![]() ![]() The following acknowledgements are an abbreviated version of those Paul thanked in his thesis for major support: Pacific Biological Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Pawai’ia people. ![]() He was a mentor and role model to many younger national biologists and conservationists. ![]() As one of PNG’s first formally trained field ecologists, he made a huge contribution to understanding the ecology and conservation needs of the Crater Mountain region. Paul was an outstanding field biologist and much admired by local people and the scientific community. This study was conducted by the late Paul Igag as part of his Masters degree at the Australian National University. Low population density and breeding frequency of Palm Cockatoos and Pesquet’s Parrots may make them more vulnerable. Higher nest tree density, breeding success, and more generalised feeding habits may make Eclectus Parrots the least vulnerable of the three species. Humans hunted Palm Cockatoos and Pesquet’s Parrots, not Eclectus Parrots. Predation caused most nest failures for Palm Cockatoos and Eclectus Parrots starvation caused most loss in Pesquet’s Parrots. Eclectus Parrots had higher fledging success: 54%, compared with 40% of Palm Cockatoo and 17% of Pesquet’s Parrot eggs. Palm Cockatoo clutch size was one Pesquet’s and Eclectus Parrots clutches had one to two eggs. Palm Cockatoos and Pesquet’s Parrots appeared to breed seasonally Eclectus Parrots bred at higher frequency year-round. Palm Cockatoos nested at lower density (0.008 nests/ha) than Pesquet’s (0.022 nests/ha) and Eclectus Parrots (0.069 nests/ha). Pesquet’s Parrots excavated their nest hollows in dead trees. Palm Cockatoos preferred hollows in broken trunks having deeper hollows with larger entrances. Eclectus Parrots used taller, larger, live trees. In a 28-month study, we found 51 Palm Cockatoo, 34 Pesquet’s Parrot and 71 Eclectus Parrot nests. In New Guinea Palm Cockatoos, Pesquet’s Parrots and Eclectus Parrots are potentially threatened by deforestation and hunting. ![]()
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