Latin American Parrot Experts Trained at FlyFree Workshop
In May 2025, the World Parrot Trust hosted a FlyFree Workshop in the heart of Copán Ruinas, Honduras. This area is rich in natural and cultural heritage and is home to one of Central America’s most successful Scarlet Macaw reintroduction efforts.
Over four days, from 12–16 May, 40 conservation professionals from across Latin America and the Caribbean came together for an intensive, hands on training experience. The workshop was designed to support their efforts to return parrots caught in the illegal wildlife trade back to the wild.
Held at the beautiful Macaw Mountain Bird Park, the workshop was based on the World Parrot Trust’s FlyFree framework. This approach outlines best practices across every stage of the rescue, rehabilitation, and release journey. The participants came from local NGOs, wildlife centres, field programs, and government agencies, representing efforts with over 35 parrot species across the region.
Copán Ruinas, itself is a spectacular site of ancient Maya ruins and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to more than a decade of dedicated work from Macaw Mountain Bird Park and ProAlas, with support from the World Parrot Trust, Copán Ruinas is also now home to over 120 reintroduced Scarlet Macaws.
These efforts stand as a shining example of what conservation can achieve when it is done well, and this site offered a perfect living classroom for the workshop.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in a dynamic mix of lectures, group discussions, and practical sessions led by an expert team of veterinarians, researchers, and seasoned conservationists.
The training covered a range of crucial topics, including:
- Confiscation response and triage
- Emergency feeding and critical care
- Aviary assessment and bird marking
- Feather repair (imping) and physical conditioning
- Release suitability and postrelease monitoring
- Project design, problemsolving, and adaptive management
"It was amazing to see so many hardworking professionals making such an effort to be part of this. The attention each of them gave to the workshop was inspiring, and I think a huge part of that is because we were all teaching and learning from each other throughout the week. It felt genuinely productive, and I believe it will lead to a lot of long-term good."
The course was tailored to empower these conservationists and build capacity within their teams. It gave participants the tools and confidence to apply what they learned when working with parrots in their own countries. The workshop also created valuable opportunities for networking, allowing attendees to connect across projects and departments, sharing ideas on future conservation efforts.
On the final field day, participants watched all the lessons and hands on training come to life during a guided tour of the magnificent Copán Maya ruins. Here, they witnessed the results of these efforts firsthand, as stunning Scarlet Macaws flew overhead and the group visited nearby release sites. They also took part in a tree climbing demonstration, gaining a chance to learn or practice vital canopy monitoring techniques. It was a memorable and fitting end to the workshop, a moment where theory met practice, leaving participants inspired, connected, and better prepared for the conservation work that lies ahead.
While technical training was at the heart of the workshop, an equally significant benefit was seeing like‑minded individuals come together around a shared mission. The event sparked a growing network of parrot conservation efforts across the Neotropics and strengthened connections between participants working toward a common goal.
“I really appreciated the chance to share things I’ve learned over the years — not just from my own work, but from other projects in the region. What made it even better was how open everyone was to discussing new ideas, and how much I ended up learning from their experiences too.”
We are deeply grateful to Macaw Mountain Bird Park and ProAlas for their generous support and longstanding commitment to parrot conservation in Honduras. Their collaboration made this workshop possible and has been vital to the successful reintroduction of Scarlet Macaws to the area.
We also want to thank every participant who joined us from across Latin America and the Caribbean. Their expertise, questions, ideas, and passion brought a collaborative and dynamic energy to every session. Together, their efforts reflect a profound commitment to parrots and the habitats they call home.
At the World Parrot Trust, our focus is to protect parrots and the places where they live. We understand the threats many species face and remain committed to safeguarding them through targeted conservation efforts. By working closely with researchers, local communities, and government partners, we support projects that preserve habitats, combat the illegal wildlife trade, and restore endangered species to the wild.
We will continue to stand by this mission and support those working toward the same goal.
