“Red-fronted macaws are found nowhere else on earth except Bolivia’s dry, forested Andean valleys.”
“Red-fronted macaws are found nowhere else on earth except Bolivia’s dry, forested Andean valleys.”
Farmers are creating a brighter future for Bolivia’s red-fronted macawsOnce rural landowners learned they could generate income by protecting macaws, the endangered birds went from burdens to boons.
Red-fronted macaws. Image by Asociación Civil ArmonÃa
July 24, 2024
by Brianna Randall We stood on the rocky shore of the Mizque River in central Bolivia, binoculars trained on the towering cliff before us. The summer sun beat down as we scanned for birds. “There,” whispered my nine-year-old son. “A pair is coming.”
The red-fronted macaws were worth the wait. Teal wingtips spread, green and yellow plumage vivid against red crowns, the striking birds sailed directly overhead. After they disappeared into the forest, we turned our binoculars back to the cliff to watch a dozen more pairs flitting in and out of their nests. Red-fronted macaws are found nowhere else on earth except Bolivia’s dry, forested Andean valleys. Like many other members of the parrot family, they have suffered from habitat loss, illegal capturing for the pet trade and conflicts with farmers who kill them for stealing crops. In 2013 only an estimated 600 red-fronted macaws remained. While the latest census from 2021 estimates nearly double that number now soar through the valleys, these tropical birds are still critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 
Image by Paul B. Jones / ArmonÃa
Luckily, innovative conservation agreements that improve rural landowners’ livelihoods are creating a brighter future for red-fronted macaws as well as the forests they depend upon. Many Bolivian farmers now see the bird as a boon rather than a burden, and a valuable resource worth safeguarding.
The cliff we were watching is the perfect example. Located near three Quechua communities about 200 kilometers southeast of the city of Cochabamba, it’s home to the largest-known breeding colony of red-fronted macaws. Locals used to take chicks from their nests and sell them as pets to Europeans or Americans. Then in 2006, a Bolivian bird conservation organization, Armonía, showed the communities they could make more reliable income by offering tourists the chance to watch these beautiful birds. They helped the communities set up the 50-hectare Red-Fronted Macaw Community Reserve and build an ecolodge facing the cliff that can house up to 14 guests. In 2023 the communities earned $25,000 in profits from the ecolodge. Plus, local families now help monitor wildlife, build new nest boxes and restore habitat within the reserve. 
The Red-Fronted Macaw Reserve. Image by Aidan Maccormick
Today the reserve is home to 23 breeding pairs of red-fronted macaws, about 13 percent of the species’ total reproductive population, as well as 200 other bird species including Andean condors and peregrine falcons.
This is a great example of how Armonía and other conservation partners in Bolivia are “focused on poverty reduction in the region,” says Tjalle Boorsma, conservation program director for Armonía, “and working together with farmers on sustainable agriculture models like beekeeping or implementing tourism.” The result? People equate protecting endangered species with protecting their own livelihood. Content from Reasons to Be Cheerful
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