Saving Scarlet Macaw Chicks: Researchers Develop Foster Parent Program

**Scarlet macaws**, often celebrated for their lifelong pair bonds, reveal *surprising parenting habits* that lead to high rates of chick mortality. Researchers from Texas A&M discovered that while these birds are dedicated mates, they often neglect some of their offspring. The issue lies in their habit of laying eggs over consecutive days, resulting in age gaps where younger chicks, especially those hatched days after the first, fail to receive necessary attention and care, leading to starvation. The study, published in the journal *Diversity*, found that age differences require varied care types—a challenge for macaw parents, leading to neglect of the younger chicks. To address this, researchers developed a foster parenting program, where neglected chicks are reared by other macaw parents whose chicks are of a similar age or have lost their own to predation. This groundbreaking method ensures at-risk chicks get a second chance at life. The research team monitored nests in the *Tambopata National Reserve* of Peru, using cameras to observe parental behavior and manually checking chick nourishment. They found environmental resources, such as food supply, weren’t the cause of starvation, prompting the focus back on parental behavior. While some parents completely neglect certain chicks, disagreements often arise between macaw pairs over care strategies. The foster program has successfully re-homed 28 chicks by ensuring the fostered and biological chicks are of similar size, encouraging acceptance. This initiative sets a hopeful precedent for broader parrot conservation efforts, given the endangered status of many parrot species globally.