Use of Habitat and Activity Patterns of Pionus menstruus and Amazona farinosa (Aves: Psitacidae) in a Tropical Dry Forest in Toluviejo, Sucre, Colombia

To determine the use of the habitat and the patterns of daily activity of two species of psittacids, present in a tropical dry forest in a town in the Montes de María, we make direct observations through point counts, advantageous points and intensive search, in 24 samplings between March and July 2017, between 05:30 and 18:30 hrs. We recorded 421 individuals of Pionus menstruus in 148 sightings and 517 of farmed Amazona in 235 sightings. The largest number of individuals of Pionus menstruus appears in April and May, while the largest number of individuals of Amazona farinosa was observed in July (X = 48.26, p <0.001, 4 df). The proportion of sightings of these species in zones I and II was similar, but in zone III the number of individuals sighted by A. farinosa was much higher than that of P.menstruus (X2 = 44.718, p <0.001, 2 df). Both species showed greater activity between 0600 and 0700 and between 1600 and 1800, corresponding to lower values of temperature, wind speed and light intensity than those registered at noon. Most of the sightings occurred during flight for both species. To feed, perch, groom and converse, the parrots used 13 species of trees; among them, Amazona farinosa used 11 to perform three or four activities and Pionus menstruus only used six species to perform three of the activities we observed. The frequency of sighted parrots is related to the availability of ecosystem resources, without any evidence of competition between species.