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AVICULTURAL

MAGAZINE

VOLUME 108
No. 1
2002

THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY

The Avicultural Society was founded in 1894 for the study of British and
foreign birds in the wild and in captivity. The Society is international in
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THE AVICULTURAL MAGAZINE welcomes original articles that have
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ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR

Malcolm Ellis, Hon. Editor, The Avicultural Magazine, The Chalet, Hay
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Avicultural Magazine

THE JOURNAL OF THE AVICULTURAL SOCIETY

Vol. 108 - No. 1 All rights reserved ISSN 0005 2256 2002

MY EXPERIENCES BREEDING THE VICTORIA
CROWNED PIGEON

by Rosemary Wiseman

Following the publication of the article by Nigel Simpson on breeding
the Victoria Crowned Pigeon at Bristol Zoo Gardens ( Avicultural Magazine
Vol. 107, No. 2, pp. 76-84 (2001) ) I feel it might be worth recording my own
experiences with this species. This is simply because there were substantial
differences between my birds and those at Bristol in both the breeding and
rearing of the chick. Clearly any private aviculturist would have difficulty
in providing the same facilities in terms of space and housing that birds can
enjoy in a zoo. My birds happily used a wooden platform fixed about 2m
(6ft 6in) above the ground in an aviary with a total height of about 2.7m (8ft
9in). This contrasts markedly with the approximately 6m (20ft ) high nesting
platforms at Bristol but proves nothing more, I believe, than that if birds are
keen to breed they will adapt to the prevailing conditions. My second pair
also use a nesting site at a similar height to the first pair but have unfortunately
produced only infertile eggs.

Since most pigeons seem to prefer to lay undercover the nesting platform
was initially placed inside one of the huts but the pair did not really like it
and laid an egg which was immediately abandoned. The egg was incubated
and the chick was hand-reared to five weeks but had a badly splayed leg
which could not be corrected. The nesting platform was accordingly moved
to the side of the flight and, to protect it from rain, rigid plastic sheets were
placed on top of the roof above it. The birds had access only from one long
side, as the short sides were built up with pieces of wood to prevent the egg
from being kicked off the platform. Access to the nest was via a long rustic
pole fixed at a right angle to the front. As with the Bristol birds, sticks were
provided and a very half-hearted nest was constructed. I had placed a layer
of very fine wood chippings on the top of the platform and slightly hollowed
out the centre so that any egg laid would not roll about on the platform.
This seemed to work well, with the birds arranging the sticks on top of the
chippings.

2

WISEMAN - VICTORIA CROWNED PIGEON

I cannot provide the wealth of data that was collected at Bristol. This is
because my pair spent most of the year on their platform either with an
infertile egg (twice) or later with a fertile egg from which a chick hatched
but died almost immediately. I knew the pair had yet another egg but did
not think much about it and it was therefore with some amazement that I
heard the unmistakable sound of a pigeon chick soliciting food. As the
platform was above my head and I did not want to disturb whatever was
going on, I left well alone. About 10 days later I saw the chick’s head
peering out from the parent bird’s breast feathers. It was enormous and
obviously not the hatchling I had imagined. It was probably about three
weeks old. From that time the chick became increasingly visible. Although
brooded constantly by the parents it would push through the breast feathers
and stretch upwards to feed by thrusting its beak into the side of the parent’s
beak.

Unlike the Bristol pair my birds shared the brooding and feeding of the
chick fairly equally. In fact if anything the male spent more time brooding
the chick, and certainly spent more time with the chick once it had fledged.
This may have been because the female was hand-reared and has no fear of
human beings. She therefore tends to remain at the front of the aviary and
attack anyone who attempts to enter. The male, captive bred but parent
reared, is shyer and stays further back in the flight. He certainly seemed to
sit from the early morning until about 4,00pm. She took the night shift but
was always off the chick and waiting for me when I arrived to feed them in
the morning. The birds were given mixed seeds - sunflower mix plus small
dove condition seeds, pigeon pellets, extra peanuts (which they love), Witte
Molen without iron, and a special pigeon softfood, as well as fruit and grated
corned beef.

Once it had fledged at, I assume, the same age as the chick at Bristol,
that is 30 days, I was concerned that at night it would become chilled - by
this time it was the beginning of September. However from the first night
onwards the chick returned to the nesting platform with the parents and all
roosted there together. The adult birds proved excellent parents which is
not always the case with pigeons. The Victoria Crowned Pigeons however
are totally focused on the chick and if it is not right beside them, the male
will immediately go looking for it.

The chicks of these big pigeons are completely enchanting. Not only do
they share the adult plumage of blue and maroon but they also boast a
disproportionally large crest which is an exact copy of that of the parents.
The eyes of the chick also seem to be exceptionally large. I have seen the
chick raise both wings up above its head and perform a little running dance,
and have also seen the parents do this.

3

THE BREEDING BEHAVIOUR OF A PAIR OF CINEREOUS
VULTURES AT LINCOLN ZOO PARK

by Nicole Kehl and Megan R. Ross

Propagation of the Cinereous Vulture Aegypius monachus, also known
as the European Black Vulture, has been a challenging task. In 1994, the
captive population in North America consisted of an ageing potential founder
stock of 21 individuals ranging from 21-36 years of age and an FI generation
of 25 individuals from one to 10 years of age (Diebold, 1994). Today there
are a few F2 generation birds (Synder pers. comm.), but many of the offspring
have been hand-reared, which may or may not affect the ability of individuals
to breed successfully when adult. This paper documents the varying levels
of success between 1995 and 2001 of two hand-reared Cinereous Vultures
at Lincoln Zoo Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

According to the IUCN Red List (2000) the Cinereous Vulture is classified
as near- threatened. Its current range extends from those European countries
where it still survives and North Africa to the Middle East eastwards to
Mongolia and China (del Hoyo et al. 1994). This species faces numerous
threats to its survival, including habitat destruction, poisoning, illegal hunting,
disturbance at nest sites and reduction of food supplies.

This species is not as social as other vultures. For the most part, it is
observed singly or in pairs, but can be seen sometimes in small groups of up
to six at a carcass. Cinereous Vultures form a monogamous pair bond
between the ages of five and six years that is generally life-long. Nests are
immense structures of sticks, twigs and grasses, and are re-used year after
year with additional material being added each new breeding season (Cramp
et al. 1 980). This species prefers arboreal sites, but will sometimes use rock
ledges or crags.

In the wild egg-laying can take place between February and April (del
Hoyo et al. 1994). The clutch usually consists of one egg, but cases of two
eggs have been documented. The breeding frequency varies from year to
year and from pair to pair. Long before the egg is laid, the pair spend much
time together in the nest (Hiraldo, 1983). Both male and female are said to
be equally involved in incubation, brooding, feeding, guarding and tending
the chick. The incubation period is 50-55 days. Fledging occurs at 100-120
days. The young remain with the adults during the day and will spend
nights in the nest until six to eight weeks after fledging (Cramp et al. 1980).

Lincoln Zoo Park added Cinereous Vultures to its collection in October
1987. The current breeding pair has been together since May 1989. Both
the male, born in April 1988, and the female, born in May 1987, are captive
bom and were hand-reared at other North American zoological gardens.

4

KEHL & ROSS - CINEREOUS VULTURS

Our birds are housed in a large outdoor aviary (with a 267ft (approx. 81m)
perimeter x 30ft (approx. 9m) high) . The Cinereous Vultures have been
housed with other species such as Hooded Vultures Necrosyrtes monachus,
Secretary Birds Sagittarius serpentarius and European White Storks Ciconia
ciconia. The birds are fed twice daily on a varied menu consisting of a
commercial meat diet, rats, shank bones and knuckle bones. Food was
continually available to the pair and the amounts were increased during the
breeding season.

At the onset of the breeding season the pair was observed spending an
extensive amount of time together and performed several displays, such as
head-stretch-and-turn display (Mendelssohn and Marder, 1989), bill
touching, touching each other’s heads with the tips of their bills, gently
biting down on each other’s cheeks (Cramp et al. 1980) and allopreening.

Nest building was initiated by the male which added sticks, grasses and
straw to an area where keepers had created a wooden base or foundation of
a nest for the pair. Initial nest building took place prior to any copulation
being observed that season. Once copulation was observed, both birds
engaged in active nest building (i.e. collecting sticks, grasses and straw and
placing these in the nest). Aggression towards keepers also heightened during
this time.

Nicole Kehl

Male Cinereous Vulture with nesting material

KEHL & ROSS - CINEREOUS VULTURS

5

The breeding season is documented as beginning with the first copulation
of the season. Over the past seven years, the first attempts at copulation
were observed as follows: March in 1995, 1996 and 1997; February in 1999;
January in 2000; and December in 2000. After the initial copulations were
observed, the pair was seen copulating several times a day. This continued
up to the day the egg was laid and for approximately three days after
incubation began.

The incubating bird sat very low in the nest, completely hidden by outer
branches of the nest, as opposed to sitting visibly higher when brooding.
Aside from nest maintenance and egg turning, activity in the nest was for
the most part minimal during incubation. The majority of the incubation
and nest maintenance was performed by the male, especially as the hatch
date got closer. When not incubating the egg, the male would leave the
vicinity of the nest only to eat and/or collect nest materials.

Generally, the female would incubate during the morning, or most of the
morning, with the male assuming this role in late morning to late afternoon.
The male appeared to be compelled to switch with the incubating female
and more than once was observed forcefully removing the female from the
nest to take over incubation. This could have resulted in the unusual
incubating and brooding behaviour in 2001, when the male did the majority
of both while the female spent the majority of her time on the ground and
played only a very small role in these parental behaviours.

In all years in which eggs were laid there was a significant increase in
food consumption shortly after oviposition (egg laying) and, as mentioned
previously, food was made available ad libitum. Two to 10 days before
hatching regurgitation was evident in the exhibit. The adults also
demonstrated an inclination to consume mice that were provided for other
occupants of the exhibit.

