Texas A&M-Led Conservation Program Develops New Method For Releasing Captive Parrots To The Wild
Researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) are working with parrot free-flight experts and partners in Brazil in an effort to increase the success rate of releasing captive parrots into the wild. In a recently published study, the team successfully released a small flock of blue and yellow macaws […]
Scarlet Macaw Parents ‘Play Favorites,’ Purposefully Neglect Younger Chicks
Fortunately, researchers have come to the rescue with a “foster program” for neglected chicks. Scarlet macaws are a symbol of fidelity and virtue to many people because they are thought to mate for life — but it turns out that they also “play favorites” when feeding their young, making them excellent mates, but neglectful parents. […]
Texas A&M Researchers Show Endangered Parrot Species Is Thriving In Urban Areas
A Texas A&M-led research team has discovered that a population of endangered red-crowned parrots is thriving in urban areas of South Texas. The parrots are a unique case, considering that many animal species are affected negatively by the expansion of human urban areas, which can lead to deforestation and pollution of natural habitats. These mostly […]
CVMBS Associate Professor Elected American Ornithological Society Fellow
Dr. Donald Brightsmith, an associate professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (CVMBS) Department of Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB), has been elected as a fellow into the American Ornithological Society (AOS), the nation’s most prestigious professional society of avian scientists. “It is a great honor to be recognized by this elite […]
Texas A&M Researchers Apply Free-Flight Training To Parrot Conservation
A training technique that has been practiced by parrot owners for decades is now being applied to establishing new bird flocks in the wild. While many parrot owners clip their birds’ wings to reduce their flight abilities, free-flight involves training an intact parrot to come when called, follow basic commands, recognize natural dangers, and otherwise […]
Texas A&M Researchers Develop New Method For Improving Macaw Chick Survival
An overwhelmingly successful chick fostering experiment conducted by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (CVMBS) The Macaw Society will greatly improve the number of scarlet macaw chicks that survive and fledge (fly away) from their nests each year. Dr. Gabriela Vigo-Trauco, a CVMBS postdoctoral research associate and co-director of The Macaw […]
Texas A&M Researchers’ New System For Tracking Macaws Emphasizes Species’ Conservation Needs
New data on macaw movements gathered by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (CVMBS) The Macaw Society has the potential to greatly improve conservation strategies for the scarlet macaw, as well as similar species of large parrots. While the overall conservation status of the scarlet macaw is listed as “least concern” […]
Texas A&M Research Team Receives USDA Grant To Develop Innovative Wildlife Monitoring System
A research team led by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) has been awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a new artificial intelligence-based wildlife monitoring system. The Conservation Innovation Grant program, under the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, supports the development of […]
Texas A&M Researchers Examine How Video Games Can Improve Bird Health
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Playing video games has been a favorite pastime of young and old alike, and now the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) is investigating the benefits of video games on an unconventional gamer-birds. Researchers at the CVM’s Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center are in the process of […]
