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We had a full day from dawn to dusk checking nests
Project update: Wednesday, 18 November 2009
By Jaime Jiménez, PhD
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Yesterday with Gemma and Pablo we had a full day from dawn to dusk checking nests at Trapi, to the NE of Osorno. Most of the day it was windy and we got some rain (this spring has been overcast and cool for the most part). We could climb to 5 trees (same very tall, we needed two ropes and several hours of slingshots attempts). Even though there were many choroyes flying in the area, we found only one used nest with a female inside the cavity that had at least one egg. As suspected, is seems that nests that are more toward the Andes (colder) are developing later, compared to those at INIA or Chahuilco (down to the valley).
We had two unhappy, nervous and noisy companions Buffed-Necked Ibises chicks at one of the tree that we had to climb over. Ibises are very common in the region and also use the same pellines tree as the choroyes. Interestingly, the ibises chicks are almost ready to leave their nests, whereas choroyes are just starting to lay.
I also found another choroy kept as a pet at a local´s home. This was at ca 100 m from a pellín tree with sticks nailed to the trunk, which are used by poachers to climb and rob chicks from the nest. Happily this practice is slowly disappearing as this species is protected by law, but some people still keep the tradition of having choroyes as pets.
Today Gemma and Pablo are going to Los Negros to check other nests.
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