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18 Endangered Species Tech. Bull. 1 (1993)

handle is hein.animal/endanspb0018 and id is 1 raw text is: January-February 1993 Vol. XVIII No. 1 - a m - WW m - a m- @- w-0 *ha* U.S. Department of the Interior ech lcal Bul tln Fish and Wildlife Service Positive Effects of Hurricane Hugo: Record Years for Puerto Rican Parrots Nesting in the Wild by J. Michael Meyers, Francisco J. Vilella, and Wylie C. Barrow, Jr. Editors note: When Hurricane Hugo struck in 1989, it had serious impacts on some species of wildlife as well as on people. Red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borea- lis) in South Carolina, for example, were hit particuarly hard. (See Bulletin Vol. XIV No. 9-10.) Bit the following account shows that, Jar at least one species, the storm may have had a silver lining: In September 1989, Hurricane Hugo passed over the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. The rain forest in these mountains is the last refuige of the criti- callv endangered Puerto Rican parrot (ArMazona vittata). As expected, fewer parrots were counted in this part of the Caribbean National Forest in 1990, but over the next 2 years the wild flock pro- duced a record number of young. Environ- mental changes caused by Hurricane Htugo may have played a part in these increases. Since the arrival of Etropeans in the Caribbean 500 years ago, many of the uiniqie wildlife species of these islands have declined or become extinct. The Puerto Rican parrot was once abundant and widespread, but by the early 1970s deforestation, hunting, and nest robbing had reduced its population to 13 indi- viduals. Fortunately, a cooperative effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), U.S. Forest Service (FS), and PLuerto Rico Department of Natural Re- soirces has prevented the extinction of this bird, the only endemic parrot species remaining in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. From 1971 to 1989, the number of Puerto Rican parrots grew from fewer than 20 to more than 88. Post-hurricane Population Increases In August 1989, one month before Hirricane Hugo, 47 Puerto Rican parrots were couinted in the wild. Three months after the storm, only 20-22 par- rots were seen, and only 3 breeding pairs were known to have survived. Tradi- tional foraging areas may have been devoid of food after the hurricane, which struck before the parrot's winter breeding season. In 1990, breeding activity was low; three pairs nested, but only one pair sticcessfully fledged Voting. In both 1991 and 1992, however, the wild flock of Puerto Rican parrots pro- duced a record six sticcessful nests each year, the highest uimber since the 1950's'. In 1991, 6 pairs nested in the (continued on paTe 10) ENDANGERED SPECIES TECHNICAL BULLETIN Vol. XVIII No. 1 (1993)

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