This year 114 El Oro Parakeets fledged!

Our Buenaventura Reserve is the only area in the world that protects the El Oro Parakeet (Pyrrhura orcesi), a local endemic bird at risk of extinction. Fundación Jocotoco with the support of the Loro Parque Fundación, has established a program of artificial nest boxes that have increased the regional population of this species by 30% in the last decade.

The program started in 2009 with 50 nest boxes, and since then the reproduction of this species has increased every year. A total of 559 parakeets has successfully fledged since the start of our project, with highest strongly increasing numbers recorded in the last three years. This year, 2020, was our record year with an amazing total of 114 chicks that successfully fledged - a major conservation effort! The data have proven that our nest box program works and it has been crucial to the survival of this Endangered species.

The support of the Loro Parque Fundación has been essential to keep the nest box program active, and thanks to them we will continue with the program and have expanded it to the Tapichalaca Reserve for the conservation of the White-breasted Parakeet (Pyrrhura albipectus) and the Golden-plumed Parakeet (Leptosittaca branickii), both species classified as Vulnerable according the IUCN red list.