No eggs were laid until 1994, at which time one egg was laid in a
makeshift nest on the ground. That egg was abandoned shortly after being
laid. No eggs were laid in 1995. Spring 1996 egg laying was similar to that
observed in 1994. In 1997, one egg was laid in the cliff nest, which was
removed after it did not hatch. It is unknown whether or not it was fertile.
In 1998 an egg was laid and abandoned by the pair. Other birds in the
exhibit consumed it before it could be rescued and a post mortem necropsy
could be performed. In 1999 an egg was laid in the cliff nest and hatched
after 55 days of incubation. The male chick was reared successfully by both
parents. Our limited observations indicated that the male did the majority
of caring of the chick. At the beginning of the next breeding season the
juvenile male was removed from the exhibit when the adult male became
extremely aggressive towards it.

After the success in 1999, we were extremely optimistic about our pair’s
ability to rear their chicks. Therefore, in 2000 we allowed them to incubate

6

KEHL & ROSS - CINEREOUS VULTURS

the egg that was laid in the first week of March. Incubation lasted 56 days.
The pair was successful in feeding and brooding the chick until it reached
two and a half weeks of age when it died of unknown causes. Once again
the male did the majority of nest maintenance, incubation, brooding and
caring for the chick. Even when the female performed these activities the
male was generally within close proximity to the nest.

For the 2001 breeding season, the pair of Cinereous Vultures began
copulation attempts at the beginning of December 2000, which was even
earlier than in the previous breeding season (i.e. January). One egg was laid
the second week of February and was incubated for only one week before
the pair abandoned the nest. The failure of this attempt was attributed to the
premature timing of egg laying and dramatic changes in the weather. The
female laid again the second week of April. The behaviour of the pair in
200 1 was by far the most unusual. The male did almost all of the incubating.
The female was rarely observed to attempt to switch with him. The egg
hatched after 55 days of incubation. The male did all of the brooding and
feeding of the chick. The female did not seem to participate in the care of
the chick which, unfortunately, died due to an infection.

We have evaluated our successes and failures breeding Cinereous Vultures
during the past seven years and have come to several conclusions. Our
experience demonstrates that captive bred, hand-reared Cinereous Vultures
can still possess the requisite skills to rear their own young. However, the
last two years have shown that even birds that have successfully reared their
young may need additional monitoring to ensure the survival of their
offspring.

Evelyn Tewes (1996) expressed concern over the sensitivity of this species
and issued a number of recommendations relating to captive breeding. Our
breeding pair has been exposed to frequent keeper contact and nested
successfully in an area exposed both to the elements and near the access
through which keepers service the exhibit. In addition, sharing the exhibit
with other species of birds has had no discernible impact upon successful
breeding behaviour. This would suggest that with captive bred, hand-reared
individuals the concerns expressed by Tewes (1996) may be less significant
than anticipated. The fact that many of the current generations of FI and F2
Cinereous Vultures were hand-reared may actually assist in the establishment
of a self-sustaining captive population. As ensuing generations become
better adapted to the conditions inherent to captivity, parent-reared offspring
of the current captive-reared generations are more likely to be successful
breeders (due to a life-long acclimation to captivity) and effective parents
(due to their own history of having been parent-reared).

Also of concern to us is the unusual incubating, brooding and caring of
the chick by the parent birds at Fincoln Zoo Park. In literature reviewed

KEHL & ROSS - CINEREOUS VULTURS

7

about the Cinereous Vulture, as well as other vulture species, it is clearly
noted that both parents are equally involved in these responsibilities (Cramp
et al. 1980). Our birds have not shared these responsibilities equally, instead
they have been performed mainly by the male. It is valuable to know that
the male is fully capable of incubating the egg and caring for the chick
when there may be difficulties with the female of the breeding pair. Such a
success was documented in 1999 at Denver Zoo, Colorado, where the male
Cinereous Vulture cared for the chick subsequent to the removal of the female
due to her aggression towards the chick (Denver Zoo, 2000). We are
continuing to attempt to gather information as to the level that these
behaviours are shared by our two individual birds.

Systematic data collection detailing the time spent at the nest by each
parent should yield valuable information about each parent’s contribution
to the incubation of the egg and the brooding of the chick by this species in
captivity. The authors recommend that staff of other institutions that house
Cinereous Vultures also collect such data in order to construct a statistical
basis upon which captive management decisions for the propagation of this
species can be developed.

References

Collar, N.J., Crosby, M.J. and Stattersfield, A.J. 1994. Birds to watch 2: the world list of
threatened birds (BirdLife Conservation Series No.4). Birdlife International, Cambridge, UK.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K. E. L. (eds.) 1980. The birds of the western Palearctic , 2. Oxford
University Press, Oxford, UK.

Diebold, E.N. 1992. North American Regional studbook for the Cinereous Vulture (Aegyptius
monachus).

del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. and Sargatal, J. 1994. Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 2.
New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain.

Hiraldo, F. 1983. Breeding biology of the Cinereous Vulture. Pp. 197-213 in Wilbur, S.R. and
Jackson, J.A. (eds.) Vulture biology and management. University of California Press, Berkeley,
USA.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2000. International Union Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources (website:http://www.redlist.org/).

Mendelssohn, H. and Marder, U. 1989. Reproduction of Torgos tracheliotus negevensis in
captivity. Vulture News 22:28-33.

Tewes, E. 1996. The European Black Vulture Management Techniques and Habitat
Requirements. Institute of Zoology of the University of Vienna and Institute of Parasitology
and Zoology of the Veterinary University of Vienna.

Denver Zoo, Colorado, USA. 2000. International Zoo News 46/7.

Nicole Kehl is an Animal Keeper and Megan R. Ross is Hope McCormick
Curator of Birds, Bird Department, Lincoln Zoo Park, 2001 North Clark
Street, Chicago, Illinois 60614, USA. E-mail: MeganR@LPZoo.org

THE GREY PARROT IN AVICULTURE

by Deri an A. L. Silva Moraton

The Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus is considered an exceptional mimic,
capable of emulating up to nine other species of birds and one species of bat
in the wild (Cruikshank et al. 1993) and of reproducing words with every
accent and inflection pronounced so well that the teacher can be immediately
identified; has an intelligence that has been compared with that of a gifted
five year old child (Silva, 1991); and has an empathic nature that allows it to
share its owner’s deepest feelings (Brinker and Friedman, 1999). As aviary
birds pairs reproduce fairly willingly compared to other species of equal
size and if the breeder is sentient and meets their needs to feel safe and
secure can establish a relationship that is rarely seen between aviculturist
and breeding parrots (Brinker and Friedman, 1999; pers. obs.). Few parrots
have such a following or are more misunderstood than this species. Many
regard Grey Parrots as single person pets, yet if properly raised and socialized
they willingly accept a broad range of people and scenarios, talking even in
front of strangers (Brinker and Friedman, 1999; pers. obs.).

Socialization should occur when friends, neighbours or even children
come to the house. Introduce them to the bird away from the cage, all the
while rewarding good behaviour with words. This should start as soon as
the bird is brought home and should continue throughout its life. A bird that
has been properly habituated will feel comfortable in many scenarios, and
will differ from one that has not been socialized, by not growling at people,
objects or during minor incidences.

Another important aspect of caring for a Grey Parrot is companionship.
Young birds which are suddenly left alone for long periods or even days
while their owner or owners vacation, often develop anxiety, depression or
commence to feather pick. Providing proper companionship takes the place
of the parents in the wild, which provide companionship for many months
after fledging, probably even until the commencement of the next breeding
season. Your support initially will make a difference and over time will
prove valuable in teaching proper behaviour. Some autonomy is obviously
important but the bird must feel that you are a flock member, its dominant
leader, and will always be there for it and will provide the necessary guidance.
This does not mean that you cannot go to work, to dinner or even on outings,
but that you should always devote time to the bird, even if this means several
brief periods daily, to make it feel that it is never forgotten.

Grey Parrots have a reputation for denuding themselves. This is
unjustified and generally the result of stress, neglect, fear, nervousness,
inadequate diet and housing or is used as an attention getting vice (Johnson,

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

9

1987). Blanchard (1995) feels that in this species plucking is usually caused
by an inadequate diet and lack of humidity and bathing. She also feels that
youngsters may learn to pluck by being reared with aggressive preeners
such as cockatoos. Wilson (1996) feels that allergies, toxins, endocrine
imbalance (especially of the thyroid gland), disease and even failure to expose
the bird to natural sunlight or full-spectrum lighting can be the cause.

In my experience many causes of feather plucking are due to the way
youngsters are reared, which result in chicks with insecure personalities.
They are given little training, are reared in groups and are simply not properly
prepared for life. Chicks should be weaned before they are sold; should not
have the wings clipped until they are capable of flying - premature wing
clipping seems to cause neurosis (Tucker, 2000); and should be trained to
obey commands such as to step up and down from the hand and to come and
go. This training emulates that given by the parents, which encourages the
young to fly, teaches them which foods are safe and edible, and how to
evade predators - chicks are simply not fledged and abandoned, which is
basically what happens when they are rushed through their weaning and
sold. Training also teaches the youngster that you will provide it with
guidance. In essence the youngster is trained to see you as the dominant
flock member which will provide it with the security, psychological stimulus
and training that it needs to thrive. Birds which have been reared within the
proper parameters (see Tucker, 2000) tend to be less susceptible to plucking
and are less prone to exhibit paranoical behaviour.

A feather plucker should be subjected to clinical tests, observed
interacting with its owners or owners and family by a qualified behaviourist
and its husbandry, including the environment it is housed in, should be
examined in detail. This will help identify the problem as quickly as possible
- a necessity given that the longer a bird plucks the less chance there is that
it will recover.

Once a bird is seen plucking, it should immediately be taken to a
veterinarian for a complete physical examination. This is likely to include
tests for dermatitis or folliculitis, fungal, bacterial and viral culture or testing,
microscopic work for ecto- and endoparasites, biopsies, radiographs and
even feather pulp cultures. The process of elimination may not reveal
immediate results but it is imperative that the medical aspect be ruled out.

The environment and interaction with the owner should also be examined
by a qualified behaviourist. This may answer many questions, including
the following. Is the bird kept in a permanently stressed situation? I once
saw a bird kept in a large cage with countless toys and by a window
overlooking a wooded lake - a seemingly ideal situation, until one day after
many perplexing visits I saw a small falcon perched outside the window
and staring at the bird, which reacted by immediately thrashing about its

10

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

cage. When the falcon left and it calmed down, it began to pull its feathers.
Moving the cage to another room resolved the plucking. Are lights at night
from passing vehicles precluding adequate rest? Can nicotine from the hands
of smokers be the causative factor? Is the bird shook, smacked or screamed
at when it plucks? Does the owner encourage plucking by rushing
immediately to the cage and petting the bird, gently talking to it or feeding
it special treats? Is the owner afraid of the bird and wears gloves when
changing the food and water? Many scenarios can come into play and a
behaviourist may be able to quickly and efficiently identify these.

