beautiful feathers!
photo by: Niels Raes

A Danish student, Martin, enjoys the baby macaw.
The camp sleeping tents are seen in the background. photo by: Niels Raes

cook Maria with the baby free in the jungle photos by: Niels Raes

We received an email from Niels Raes in June telling us that the baby macaw had begun to fly off into the jungle to stay for periods of time. One day it flew away and did not return and there was heavy rain and cold temperatures the next day (yes, it CAN get cold in the jungle). We can only hope that the baby survived. In any case, Niels and his staff did a fine job in saving this baby from certain death when they found it in such a vulnerable position when its nest tree naturally fell. This gives us some insight into the lives of wild macaws. Thanks so much Niels!

see Jamaican Yellow-Billed Amazons nesting in the wild!

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