Searching for native parrots in Luzon, the main northern island of the Philippines, is definitely no picnic. The person who can most attest to this is Dr. Carmela Española, a feisty Philippine field researcher from the University of the Philippines who has been leading a project over the last three years to accumulate information vital for the conservation of these parrots. This project, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, UK, has been funded by the Loro Parque Fundación and includes other forest birds important for the dispersal of fruit, notably pigeons and hornbills. Carmela’s results predict a long-term collapse of fruit-eating bird communities across Luzon if appropriate safe-guards are not put in place. As a speaker at the VIII. International Parrot Convention in September 2014, Carmela will give a presentation about the worrying situation.