The diet also needs to be examined. A principally seed diet is terribly
deficient, lacking vitamins A, D and E and calcium (Clubb, 1997). Seeds
also lack the necessary amino acids and may be so oily that the bird is
basically being fattened but not given adequate nutrition. Pellets offer a
more suitable alternative (see Ullrey et al. 1991) and can be supplemented
with 10% leafy green or yellow vegetables and 5% fruit (Burgmann, 1996;
Bauck, 2000) to prevent monotony.

Bathing is also important and if the bird is introduced to water at a young
age, it will enjoy being misted or sprayed with tepid water. I do not believe
that insufficient bathing alone can cause plucking, but it may be one of a
series of factors that induce plucking; if the owner does not bathe his or her
bird, then the bird is likely being neglected and probably does not have the
necessary toys or receives the balanced, nutritious diet that it requires.

If the above do not provide relief, discuss medical alternatives with your
veterinarian. These include the use of an Elizabethan collar and anti¬
depressant drugs. These are unlikely to cure the problem but they may offer
temporary relief while other alternatives (e.g. herbal medicine, acupuncture,
etc.) are considered.

Grey Parrots can suffer from a series of husbandry related problems.
Most common is a calcium deficiency. Their calcium requirements appear
to differ from those of other parrots and are probably the least understood
aspect of their husbandry (Clark, 2001). Calcium deficiency can cause
seizures, fractures and even egg-binding. I find that birds fed fatty seeds
often exhibit calcium absorption problems and Wissman (1999) concurs.
The diet given to Grey Parrots can be supplemented with calcium gluconate
syrup, which is less irritating to the gastro-intestinal tract and more easily
absorbed than in other forms (Silva, 1991). Many pellets contain adequate
calcium/phosphorus ratios so it is wise to discuss with your avian veterinarian
whether calcium gluconate syrup is still required if pellets are fed. If it is
used, it can be given to the bird on boiled brown rice, wholegrain bread or in
mashed sweet potato. It can also be provided in the water, but some birds
do not drink very much water if they receive quantities of fruits and
vegetables; birds fed principally pelleted diets will drink more water. Discuss

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

11

with your avian veterinarian the best way of administering the calcium
gluconate syrup to your bird.

Also to prevent hypocalcemia, the bird should be exposed to natural
sunlight or full-spectrum lighting, which is necessary for vitamin D3
production - without this vitamin and phosphorus, calcium cannot be
absorbed. It has been suggested that the dark plumage of these parrots
means that they are inefficient at absorbing this vitamin from a dietary source
(Clark, 2000), which is how this vitamin is often supplemented in captivity,
and they must synthesize it in the feathers. Full-spectrum light bulbs have a
short life span in which production of all the rays diminish markedly. Most
manufacturers recommend that the bulbs be replaced every six to 12 months.
Consult the manufacturer for advice. If exposing the bird to natural sunlight,
cover part of the cage to prevent hyperpyrexia (heat stroke).

Grey Parrots are also vulnerable to vitamin A deficiency, which often
causes yeast infection evinced by white plaque on the choanal slit and
oropharynx, blunted or eroded choanal papillae, respiratory disorders and
even skin infections (Wissman, 2001). This deficiency can be prevented by
feeding green, leafy vegetables, part-boiled carrots, chilli peppers and even
mangoes (Clark, 2001). Green, leafy vegetables have to be selected with
care, as many are rich in oxalic acid that may inhibit calcium absorption.
Spinach is the worst offender. Consult your veterinarian for information
about which greens are low in oxalic acid and can be fed to your bird. If you
feed it spinach, do so sparingly - never daily (Wissman, 1999). Safe
alternatives that are rich sources of vitamin A include carrots, sweet potato
and hot peppers, which have 28,129, 6,636 and 10,750 IU of vitamin A per
lOOg, respectively.

Grey Parrots appear to be susceptible to two viruses in particular -
psittacine beak and feather disease and polyomavirus. The former causes
progressive feather loss or even the appearance of red feathers on the body
(Shoemaker, 1999). It is highly contagious and easily spread. Suspected
birds should be subjected to microscopic evaluation of affected feathers,
which will show the characteristic signs of this vims, and/or the vims-specific
DNA probe, a test which is highly effective. Consult your veterinarian about
a vaccination programme or test if you feel your bird has been exposed.

Abdominal distension, poor feathering, delayed crop emptying and
profuse bleeding under the skin are classic symptoms of polyomavims. Birds
can be infected carriers. As with the aforementioned virus condition, a test
and vaccine are available but vaccination is a very contentious issue, with
different parties taking different stands on its efficacy and value. Again
consult a knowledgeable veterinarian about the need for testing and
vaccination.

Teaching a parrot to talk is not just repeating the same word over and

12

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

over again or playing a cassette recording. It requires interaction, stimulation
and attention over a prolonged period, especially if your goal is to maximize
the bird’s talking ability; most owners, however, become satisfied after a
few dozen words and give up, failing to exploit the bird’s potential. If a few
words satisfy you, then fine; if not, continue teaching words throughout the
life of the bird and both will be handsomely rewarded - the bird by feeling
that it receives the necessary attention and you in having a virtuoso.

Initially select words with strong consonants or which are pronounced
with enthusiasm. One good way to teach not only words but dialogue is to
ask a question in a monotone voice and then to respond with considerable
enthusiasm, e.g. : Q. “Can you talk?” A. “I can talk. Can you fly?” By
emphasizing the response, you can teach the bird easily and quickly. As an
example, I once taught a pet African Grey the responses to “I love you” (“I
love you too”) and “would you like some breakfast?” (“please give me
orange juice and wheat toast”) in a period of less that a week.

As new words and phrases are learned, the old ones may be repeated
less often but they are certainly not forgotten. Only if the bird is suffering
emotionally will the speech decrease or cease altogether. I know of more
than one case in which Grey Parrots stopped talking following a divorce or
the arrival of a child, which resulted in them getting less attention, or a new
pet being acquired, resulting in them having to share the attention.

Grey Parrots originate from Equatorial western and central Africa (Juniper
and Parr, 1998). Within this area, three subspecies have been described:

P. e. erithacus , the so-called African Grey, has a range that extends from
Cote d’Ivoire to western Kenya, north-western Tanzania, southern
Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Angola.

P. e. princeps, the so-called Principe Island Grey, from the islands of
Principe and Bioko in the Gulf of Guinea. This subspecies, reportedly larger
and darker than P. e. erithacus, has generally been considered questionable
and is not regarded as valid (see Forshaw, 1989; Juniper and Parr, 1998).

Re. timneh, the so-called Timneh or Maroon-tailed African Grey, has a
range that extends from western Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone to southern
Mali and the area of the Bandana River in Cote d’Ivoire.

If P e. princeps is considered invalid as it should be - specimens are no
different from large, dark birds from Cameroon - then differentiating between
the remaining two is fairly easy. The main diagnostic features are:

P. e. erithacus P. e. timneh

Plumage colour light to medium grey dark grey

Tail colour red maroon

Bill colour black upper mandible reddish horn

Body weight 350g-600g 310g-320g

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

13

Within its broad distribution P. e. erithacus exhibits great variability in
size and plumage, making it possible to have birds weighing from 350g-
600g. Wissman (1999a ) notes that birds from Ghana are small and dark
while those to the south and east of that country are large; those to the east
also exhibit somewhat paler grey plumage; and further south the plumage
darkens again.

The differences have resulted in a series of names having been coined
and used as selling points. I have seen Congo Grey, Cameroon Grey, Zaire
Silver Grey, Ghana Grey and just about every other country in its range
attached to the name; when one name becomes recognised another seems to
arise with a concurrently higher price tag. I recently heard of Principe Grey
Parrots being offered which upon examination were found to be the typical
small variety from Ghana. It is deceptive to use such eponyms to increase
the value of a bird or to imply the ability to talk.

Sexual dimorphism is lacking in P. e. timneh but present in P. e. erithacus
provided that the birds being examined are from the same locality; if birds
from different parts of the range are intermixed, then sexing becomes
questionable. If birds from the same area are examined, males will be found
to be darker overall and to possess a greater deposit of melanin on the wings
(Silva, 1991). However, the most reliable methods are DNA sexing and
surgical sexing. DNA sexing is now widely popular. It is non-invasive and
can be done using a few feathers; blood feathers are no longer required for
this procedure. The other method involves a quick, simple and relatively
safe surgical procedure (Taylor, 1990) performed under anaesthesia. A small
incision is made on the left side (parrots have a single functional ovary,
located on the left side of the body), into which the laparoscope is introduced.
This allows the veterinarian to view the gonads and surrounding organs and
determine not only the reproductive state of the bird but also assess its general
health. Laparoscopy is recommended because up to 15% of the birds
examined exhibit gross abnormalities that could affect their breeding ability
(Murphy, 2001). Such birds would never be detected using DNA sexing.

Immature Grey Parrots are very distinctive, both in their appearance and
behaviour. African Greys have the tail feathers edged with dark grey and
have a dark grey iris, making the eyes look almost black when compared to
the straw and black eyes of the adults. Brinker and Friedman (1999) note
that the iris begins to change gradually at five to six months of age and it
takes two to three years for the straw yellow iris to be acquired. I find that
the change from almost dark eyes to ones that are greyish and black occurs
by about six months of age and that the iris then changes slowly to a
yellowish-white before becoming straw coloured. Young P. e. timneh are
easily distinguished by their dark mandibles; were it not for their darker
plumage, even at this stage, they could pass to the unsuspecting as P. e.

14

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

erithacus. The bill commences to change colour at about 10 weeks of age (
Brinker and Friedman, 1999) and is adult colour by eight to 12 months of
age. The iris is similarly dark grey. Low (1992) pointed out that the iris
commences to change to a pale grey by six months of age and is pale yellow
by one year of age.

