| There are several peer-reviewed manuscripts and popular articles becoming available in 2009. Contact the Steve Boyes for more information...boyes@worldparrottrust.org |
| The Meyer's Parrot Project has developed over the last four and a half years into an umbrella project designed to research and conserve all continental African parrots, including the Poicephalus parrots similar to the Meyer's, the Agapornis lovebirds, Rose-ringed Parakeet and Africa Grey Parrot. The Meyer's Parrot has the widest distribution of any Africa parrot, exceeding that of the Rose-ringed Parakeet and Red-faced Lovebird. We are now planning an African Parrot Expedition for 2010, visiting all of the range states of the Meyer's Parrot and all other African parrots in order to evaluate their current distribution and status. We will be filming and photographing the expedition and maintaining a daily logbook online. We are uniquely positioned to ensure the species survival in the wild of all African parrots through the derivation of a comprehensive conservation plan based on current information. Our current data bases are over 30 years old for most African parrot species! For more information, please e-mail Steve Boyes, the project leader... |
| Meyer's Parrot Project was initiated in August 2003 to facilitate learning and discovery about this little-known transcontinental African parrot. We are currently preparing for our fourth field season... |
| Meyer's Parrot Project (July 2007) The moment we were all waiting for! The first photo captured of a fledgling leaving nest cavity #1 at Vundumtiki in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. |
| RECENT ARTICLES~ |
| For 2009, we will be focusing on our 4th field season at Vundumtiki Parrot Camp, looking at the nesting ecology and predation of Meyer's Parrots in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, and developing field techniques for the 2010 African Parrot Survey. In conjunction with the Cape Parrot Working Group and University of KwaZulu-Natal, we will inaugurate the new Cape Parrot Project in Hogsback, South Africa. There are approximately 1000 Cape Parrots left in the wild, between 300 and 400 of which frequent the Yellowwood forests surrounding Hogsback. We are excited to apply what we have learnt during the Meyer's Parrot Project to conservation issues surrounding the Cape Parrot, thus converting 10 years on investigation into conservation action towards the sustainable increase in their wild populations. The new project represents a collaboration of all major bird conservation NGO's in South Africa. |
| To read the blog of the PROJECT LEADER... Click on the World Parrot Trust icon==> |
| Updated: 24/12/2008 Administrator: Steve Boyes BScFor (NatCon) MEnvDev(PAM) PhD Zoology - Meyer's Parrot Project University of KwaZulu-Natal, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa E-mail: boyes@africaskyblue.org |
| Website for AfricaSkyBlue Wildlife Research Foundation |
| WILDLIFE RESEARCH IN THE REMOTE WILDERNESS AREAS OF AFRICA |
| Meyer’s Parrot Poicephalus meyeri has the widest trophic niche and distributional range of any Poicephalus parrot studied thus far, and therefore, is expected to be more robust to macroclimatic (e.g. climate change), ecological (e.g. deforestation and influx of exotic species) and historical (e.g. population growth, poverty and social unrest) factors that influence population status in a given area. African deforestation rates are, however, so high that all Poicephalus parrot meta-populations are likely under threat. Range reduction has been recorded in all Poicephalus parrots studied and surveyed in southern Africa. Most records of the population status of other Poicephalus parrots pre-date the chronic loss of forest cover in over 20 range states, resulting in 12 out of 18 range states undergoing significant habitat loss. Meyer’s Parrots have three ecological weaknesses that make them vulnerable to habitat loss, including the low nesting population, specialist nest tree and cavity requirements, and their strong affinity for riverine forest and associated dry Acacia-Combretum/Brachystegia woodlands. Meyer’s Parrots need to be classified as data deficient or near-threatened until a continent-wide survey of the population status of all African parrots and other cavity-nesting forest specialists has been undertaken. The wild-caught bird trade should also be halted until the sustainability of this trade has been evaluated and the relevant information made available. |
| For an introduction to the Meyer's Parrot Project and taxonomy of Meyer's Parrot, please download this .pdf: Introduction to the Meyer’s Parrot Project (2004–2007) - 31 pages (715kb) |
