A. F. Moody—The Nesting of Macaws



103



It was an extremely cold day when we arrived at Southampton

on 11th December, and the journey up to Worcestershire was too

much for one of the Dwarf Geese which died. They are undoubtedly

delicate, but by carefully acclimatizing them it is possible that our four

remaining pairs, which, up to the time of writing, have kept in splendid

condition, will eventually prove to be as hardy as their near relative

the Indian Cotton Teal, which seems to stand our winters well out

of doors, and, having attained hardiness, we hope that Nettapus

auritus will reproduce its kind for the enjoyment of those who could

not wish for anything more beautiful on ornamental waters.



THE NESTING OF MACAWS AT LILFORD


By A. F. Moody


Reference in our Magazine has on more than one occasion been

made of the Parrots which we have at liberty at Lilford.


For some years past these have included three Red and Yellow

Macaws (Ara chloroptera). These beautiful birds are a proved pair

and a supposed odd female. For several seasons the pair have

interested themselves in certain hollow cavities of trees, etc., but

beyond being spiteful to the odd bird, and showing a tendency to

drive strange humans from the neighbourhood of the selected spot,

nothing further has happened.


In May, 1933, they seriously decided to nest, by taking

possession of a hollow cavity near the top of a very tall and partly

decayed elm tree. In this cavity the female disappeared for some

weeks, and it was only by watching the male going to feed her that

we had an inkling how matters were progressing, and that the

female was still in the land of the living. Considerable anxiety was

felt at this period for fear the female should be exhausting herself

by sitting too long upon clear eggs. Matters had reached this

climax when the bird in question relieved the situation by suddenly

* reappearing, and the broken shells of clear eggs were then discovered

beneath the tree.


Within ten days of this occurrence ^ 13th July), the female had