Young Grey Parrots tend to spend time trying to dig through the bottom
of their cage. This behaviour ceases as they become more confident in their
enclosure and discover toys and other objects provided to enrich their habitat.
Most go through a difficult stage at about 12 months of age, when they
become more independent and sometimes prove even slightly aggressive,
nipping when least expected. Training, as pointed out earlier, is important
to correct this (Blanchard, 2001).

Of the larger parrots, Grey Parrots are amongst the easiest to breed. Most
randomly selected pairs will nest once acclimatized but the chances of success
increase if the birds are allowed to pair naturally. I recommend placing
together a group consisting of an equal number of males and females and
marking these (e.g. with coloured markers applied to the naked face, clipping
part or the entire tail, or applying dye to the breast) to allow pairs that nexus
to be easily recognised and separated. If either males or females are in short
supply, a pairing cage can be constructed with three compartments on one
side and one long compartment on the opposite side; the scarcer sex is placed
in the single compartment and is offered a choice of three perches that run
into the individual cages where the prominent sex is housed, allowing two
birds to sit next to each other. Examining the location of droppings on the
floor should be enough to tell which two birds have taken a fancy to each
other. Once a pair has been selected, then husbandry must be addressed, i.e.
cage, nest and diet. The ideal diet should be pellets, supplemented with
greens and fruits.

In the experience of most breeders, Grey Parrots breed best when housed
in small cages, which seem to heighten their sense of security. Pairs will
willingly nest in enclosures as small as 1.2m (4ft) long but a more suitable
minimum is 1.8m (6ft) long. Suspended cages are best, as they allow
droppings and discarded food which can spoil to pass out of reach. A cage
width and height of 1 .2m ( 4ft ) is recommended. Walk-in enclosures usually
have a height of 1 .8m ( 6ft ) but entering the enclosure for cleaning increases
the level of nervousness in shy birds and in my experience acts as a breeding
deterrent. Vines grown around the back and sides to offer some security are
sometimes tolerated. The nest-box should measure 25cm-30cm x 25cm-
30cm x 60cm (approx. lOin-lft x lOin-lft x 2ft deep). It should have a
ladder giving access to the bottom, a side inspection door (removable tops
frighten birds, which may thrash about and break eggs or kill chicks) and
have slats nailed to the inside to allow the female to chew slivers of wood

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

15

and in doing so augment the nesting material; many females will discard
most substrate but allowing them to chew slivers seems to act as a stimulus.

African Greys exhibit no set nesting season in captivity. They will
generally reproduce when conditions are to their liking. I find that Timneh
Greys tend to be less prolific and more set in their breeding, but this may
merely have been the case with the pairs which I have kept. If eggs are
removed to encourage pairs to lay again, the next clutch can be expected
about the time the eggs should hatch, or about four to a maximum of six
weeks later. If young are taken when very young, a period of six to eight
weeks may elapse before a replacement clutch is laid. The longer the chicks
remain with their parents the greater the time between clutches. If allowed
to fledge their young, pairs may nest only once or twice a year.

Breeding usually occurs when displaying is seen. The male will lower
the wings to reveal the pale coloured rump, or will pump the wings to reveal
and obscure the rump. The feathers will be flared to make the body appear
larger and the pupils will be contracted. Courtship feeding follows. Mating
takes place from the side, with the male retaining one foot on the perch.
During copulation a series of grunts will be heard, which even if you have
never heard them before, on first hearing them you will know exactly what
is happening.

Grey Parrots produce clutches of three to four eggs. Low (1992) gave
the incubation period as 28=30 days. In my experience it is closer to 28 days
with P. e. erithacus and is often the same for the Timneh Grey or sometimes
only 26 days. Newly hatched chicks possess dense whitish down. The nails
and bill are brownish in the Timneh Grey and black in the nominate form.
The secondary down is grey, short and dense. The young fledge around 79
days ( an average from 21 chicks of both subspecies) but they are so shy that
many breeders do not notice they have fledged until much more time has
passed. Weaning occurs by 12 weeks, though some fledge sooner and others
are slower at learning to feed themselves. I am opposed to rushing chicks
into feeding themselves and feel that they should be allowed to do so on
their own accord. Young being hand-reared commonly charge the hand or
make puppy-like grunts. Sexual maturity is reached on average at four years
of age, though I have had P. e. erithacus lay when 30 months of age and a
Timneh Grey produce fertile eggs when 26 months of age.

Over the years, I have reared many, many Grey Parrots from multiple
pairs. This experience has shown me that keeping more than one pair seems
to stimulate breeding. Single pairs will readily nest but prolificacy is
maximized if there are a number of pairs housed within earshot of each
other. Breeders thinking they will make a fortune rearing young are urged
to refrain from purchasing an excessive number of pairs, given that there is
a saturation level in which production will be suboptimal. Whether this is

16

SILVA MORATON - GREY PARROT

due to perceived crowding or some other biological factor I cannot say. My
recommendation is that if you intend to raise this species commercially refrain
from having more than eight pairs in a given area; more pairs can be kept
elsewhere if they are outside the hearing range. Keep pairs preferably in a
quiet area; large macaws and cockatoos, with their loud calling, can create a
nervousness that can affect reproduction.

When properly cared for, Grey Parrots can make outstanding pets and
ideal aviary birds, and can be long-lived. Brouwer et al. (2000) cite one
bird which lived 49 years and eight months, its age being verifiable. Most
antediluvian parrots are a figment of the imagination, with disease, poor
diet and bad husbandry not uncommonly causing premature death.

References and bibliography

Bauck, L. 2000. Growing pains. BirdTimes, February: 10-11.

Blanchard, S. 1995. The complexities of feather picking. Canadian Parrot Symposium: 20-23.
Blanchard, S. 2001. The truth about African Greys. Bird Talk 19,2:76-79.

Brinker, B. and Friedman, S. G. 1999. The nature of Greys. Bird Talk 17,11:46-55.
Brouwer, K., Jones, M.L., King, C.E. and Schifter H. 2000. Longevity Records for
Psittaciformes in captivity. International Zoo Yearbook 37:299-316.

Burgmann, O. 1996. Food as medicine: new perspective on nutrition. Canadian Parrot
Symposium:22-28.

Clark, P. 2001. What to expect from an African Grey. Bird Talk 19,9:50-57.

Clubb, S. 1997. The science of providing good nutrition for pet birds. Magazine of the Parrot
Society 31,9: 302-304.

Cruikshank, A. J., Gautier, J. P. and Chappus, C. 1993. Vocal mimicry in wild African Grey
Parrots Psittacus erithacus. Ibis 135: 293-299.

Forshaw, J. 1989. Parrots of the World. Third revised edition. Blandford Press, London.
Johnson, C. A. 1987. Chronic feather picking: a different approach to treatment. Proc. First
International Conference on Zoo and Avian Medicine'. 125-142.

Juniper, T. and Parr, M. 1998. Parrots: a guide to the parrots of the world. Yale University
Press, New Haven.

Low, R. 1992. Parrots in Aviculture. Silvio Mattacchione & Co., Ontario.

Murphy, M. 2001. Surgical sexing of exotic animals. Exotic DVM 3,3:16.

Shoemaker, N. J. 1999. Selected dermatologic conditions in exotic pets. Exotic DVM 1,5:5-11.

Silva, T. Psittaculture: the breeding, rearing and management of parrots. Silvio Mattacchione

& Co., Ontario.

Taylor, M. 1990. Endoscopy. Proc. AAV Annual Conf. :3 19-324.

Tucker, K. 2000. Raising good pets. The AFAWatchbird 27 ,2:22-26.

Ullrey, D.E., Allen, M. A. and Baer, D. J. 1991. Formulated diets verus seed mixtures for
psittacines. J. Nutrition 121 :S 193-205.

Wilson, L. 1996. Non-medical approach to the behavioral feather plucker. Proc. AAV Annual
Conf. :3-9.

Wissman, M. A. 1999. 20 things about nutrition. Bird Talk 17,8:62-77.

Wissman, M. A. 1999a. Causes and cures, ibid 17,8:14-16.

Wissman, M. A. 2001. Causes and cures, ibid 19,9:22-23.

The author lives at Miami Beach, Florida, USA.

BIRD WATCHING IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA
AND NEW BRITAIN

17

by Roger Wilkinson

New Guinea and birds of paradise have held a fascination for me for
many years and this is a country that I had always wanted to visit. An
additional draw was that Papua New Guinea is home to Palm Cockatoos
Probosciger aterrimus and New Britain to Blue-eyed Cockatoos Cacatua
ophthalmica : two parrots with which I have been closely involved for many
years and for which I keep the European zoo studbooks. The opportunity to

Roger Wilkinson

Superb Fruit Dove

18

WILKINSON - BIRDWATCHING IN PNG & NEW BRITAIN

see these and many of the other birds we work with at Chester Zoo came in
July and August 2001 when I joined some friends on a four-week
birdwatching trip to Papua New Guinea which included five days on the
island of New Britain.

The trip was arranged for our small party and led by Ian Burrows, of
Sicklebill Safaris, who previously worked at the University in Port Moresby
and is familiar with both the country and its birds. Port Moresby, the capital
of Papua New Guinea, was the base for our visit and the main means of
transport to outlying areas was by small plane. Closer to Port Moresby we
travelled by road and our first stop was Varirata National Park. Blue-winged
Kookaburras Dacelo leachii, Fawn-breasted Bowerbirds Chlamydera
cerviniventris and Dumonti’s Mynas Mino dumontii greeted us on arrival at
the rather downbeat Kokoda Trail Motel which is located a short distance
outside the park. I was particularly pleased to see the Blue-winged
Kookaburras as we achieved our first successful breeding of this magnificent
bird at Chester Zoo in 2001 .

Over the next three days we found an amazing variety of birds. Amongst
the more unusual were huge Papuan Frogmouths Podargus papuensis (which
were found at night by spotlighting), Barking Owls Ninox connivens and
Hooded Pitohuis Pitohui dichrous. Kingfishers included Rufous-bellied
Kookaburra D. gaudichaud, Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea, Little
Kingfisher A. pusilla and the beautiful Brown-headed Paradise Kingfisher
Tanysiptera danae. The first bird of paradise I saw was a female-plumaged
Raggiana Bird of Paradise Paradisea raggiana seen briefly along one of
the forest trails. Many others were seen later noisily mobbing a Barking
Owl, and watching several full-plumed male Raggiana Bird of Paradise
displaying at a lek was a truly special experience.

