Red-browed Parrot Projet (Amazona rhodocorytha): conservation at Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro states, Brazil

Amazona rhodocorytha is an endemic species of Atlantic Forest. It is also global and national threatened due to habitat loss and trapping for the illegal trade. Occurs in the states of Alagoas, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Minas Gerais (MG) and historically, Sergipe. Very little data on its natural history was available until 2015, which instigated the establishment of the “Red-Browed Parrot Project”. The Project is centered in gathering data on this species’ biology to strengthen conservation actions and influence public policies to protect areas and fight parrots illegal trade, according to recommendation of the National Plan of Action for the Endagered Parrots ICMBio/MMA – Brazilian National Ministry of Environment – proposals. Primarily, the Project focused on species field surveys in Atlantic Forest regions in RJ and MG, studying main forest patches. Until now, 28 municipalities were surveyed in MG (74 sample sites and 85 questionnaires) and Red-Browed Parrot was recorded in 17 (60%) municipalities. In RJ, 45 municipalities were surveyed (123 sample sites and 187 questionnaires) and the focus species were recorded at 15 (33%). All 264 questionnaires reported important data: more than 25 food resources used by Red-Browed Parrot; low density of pairs or small flocks; and September to November as RJ breeding season. The need for continuity of these actions throughout the species’ range is needed in order to improve understanding on Red-Browed Parrot current conservation status scenario and consequently strengthen priority conservation strategies, according to local realities.