Nature and Environment Education - SCHOOL PROGRAMS - LORA (PARROT)

Bonaire's Lora, the yellow-shouldered Amazon parrot (Amazona barbadensis) is an endangered species found only here on our island and a few other places. The Lora used to live on Aruba but because of persecution is now extinct from there. The Lora is primarily green, but when one stretches its wings, you can see the beautiful feathers there in green, red, blue, and yellow.

Group of Loras live in the woods and, at the north side of our island, in the rock. Washington Slagbaai National Park is the most important area for the Loras.

Loras fly in pairs or in large groups, seeking food just after sunrise and before sunset.  Loras eat the fruits of the Kadushi, Shimaruku, Palu di Boneiru and the Watapana plants. They also love the fruits of Mango and Papaya trees, one of the reasons why some gardeners don’t like Loras.  Living on Bonaire is not always easy for these birds -- often there is not enough food and water. In 1978 about 200 Loras starved to death.

Loras gather in their resting areas just before the sun goes down, and stay put for the evening. Although they can squawk/scream really loudly, they’re usually quiet during the day, perched on a tree branch in the shadows.

Loras nest between February and September. Their nests are made in holes in trees, in rocks and some times in kadushi (cactus) . They lay two to four eggs. As the female sits on the eggs, the male keeps watch and brings food for the family. After 24 days the chicks hatch, and the female joins her mate in feeding them. The chicks begin to fly after four weeks, and they fly with their parents for several weeks after that.

The chance for the chicks to survive to nest themselves is, unfortunately, low. Rats, cats and other birds eat the eggs, but the biggest threat to Bonairean Loras is human beings. They take the chicks out of their nests to sell; too many of our Loras are illegally sold in other parts of the world such as Curaçao, Aruba, Europe, and the U.S.  As of this writing there are more Loras in captivity on Bonaire than in the wild.

In Aruba, all the Loras were captured, shot, and poisoned in 1947.  As a result of that, Loras have been protected in the Netherlands Antilles since 1952. It is not legal to capture, kill, sell, or keep these birds, their nests, or their eggs. The trafficking of Loras between countries is prohibited by an international agreement (CITES). Unfortunately, the laws are not yet working perfectly.

How can you help?

• Don’t take the Lora out of its natural habitat.
• If someone offers to sell you a Lora, don’t buy it!
• Don’t export Loras.
• Learn about the Loras and teach others about them, too.

The Bonairean Lora
Fact sheet:
Latin name: Amazona barbadensis
Papiamento: Lora
English: Yellow-shouldered Amazon parrot
Found in: Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; Margarita and La Blanquilla, Venezuela
Length: 35 centimeters (almost 14”)
Colors: Green parrot with a yellow forehead and shoulders, and with yellow, green, red, and blue feathers under the wings.
Diet: Fruit:  kadushi, shimaruku, palu di Boneiru, watapana, mango, papaya and more.
Nesting season: February – September
Rest areas: Piedra Pretu, Shishiribana, Put Bronswinkel, Pos Mangel, Goto, Fontein, Weg naar Lagoen, Wecua. 
Threats: Not enough food during dry periods. Rats and feral cats eat young Loras. Humans take young Loras out of their nests to sell or keep as pets.
Lora counting: Loras are counted yearly on Bonaire. Scientists and volunteers, from high look-outs near all known resting areas, count the birds as they fly out after awakening. The counts are done on a specific day, simultaneously.

1980        380
1984        216
1985        323
1987        401
1992        425
1998        300
1999        350
2002        500
2003        350/400
2005        300
2006        700*

Note: In 2006 another method was used for counting the lora’s. So not necessarily does this higher number need to imply that the number of birds have increased.

Lora links:

Department of Environment & Nature (MINA), 2003 field study by Sam Williams
Amazon Parrot Ecology & Conservation
Parrotwatch.org