Forest birding is hard work and many more birds were heard than seen.
These included noisy growling Eastern Riflebirds Ptilorus ( magnificus )
intercedens and plaintive calling Chestnut-backed Jewel Babblers Ptilorhoa
castanonotus. Forest mammals were even more elusive and only one forest
wallaby (the Grey Dorcopsis Dorcopsis luctuosa) was seen bounding across
a trail. Open country birding is much easier and returning to Port Moresby
we had the pleasure of watching Green Pygmy Geese Nettapus pulchellus,
Pied Herons Egretta picata, Comb-crested Ja9anas Irediparra gallinacea
and many other waterbirds on lakes close to the Pacific Adventist University.
Nearby we found two roosting Papuan Frogmouths and were shown the
bower of a Fawn-breasted Bowerbird. The latter was a surprisingly large
structure freshly decorated with fresh green berries. Birding the following
day in mangrove habitat at Hisiu produced skulking mangrove specialists
including Mangrove Robin Eopsaltria pulverulenta, Mangrove Fantail
Rhipidura phasiana and Mangrove Gerygone Gerygone levigaster. Papuan

WILKINSON - BIRDWATCHING IN PNG & NEW BRITAIN

19

Harriers Circus spilonotus and Lesser Frigatebirds Fregata ariel were much
easier to see.

We then flew over extensive lowland forest to land on a Second World
War jungle landing strip at Kikori, a small town in the middle of nowhere
on the border with Irian Jaya. Our quarters for the next four days were at
the Chevron oil base further north called Kopi Camp. This was real lowland
rainforest away from human hunting pressures. Palm Cockatoos, Pesquet’s
Parrots Psittrichas fulgidus , Eclectus Parrots Eclectus roratus and numerous
fruit doves, including Ornate Fruit Doves Ptilinopus ornatus and Orange-
bellied Fruit Doves P. iozonus were all seen here. Thirty-nine Blyth’s
Hombills Rhyticeros plicatus and more than 50 Torresian Imperial Pigeons
Ducula spilorrhoa were counted flying out of a single fruiting tree. Greater
Flying Foxes Pteropus neohihernicus were also numerous and conspicuous.
Notable birds here included the little known Yellow-eyed Starling Aplonis
mystacea. Hooded Pittas Pitta sordida were heard and I glimpsed a Blue
Jewel Babbler Ptilorhoa caerulescens. Although getting only brief views
of this ground living bird’s wagging blue tail these were perhaps the best
views had by any of the party of this very elusive bird. Crinkle-collared
Manucodes Manucodia chalyhata and Glossy-mantled Manucodes M. atra
were seen and King Birds of Paradise Cicinnurus regius were also found
but no adult males were seen at Kikori.

Before leaving Kikori to fly back to Port Moresby we greatly enjoyed
being shown a Spotted Cuscus Phalanger maculatus kept as a pet by one of
the townsmen. We then were scheduled to fly to Kiunga, a forest township
on the Fly River via the mining town of Tabubil. Tabubil is the wettest
place in New Guinea and situated in the middle of continuous jungle amongst
hills adjacent to a vertical cliff-face. Bad weather delayed our departure
and low cloud and rain prevented the pilot finding the landing strip at Tabubil
so we diverted and instead flew direct to Kiunga.

The forests near Kiunga were home to more Palm Cockatoos and
Pesquet’s Parrots. We followed a trail leading to a Greater Bird of Paradise
Paradisea apoda lek site. Here were not only several displaying male
Greater Birds of Paradise but also a male Raggiana and several birds that
appeared to be hybrids between these two species. The visiting females all
appeared to be Greater Birds of Paradise and after his display one
magnificently plumed male Greater was twice observed copulating with
two of these females. Copulation was a relatively brief affair with the male
extending his wings down on each side of the female and retaining balance
by flapping these whilst mating her.

Other birds seen at Kiunga included Trumpet Manucode M. keraudrenii
(a male heard calling was observed displaying lifting the ‘horns’ on the
sides of his head), Black-capped Lories Lorius lory and Red-flanked

20

WILKINSON - BIRDWATCHING IN PNG & NEW BRITAIN

Lorikeets Charmosyna placentis. The next day we took a three-hour boat
trip up the Fly then Elevala Rivers to the locally owned Ekame Lodge. This
is situated in undisturbed lowland forest and offered opportunities to track
some of the most difficult forest birds. We saw tracks in the mud and dung
on the trail indicating the presence of Southern Cassowary Casuarius
casuarius and heard them calling several times. I was fortunate to see one
of these magnificent birds, perhaps curious to get a distant look at the human

Nicobar Pigeon

Roger Wilkinson

forest visitors, before it shot back deep into the forest. Thanks to the skill of
the local guide we also had excellent views of Southern Crowned Pigeons
Goura scheepmakeri, Little (Lesser) Paradise Kingfishers T. hydrocharis, a
displaying male Twelve- wired Bird of Paradise Seleucidis melanoleuca and
a male King Bird of Paradise. Other birds here included Hook-billed
Kingfisher Melodora macrorrhina and Black-sided Robin Poecilodryas
hypoleuca. An unexpected bonus was a Hooded Pitta that in response to
taped calls flew in to perch only a few metres (yards) away.

We returned by boat to Kiunga then drove to Tabubil stopping en route
to watch a dark Peregine Falcon Falco peregrinus and several Little Ringed
Plovers Charadrius dubius, each of the distinctive local forms, as well as a
singing male Golden-backed Whistler Pachycephala aurea . The following
day near Tabubil, in a rare break in the rain, we had an amazing morning
with up to 10 Carola’s Parotias Parotia caroli, including several full colour
males with reflective breast shields. Magnificent Birds of Paradise

WILKINSON - BIRDWATCHING IN PNG & NEW BRITAIN

21

Cicinnurus magnificus and sub-adult Superb Birds of Paradise Lophorina
superba were also seen. We also enjoyed excellent views of Obscure
Berrypecker Melanocharis arfakiana , Dusky Lories Pseudeos fuscata.
Orange-breasted Fig Parrots Cyclopsitta gulielmiterti and many species of
fruit doves including a male Superb Fruit Dove P. superbus. In another area
nearby after hearing many calling we finally saw a male Magnificent
Riflebird P magnificus.

Blue-winged Kookaburra

Roger Wilkinson

22

WILKINSON - BIRDWATCHING IN PNG & NEW BRITAIN

Heavy rain at Tabubil prevented our flight to- Mount Hagen landing there
and instead it diverted to Kiunga, waiting for us to fly there on a smaller
plane. At Kiunga we transferred immediately to the Mount Hagen plane
and arrived there late afternoon but in time to break our journey to Kumul
Lodge to search for and find a beautiful male Superb Bird of Paradise. Kumul
Lodge was a one-night stopover but in less than a couple of hours birding
around the grounds at dusk then dawn we had close encounters with a
splendid male Brown Sicklebill Epimachus meyeri and a male Ribbon-tailed
Astrapia Astrapia mayeri. Other birds here included Crested Bird of Paradise
Cnemophilus macgregorii. Mountain Firetails Oreostruthus fuliginosus and
Mountain Mouse Warblers Crateroscelis robustus.

We next flew to Tari from where we were driven up to Ambua Lodge.
Birding around Ambua Lodge was exceptionally good for parrots with a
flock of over 50 Musschenbroek’s Lorikeets Neopsittacus musschenbroekii,
as well as Papuan Lorikeets C. papou (both red phase and black phase
birds), Whiskered Lorikeets Oreopsittacus arfak and Brehm’s Tiger Parrots
Psittacella brehmii. Other birds seen here included Blue-capped Ifritas Ifrita
kowaldi and Archbold’s Bowerbirds Archboldia papuensis. Birds of paradise
really were the star birds and included Princess Stephanie’s Astrapias A.
stephania, Ribbon-tailed Astrapias, Brown Sicklebills, Short-tailed
Paradigalla Paradigalla brevicauda , Lawe’s Parotias P. lawesii, Lorias Bird
of Paradise Cnemophilus loriae and King of Saxony Birds of Paradise
Pteridophora alberti.

Driving beyond Tari Gap our vehicle became bogged down when
attempting to reverse on a narrow road and we were forced to begin the
20km (approx. 1272 miles) walk back to the lodge leaving our driver with
his bus. Thankfully after two hours hard walking, and getting closer to
dark, we were pleased to be caught up by the bus that had been towed out by
another vehicle. The next morning saw us watching a male Blue Bird of
Paradise P. rudolphi in the company of exotically ornamented wigmen at
Daula Village. Tit Berrypeckers Oreocharis arfaki, Crested Berrypeckers
Paramythia montium. Wattled Ploughbills Eulacestoma nigropectus and
several more birds of paradise were found, and on the journey back to Tari
we were at last successful in finding a Salvadori’s Teal Anas waigiuensis.
Also in the vicinity of Ambua we enjoyed watching a shy Mountain Cuscus
P carmelitae before it disappeared into thicker foliage and were shown a
very large Boelen’s Python Morelia boeleni that had been captured by local
villagers.

The flight from Tari to Port Moresby was uneventful. From Port Moresby
we explored the Lea Lea mudflats, this time extricating our bogged down
vehicle from the mud, before checking off a number of wading birds including
Terek Sandpiper Tringa terek , Greater Sand Plovers C. leschenaultii , Lesser

WILKINSON - BIRDWATCHING IN PNG & NEW BRITAIN

23

Sand Plovers C. mongolus and Red-necked Stints Calidris ruficollis. We
also saw a number of less expected birds including Orange-footed Scrubfowl
Megapodius reinwardt. During the three weeks on mainland Papua New
Guinea I saw a total of nearly 300 species of birds including 16 species of
parrots, 25 of pigeons, 13 of kingfishers and 20 different species of birds of
paradise.

