Despite that good news, the team has discovered that the number of successfully fledged chicks has plateaued, and, says Snyder, many parrots fail either to lay eggs or rear chicks. So far, the key to their population rise has been a reduction in adult deaths, attributed to the shooting ban. Enforcement is easy when everyone with a gun in the forest is illegal. But there is a new view of parrots, too. There really has been a turnaround.
People appreciate birds a lot more.
Lucians may further come to appreciate the parrot for the role it is playing in ecotourism. Already more than 4,000 tourists a year take guided hikes along the Edmond Forest trail in the rain-forest reserve, and two newer trails have been developed. In coming years, Bobb hopes to export the conservation success taking shape on St. Lucia by working with species on neighboring islands, where environmental problems are rife. Clouds of young sooty terns hover low overhead before they venture to sea. The male sports white polka dots, a canary yellow belly and a blue-green tail.