Loro orejiamarillo (Ognorhynchus icterotis, Psittacidae) en Norte de Santander después de 167 años de ausencia en la región

Abstract

The Yellow-eared Parrot (Ognorhynchus icterotis) historically was distributed throughout the Colombian and Ecuadorian Andes. However, by the end of the 1990's their populations declined drastically, due to fragmentation and loss of habitat, leading to their extinction in Ecuador and a considerable reduction in their range of distribution in Colombia. Thanks to conservation actions and the discovery of new localities, Colombian populations have increased in recent years such that this species, IUCN conservation status has been downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable. It is believed that the population has increased in recent years in the country, thanks to conservation processes, and the discovery of new localities was essential to lower the species from the risk category of Endangered to Vulnerable. However, this species has not been recorded in the province of Norte de Santander since its discovery in this region in 1854 (Holotype). Here we report that the Yellow-eared Parrot has returned to Norte de Santander after more than a century: we show that the species lives in the municipalities of Cáchira and Ábrego in human-dominated landscapes that contain Wax Palms (Ceroxylon sp). These records represent an important extension of the Yellow-eared Parrot’s current distribution. We detail the research, monitoring and conservation actions necessary to guarantee the persistence of the Yellow-eared Parrot in Norte de Santander.