New Britain, the largest of several islands in the Bismarck Archipelago,
is situated off the north-eastern coast of Papua New Guinea. No birds of
paradise occur on New Britain but it is home to a number of birds found
nowhere else. We flew from Port Moresby via Nadzab to West New Britain
landing near the small town of Hoskins. From there we drove to Walindi
Plantation Resort which was our base for our five-day stay on New Britain.
From here we visited a number of forest sites where birds included Knob¬
billed Fruit Doves P. insolitus, Red-knobbed Imperial Pigeons D. rubrica,
Black Imperial Pigeons D. melanochroa , New Britain Kingfishers Halcyon
albonotata and Black-headed Paradise Kingfisher T. nigriceps.

Blue-eyed Cockatoos were not uncommon and Eclectus Parrots abundant.
Other parrots seen included Purple-bellied Lories L. hypoinochrous, Red-
flanked Lorikeets and three delightful Bismarck Hanging Parrots Loriculus
tener. Pokili Wildlife Management Area included an area of hot sulphurous
springs close to which Melanesian Megapodes M. eremita tunnelled into
the earth to lay their eggs and leave them to be incubated by the geothermal
heat.

A power-boat trip from Walindi Plantation Resort took us past flocks of
Lesser Frigate Birds and out to a number of islands surrounded by coral
reefs. Here we eventually found Nicobar Pigeons Caloenas nicobarica,
seen first only in flight leaving the forests of Kimbe Island and then found
perched high in trees when we landed on Restorf Island. At Chester Zoo
our Nicobars used to spend a lot of time on the floor of their aviary and I had
wrongly expected to see these on the ground. We also enjoyed watching
Beach Kingfishers H. saurophaga and numerous brightly coloured fish in
the shallow water close to the beach.

A long stop over in Port Moresby on the way home gave time for a visit
to the University Botanical Gardens. Here I was delighted by a very
inquisitive tame and talking Raggiana Bird of Paradise which clearly
enunciated “Hello”, “Goodbye” and “ha ha ha ha” as well as some words in
its niugini pidgin vocabulary, and five Blue-eyed Cockatoos one of which
repeatedly called “Cocky Kaikai”. “Kaikai” is pidgin for food! Blue-eyed
Cockatoos and their current status on New Britain was the subject of a
separate short article in the previous issue (Avicultural Magazine 107,4:146-
148).

24

BIRD NOTES FROM CHESTER ZOO, 2001

by Roger Wilkinson

New arrivals at Chester Zoo in 2001 included a pair of Red-billed
Curassows Crax blumenbachii on loan from the Cracid Foundation, Belgium,
where they were bred. This critically endangered curassow originates from
the Atlantic rainforests of Brazil where a captive breeding and reintroduction
programme is currently being conducted. This is especially pleasing for me
in that I was fortunate enough to visit the Atlantic rainforest and see these
birds at the Linhares Reserve when birding in Brazil in 1992. The timing of
the arrival of the Red-billed Curassows is fortuitous in that 2002 heralds the
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Atlantic rainforest
conservation campaign.

We received a pair of Argus Pheasants Argusianus argus on loan from
Michel Klat’s fine collection at Hare Hatch and a pair of Malaysian Peacock
Pheasants Polyplectron malacense on deposit from the World Pheasant
Association. The latter holds breeding groups of Mountain Peacock
Pheasants P. inopinatum and Malaysian Peacock Pheasants in the UK in
trust for the Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks. Chester
Zoo has strong links with the WPA and has held a pair of Mountain Peacock
Pheasants as part of this programme since 1995. We first bred from this pair
in 1997 and with the two chicks reared in 2001 have to date successfully
reared nine chicks. Earlier this year the WPA was asked if it could send
some new bloodlines to complement the Malaysian Wildlife Department’s
own stock to save taking further birds from the wild. As a result in September
200 1 , a pair of Mountain Peacock Pheasants (including a male bred at Chester
Zoo) and a pair of Malaysian Peacock Pheasants were shipped by the WPA
to Kuala Lumpur. From Kuala Lumpur they were transferred to the
Malaysian Wildlife Department’s pheasant breeding station at Sungkai.

The pair of Malaysian Peacock Pheasants will now be the focus of our
attention with respect to breeding as in line with genetic management we
have been advised that the our pair of Mountain Peacock Pheasants have
now produced sufficient progeny for the programme’s current needs.

The Satyr Tragopans Tragopan satyra parent-reared two chicks which
have now proven to be two males. Six Green Peafowl Pavo muticus and
three Common Peafowl Pavo cristatus were also reared. The two young
male Congo Peafowl Afropavo congensis bred in 2000 were left in the aviary
with their parents throughout 2001 . In June the female hatched a chick that
survived 1 0 weeks and two chicks from a second clutch hatched in November
but unfortunately neither of these were reared to independence. Our second
pair of Congo Peafowl, which includes a female bred at Chester in 1995,

WILKINSON - CHESTER NOTES 2001

25

Roger Wilkinson

Vietnamese Pheasant

again laid eggs but these proved to be infertile. We had our first breeding
success with Vietnamese Pheasants Lophura hatinhensis with one chick
hatched being foster reared after artificial incubation. Lady Amherst’s
Pheasants Chrysolophus amherstiae were hatched but none were reared and
five Crested Wood Partridge Rollulus roulroul were bred.

The West African Black-crowned Cranes Balearica pavonina pavonina
hatched two chicks and we decided to leave these with their parents. The
chicks were reared until when just over three weeks old both apparently
healthy chicks were found dead. Post mortem examination suggested the
cause of death to have been pneumonia, which may have been the result of
infection by the parasite Syngamus trachea that had occurred despite the
initiation of a regime of routine prophylactic worming for these chicks.

Because Emmen Zoo required a large number of penguins for its new
exhibit we were able to produce a considerable batch of young Humboldt
Penguins Spheniscus humboldti. A total of 30 penguins were hatched either
in the incubator or under their parents. Of 21 that were incubator hatched
all but three were successfully hand-reared. Parent-rearing was more
successful than in previous years with six of the nine penguins hatched under
their parents being reared to independence. It was very rewarding to be
able to watch the youngsters with their parents and observe the adult penguins

26

WILKINSON - CHESTER NOTES 2001

encouraging their fledged chicks to join them in the pool.

In our large aviary for European Birds - Europe on the Edge - the
Waldrapp Ibis Geronticus eremita reared three youngsters and the White
Storks Ciconia ciconia, in a nest easily observable to our visitors offered
them much interest caring for their two chicks. The Eurasian Spoonbills
Platalea leucorodia nested and their first clutch was removed for artificial
incubation and hand-rearing. Two chicks grew well and were reared to 30
days when skeletal growth problems became apparent which resulted in the
loss of these chicks. Post mortem results revealed a calcium deficiency.
The second clutch was left under the parent spoonbills and three chicks
hatched but one died after two days and a second at 13 days old. The third
was reared by the parents with the assistance of supplementary feeds given
by the keepers. This chick fledged prematurely at just over a month old and
failed to survive.

White-headed Ducks Oxyura leucocephala nested in Europe on the Edge
and three of their ducklings were artificially reared. Red-crested Pochards
Netta rufina, also bred in Europe on the Edge and produced two parent-
reared broods, one of four ducklings and the other of a singleton. Other
waterfowl reared in the collection included two Black-necked Swans Cygnus
melanocoryphus, eight Mandarin Ducks Aix galericulata, four Falcated
Ducks Anas falcata , five Laysan Teal A. laysanensis , two Garganey A.
querquedula and 1 1 Common Shovelers A. clypeata. Twelve Marbled Teal
Marmaronetta angustirostris were hatched of which seven were successfully
reared. Baer’s Pochards Aythya haeri and Ferruginous Ducks A. nyroca
were both hatched in 2001 but despite several surviving to over three weeks
old none were reared to independence. More rewarding was the rearing of
three Smew Mergus albellus and a Hooded Merganser M. cucullatus.

The Caribbean Flamingos Phoenicopterus ruber ruber hatched and reared
five youngsters. These were all hatched between July 21st and August 2nd.
The first hatch date as per the pattern reported in last year’s bird review
(Wilkinson, 2000) was again later than last year but only by one day. The
Chilean Flamingos P chilensis , which at Chester now always nest later than
the Caribbean Flamingos, hatched their first chick on August 1 8th (almost
two weeks earlier than last year) and their last on September 16th. Four
chicks were reared from the seven hatched by the Chilean Flamingos.

Great Grey Owls Strix nebulosa were bred for the first time at Chester.
One chick was found dead shortly after hatching on May 21st but the
temptation to check the nest and take any remaining chick or chicks for
hand-rearing was resisted. It was then doubly pleasing when first one then
a second Great Grey Owl chick eventually fledged. One Spectacled Owl
Pulsatrix perspicdlata and a White-faced Scops Owl Otus leucotis were
also parent-reared. Our original breeding pair of White-faced Scops Owls
had been very prolific and because they were considered to be genetically

WILKINSON - CHESTER NOTES 2001

27

over-represented the pair was split in 1996. Since then we had no sign of
breeding from the new pair until 200 1 when one of two chicks was reared
successfully. It was thus particularly disappointing when the breeding female
was found dead later in the year. The breeding of the Spectacled Owl was
also of interest in that the young sire was a bird that had been fostered by the
dam and following the death of its foster father had been left in the breeding
aviary with its foster mother. This bird proved to be fertile at only 12 months
old.

The Blue-winged Kookaburras Dacelo leachii, which have been in the
collection since 1994, when they arrived from Rotterdam Zoo, bred for the
first time at Chester. Two chicks were reared from the first brood and a
further two in a second brood. A Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
chick was reared to independence by its parents. Fischer’s Turacos Tauraco
fischeri were bred for the first time at Chester with one chick successfully
hand-reared. The Red-crested Turacos T. erythrolophus hatched two chicks
but this year failed to raise them. Two Schalow’s Turacos T. schalowi and a
Violet Plantain-eater Musophaga violacea were parent-reared.

Tarictic Hornbills Penelopides sp. were another species bred for the first
time at Chester. The exact origin of the vast majority of Philippine Tarictic
Hornbills held in European collections is uncertain and it is generally believed
that many if not most are hybrids between what were formerly considered
to be island races of one species ‘ Penelopides panim but are now treated as
full species. We received a male Tarictic Hornbill from Vogelpark Avifauna,
Netherlands in January. This male morphologically most closely resembles,
but cannot with absolute certainty be identified as, Penelopides affinis
samarensis. This bird was introduced to a female, an offspring from the
prolific pair previously kept by Linton Zoo, that had been donated to Chester
Zoo by Mike Curzon following the closure of the Tropical Bird Gardens at
Rode in autumn 2000. The Tropical Bird Gardens, Paignton Zoo and Chester
Zoo worked together closely and the Tropical Bird Gardens, Rode, will be
greatly missed.

