El Maracaná Lomo Rojo (<i>Primolius maracana</i>) en Argentina: ¿de plaga a la extinción en 50 años?

Abstract

Parrots are often considered crop pests; however, they differ from other pest species because they are K strategists (long lifespan, low fecundity). Such species are unlikely to recover easily from lethal control, which is often used to reduce their damage to crops. The Blue-winged Macaw (Primolius maracana) is virtually extinct in Argentina, and although habitat loss has been cited as the principal cause of its disappearance, this is not a sufficient explanation. Based on 779 days of field work, interviews with local farmers, and the biology of the Blue-winged Macaw, we conclude that one of the fundamental causes of its disappearance from Argentina may have been lethal control by farmers.