The new male Tarictic Hornbill is very aggressive towards people and
we wondered whether he would prove to be a successful parent. The female
was very keen to nest and before we had introduced a nest-box and only
days after the male was introduced to her showed interest in a chamber
formed by a split log on the floor of the aviary. She was discouraged from
using this site and a purpose built nest that included a nest camera was
quickly fixed in the aviary. Twelve days later she laid her first egg, followed
two days later by a second egg and three days after that the clutch was
completed with the laying of her third egg. The male was not seen to feed
her and she was hand-fed in the nest by the keepers before she was observed
to be occasionally leaving the box to feed herself. The eggs were removed
for candling and were not returned to the nest-box as all three eggs were

28

WILKINSON - CHESTER NOTES 2001

Roger Wilkinson

Chestnut-capped Ground Thrush

found to be infertile.

The Tarictic Hornbill female soon showed interest in the nest-box again
and 20 days after the first clutch had been removed an egg was observed in
the nest-box. The female completed a second clutch of four eggs. This time
the male was seen to feed the female in the nest and also to pass Dracaena
leaves to her in the box. Three chicks were hatched and reared and these
proved to be two males and one female. Male Tarictic Hombills are pied
with much white on the body and head whilst the females are mainly black
and this was clearly visible once the chicks grew feathers. The young female
was found dead shortly after fledging. This was at the time the female was
again showing interest in the nest-box and it was strongly suspected that she
could have killed the female youngster. Several species of Tarictic Hombills
have been reported to have helpers at the nest in the wild (summarised in
Kemp, 2000). The aggressive behaviour of the adult female would not be
inconsistent with a system in which young males normally remain in the
natal territory to help whilst females are encouraged to disperse, and the
confines of the aviary preventing the young female escaping the attentions
of the adult female. However as helpers of both sexes have been reported
for those species of Tarictic Hombills in which cooperative breeding has
been observed this may be invalid speculation and the death of the young
female remains unexplained. A third clutch of two eggs was then laid of
which one egg hatched. The chick proved to be a female and as a
precautionary measure it was removed from the parental aviary shortly after
fledging.

Cameras were also fitted into other hornbill nest-boxes at Chester. After
a number of years of failed nesting attempts by our Great Hombills Buceros
bicornis we became frustrated by the fact that because we did not know at
what point and why their breeding attempts were failing we could do little
to assist them. This really was a situation in which we were working in the

WILKINSON - CHESTER NOTES 2001

29

Roger Wilkinson

White-naped Pheasant Pigeon

dark. After the nesting female had emerged we sometimes but not always
found fragments of eggshell but did not know whether the nesting attempts
failed before, at, or after hatching. To reduce costs the four nest-box cameras
in the Tropical Realm were all connected to a single inexpensive portable
television used as a monitor and based in the bird kitchen area. A control
panel then allowed scheduled scanning of the four nests or selection of only
one nest for a longer period. A camera was also fitted in the nest-box of the
Great Hornbill pair in the aviary inside the Asian Elephant house. This had
its own television monitor located in an off-show keeper area adjacent to
the aviary. Video recorders were connected to both televisions so that
behaviour sequences could be recorded for subsequent analysis.

Initially a hole to accommodate the camera was made in the side of each
nest-box at a position judged to be on a level with the sitting bird. It was
anticipated that this would enable the observation of any eggs to determine
laying dates, egg turning behaviour and subsequent clutch history. Once
fitted it became apparent that the cameras emitted a low intensity light that
elicited pecking from the female hornbill in the nest chamber. Accordingly
the cameras were relocated in the top of the box at a position more out of
reach of the bird.

A single season of use has already repaid the costs of installing this
relatively inexpensive equipment. We learnt that the females of both pairs
of Great Hornbills each laid a single egg. The female Great Hornbill of the
pair located in the Asian Elephant building removed all the bark chips
provided as nest material from her nest barrel and laid directly on the flat
floor of the barrel only to sit with the egg to her side rather than cover it. As

30

WILKINSON - CHESTER NOTES 2001

a result of this knowledge we have modified the nest-box to both reduce its
internal dimensions and to include a concave bottom into which we hope
this year’s egg may roll in the hope of encouraging the female to cover it.
The female Great Hornbill in the Tropical Realm aviary behaved quite
differently in that she did not remove the nest material and incubated her
single egg. This failed to hatch and at least tells us we need to concentrate
on problems associated with incubation rather than as we might have done
concern ourselves with solving irrelevant problems, for example that the
nesting attempt may be failing because of the parents not feeding newly
hatched chicks.

The camera in the Wrinkled Hornbill Aceros corrugatus nest also gave
us important information that assured us that the recently received nesting
female was not losing condition despite her overlong stay in the nest. We
also learnt that this particular female was laying eggs and showing appropriate
incubation behaviour but the eggs were failing to hatch. Knowing that the
male of this pair was fertile with his previous female led us to ask further
questions about reproductive synchronisation between the pair and whether
the female was being mated before sealing herself in the nest-box. In this
case the observations inside the nest did not give us an answer but at least
have prompted us to ask what we think are the appropriate questions.

Additional to the information that is of direct relevance to better
husbandry and management of our captive birds is the presentation of the
opportunity to collect significant scientific data on the female’s moult,
parental care and nestling development. We encourage students to take
advantage of the research opportunities presented by these cameras and have
included this as a project on the list of undergraduate research opportunities
offered by Chester Zoo. In addition the opportunity is available through the
use of nest monitors to show zoo visitors the hornbill nesting cycle and add
to this with appropriate educational interpretation. We are encouraging our
Education Department to take advantage of this opportunity.

Crested Bronzewing Pigeons Ocyphaps lophotes and Speckled Pigeons
Columba guinea were bred in the free flight area of the Tropical Realm and
Rock Doves C. livia in Europe on the Edge. More importantly a Mauritius
Pink Pigeon C. mayeri was reared by its parents in one of the Bird Arcade
aviaries. New to the collection, in January 2001, we received a pair of
Green-naped Pheasant Pigeons Otidphaps nobilis from Vogelpark Avifauna.
Later in the year a pair of White-naped Pheasant Pigeons O. n. aruensis was
received on loan from Barcelona Zoo. A female Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Goura victoria arrived from Bristol Zoo and later a male was received from
Paradise Park, Hayle.

The St Lucia Amazons Amazona versicolor in Islands in Danger laid a
single egg in early June but this was found outside the nest and although

WILKINSON - CHESTER NOTES 2001

31

removed for artificial incubation proved to be infertile. A pair of Ecuador
Amazons (Lilacine Amazons) A. autumnalis lilacina hatched two chicks
but lost these shortly after hatching. The good news was that the newly
received pair of Red-tailed Amazons A . brasiliensis from Rode reared two
chicks in the Parrot House. Other parrots bred included three Yellow-collared
Macaws Ara auricollis, two Yellow-backed Chattering Lories Lorius
garrulusflavopalliatus, aDuyvenbode’s Lory Chalcopsitta duivenbodei and
two Mount Apo Lorikeets Trichoglossus johnstoniae.

We were grateful to receive three Chestnut-capped Thrushes Zoothera
interpres as a donation from a private aviculturist who has been particularly
successful in breeding this attractive thrush. These settled well in the free
flight Tropical Realm and have already made several unsuccessful nesting
attempts. In order to increase the productivity of birds in these mixed species
areas where there is more competition between breeding birds than in
traditional smaller breeding aviaries we remove chicks from the more
accessible nests of selected species for hand-rearing. In 2001 we elected to
do this to supply other zoo collections with captive-bred Red-billed Leothrix
Leothrix lutea of which six were later donated to Paignton Zoo. Red-
whiskered Bulbuls Pycnonotus jocosus , also in the Tropical Realm, had not
reared chicks for a number of years and three were removed from a nest and
hand-reared in 200 1 . Lifteen White-rumped Shamas Copsychus malabaricus
were reared from two pairs by a combination of parent and hand-rearing
and two Red-tailed Laughing Thrushes Garrulax milnei were also hand-
reared.

One Yellow-throated Laughing Thrush G. galbanus simaoensis, two
Emerald Starlings Lamprotornis iris and two Asian Glossy Starlings Aplonis
panayensis were parent reared in the Tropical Realm free flight. African
Pied Starlings Spreo bicolor raised five chicks in the Bird Arcade aviaries
where Azure-winged Magpies Cyanopica cyanea also raised two young.
Last, and if only in size very much least, some 20 Zebra Pinches Taeniopygia
guttata were bred from over prolific parents in the Pinch Plight.

References and bibliography

duPont, J. E. 1971. Philippine Birds. Delaware Museum of Natural History, USA.

Kemp, A, C. 2000. Family Bucerotidae (Hombills). Pp. 436-523 in del Hoyo, J., Elliot, A. &
Sargatal, J. (eds). Handbook of Birds of the World Vol. 6. Lynx edicions, Barcelona, Spain.
Pasini, A., Arsufi, D„ Micali, G. & Violani, C.G. 1994. Identification and captive breeding of
Yellow-throated Laughing Thrush Garrulax galbanus. Bull Oriental Bird Club 19:49-50.
Wilkinson, R. 1994. Birdwatching in Brazil. Avicultural Magazine 102,2:68-75.

Wilkinson, R. 2000. Chester Zoo Bird Review 2000. Avicultural Magazine 107,2: 69-75.

Dr Roger Wilkinson is General Curator: Higher Vertebrates and
Research at Chester Zoo, Upton, Chester CH2 1LH, UK. Tel:01 244 650223/
Fax: 01244 381352/E-mail: k.kingsharp@ chesterzoo.co.uk

32

LONDON ZOO REVIEW 2001

by John A. Ellis

All in all, 2001 proved to be a busy year at London Zoo, both for birds
and staff. The highlight and possibly low point of the year concerned the
Seven-coloured Tanagers Tangara fastuosa. This beautiful species is
currently classified as endangered and the fragmented wild population
remains under severe threat from extensive logging and consequent loss of
habitat. We were then delighted when two chicks fledged in April. However,
one of these was lost eight weeks later. The pair had two further nests and a
single chick was produced from the last clutch. Tragedy struck in late
September when we lost the breeding female. While awaiting the results of
DNA sexing, we can only hope that we have a female and that perhaps we
can locate further birds held in the UK.

The colony of Black-footed or African Penguins Spheniscus demersus
continues to grow. Apart from a short break in late summer, the birds seem
to breed year round and in 200 1 produced a further nine young. London
Zoo, as part of the breeding programme, sent Dalmatian Pelicans Pelecanus
crispus to Paignton and Chester Zoos in exchange for further European White
Pelicans P. onocrotalus. This has succeeded in evening out the previous
female-heavy sex ratio and now we have the foundation of a successful
colony.

Hammerkops Scopus umbretta , which were last kept at Regent’s Park in
the late 1 960s, are back in the collection again. The Abdim’s Storks Ciconia
abdimi failed to breed in the Southern Aviary as the result of their nests
continually being taken over by Waldrapp Geronticus eremita. Hopefully
this problem has been overcome by moving the latter to the Snowdon Aviary.
Waldrapp, Little Egret Egretta garzetta, Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis and Sacred
Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus all reared young in 2001. The Black-faced
Ibis Theristicus melanopis had several nests but the eggs were always
infertile. After re-sexing the birds, a doting female pairing has now been
separated and we are attempting to pair one of the females with a somewhat
imprinted male.

We were pleasantly surprised when two African Harrier Hawks
Polyboroides typus fledged instead of the normal singleton produced by
these consistent breeders. A surplus female was sent to the Hawk
Conservancy to make up another pair of this attractive and interesting species.

A pair of captive bred Sunbitterns Eurypga helias has arrived, the male
from Amsterdam Zoo and the female a present from Frankfurt Zoo. The
two have paired well (Sunbitterns bred at London Zoo in 1865) and are
currently in the Tropical Bird House sharing the large central aviary with

ELLIS - LONDON ZOO REVIEW 2001

33

the colony of Roulroul or Crested Wood Partridge Rollulus roulroul. The
colony method seems to work well with this species, with 20 chicks hatched
and a total of 1 1 reared successfully. Some chicks are taken after hatching
and hand-reared, others are left with the parents and reared in the aviary,
where most of the losses occur. It is a learning experience for the birds and
the level of success rises as the females gain experience.

Pigeons and doves had a relatively successful year. We were again
successful with both the Chestnut-naped Ducula aenea paulina and Purple¬
tailed Imperial Pigeons D. rufigaster , rearing three and two chicks
respectively, and had to cap breeding Green Imperial Pigeons D. a. aenea.
One of the most exciting arrivals was that of one male and three female
Socorro Doves Zenaida graysoni , which came from Frankfurt as part of the
EEP/ESB. This species is extinct in the wild, not having been recorded
since 1972. We plan to transfer some birds between London and Bristol
Zoos, leaving London with two pairs. A pair of Mindanao Bleeding-hearts
Gallicolumha criniger was received from Bristol.

Blue-crowned Lory Vini australis and Mount Apo Lorikeet Trichoglossus
johnstoniae both successfully fledged chicks, as did Blue-throated Conure
Pyrrhura cruentata. The Black-cheeked Lovebird Agapornis nigrigenis
colony went from strength to strength until we had no option but to remove
the nest-boxes. Over 60 chicks hatched and although we did lose some
shortly after fledging, by the end of the year we had sent 57 to other
collections and still retain a large and active colony. A female Red- vented
Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia was sent to Chester as part of the EEP

A male Fischer’s Turaco Tauraco fischeri was acquired to pair with the
zoo’s single female. The male has to be kept under observation as he is
somewhat boisterous with the female. The pair produced chicks but failed
to rear them. Red-crested Turacos T. erythrolophus fledged a chick
successfully, however, the following egg was abandoned and subsequently
hatched in an incubator. The chick was reared using a puppet, skilfully
made by keeper Patsy Joseph and readily identified with it, and shows no
signs of imprinting.

During the year we lost a male Rusty-barred Owl Strix hylophila , sent
originally from Tierpark Berlin to Antwerp in November 1978. At that time,
the bird’s age and origin were not recorded though it is known that it was an
adult. It was at least 23 years old when it died, but could have been
considerably older. We were fortunate in producing a chick from our other
pair. The few Rusty-barred Owls in UK collections are mostly from stock
originating from Berlin and new blood is needed to sustain the UK population.
Late in the year, thanks to Chris and Alan Barnard, we eventually succeeded
in pairing up our female Hawk Owl Surnia ulula. Surplus Spectacled Owls
Pulsatrix perspicillata. White-faced Scops Otus leucotis and Rufous-thighed

34

ELLIS - LONDON ZOO REVIEW 2001

Owl S. rufipes chacoensis were sent to other collections.

Toco Toucans Rhamphastos toco returned to the Regent’s Park collection.
Chessington Zoo sent two males bred there in 2000 and following another
exchange we now have a young pair. We also managed to pair up the Black¬
necked Aracaris Pteroglossus aracari . Never having previously shown much
interest in breeding, it was most encouraging that one pair went to nest,
even though on this occasion the attempt was unsuccessful. We also received
a pair of Keel-billed Toucans R. sulfuratus on loan from Charlie Mason,
who had so much success with his Red-billed Toucans R. tucanus now at
Whipsnade Wild Animal Park.

Shama Copsychus malabaricus, Magpie Robin C. saularis, Bali Starling
Leucopsar rothschildi and White-crowned Robin-Chat Cossypha albicapilla
all successfully reared young. Three pairs of Pope Cardinals Paroaria
dominicana managed to produce 22 chicks and although some were lost
after fledging, the final total of 16 was quite a feat. Black-breasted Thrush
Turdus dissimilis and Red Siskin Carduelis cucullata both hatched chicks
but failed to rear them.

We feel we have a good base on which to build in 2002 and have some
exciting projects unfolding, including a European wetlands area and
renovation work on the Tropical Bird House.

John A. Ellis is Curator of Birds at London Zoo , Regent's Park, London
NWl 4RY, UK. Tel: 020 7449 6454/Fax: 020 7722 2852/ E-mail: john.ellis
@ zsl.org

COTSWOLD HAPPENINGS

Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens (where the society held its Spring
Social Meeting 2002) was in February 2000 asked to participate in the
European Breeding Programme for the Vietnamese Pheasant Lophura
hatinhensis. It was assigned two males from Antwerp Zoo and later received
a female from a private collection in the UK.

In March 2001 a clutch of seven eggs was laid. Three were placed under
a broody bantam and the remaining four were left with the female. Only
three hatched and the two chicks which were reared, both males, will shortly
go to other collections as part of the captive breeding programme.

The park has exhibited Great Hornbills Buceros bicornis in the Walled
Garden since it first opened in 1970 and in 1983 was the first UK collection
to breed this species. The original female died of old age in 2001 , and a new
female has been received from Chessington Zoo and already appears to be
bonding well with the male. As part of a project administered by the Forestry
Department of the Government of Thailand, the park has adopted a pair of
these hornbills nesting in the wild in that country, and makes a payment
towards the cost of protecting its nest site.

35

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The article about the late Fred Shaw Mayer in Vol.107, No. 3, pp. 105-
108, brought the following response from Fred Barnicoat, a member since
1959 and a former Vice President, who lives in South Africa. Explaining
how he came to acquire one of Fred Shaw Mayer’s bound volumes of the
Avicultural Magazine , which holds an honoured position in his almost
complete set, he writes: “Through the list of members which used to be
published annually, giving the name, address and date of joining of each
member, I met a young Australian bird enthusiast, Peter Oderkerken, who
for many years lived in Buderim, not far south of Nambour. He somehow
heard about Shaw Mayer living in the retirement village and began visiting
him on a regular basis. The elderly gentleman relished the companionship
of a young like-minded enthusiast, and had a vast knowledge and endless
fund of anecdotes to share. When at the end of 1988 Peter was due to move
to Darwin, he paid him a farewell visit and as a parting gift Fred Shaw
Mayer insisted on giving him his most cherished possession - his full set of
the Avicultural Magazine , dating back from when he joined in 1922 - “so
that it might not go the way of the wind”. Fred Shaw Mayer died some
eight months later.”

“When during the 1960s I was collecting my set, mainly through W.B.
Frostick, the natural history book specialist at Minster Precincts,
Peterborough, a son of John Frostick, the last surviving original member of
the Avicultural Society, I was told that the part most unlikely to become
available was that for January 1923. That issue marked the beginning of a
new series (the fourth) following the difficult years after the First World
War. When, in an effort to salvage the critical situation, the Avicultural
Society and La Societe Nationale d’Acclimatation, of France, decided to
share in the production of an ambitious series on aviculture, starting with an
issue containing two colour plates, which were quite a luxury. The cost of
producing that issue was, of course, exorbitant, and made possible only by
the generous donations of some members. The issue resulted in a great
revival of interest, membership rose rapidly and the society entered upon
one of its most flourishing periods.”

“Because of the high cost of producing the January 1923 issue with two
colour plates, no surplus copies were printed and this accounts for its rarity.
So, when in Australia in 1996, I was especially delighted when Peter
Oderkerken agreed to swap his 1923 bound volume that had belonged to
Fred Shaw Mayer, for my 1 1 loose parts in mint condition, plus a number
from 1905-1912 with hand-coloured plates, that I had purchased as
duplicates.”

“It enabled me to fill one of the five gaps in my set. I deeply appreciate

36

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

having a book owned by the great man, one which he must have taken to
New Guinea and other distant places. He had written in the front in the
most beautiful handwriting: F. W. S. Mayer, “Walfruna”, 88 Concord Road,
Homebush. The volume is well thumbed with some of the names in the
membership list - Amsler, Astley, Delacour, Ezra, Frost etc. - crossed in
pencil. As well as the names, certain paragraphs are marked, most notably
one in which Mr Wilfred Frost had made several journeys to New Guinea
and the Aru Islands, in an article by Seth-Smith about birds of paradise.”

“On my way home via Sydney, friends helped me try to trace “Walfruna”,
presumably the family home where Shaw Mayer grew up, but it seemed
that old area of Sydney had been demolished for the construction, then in
progress, of the stadium for the 2000 Olympics.”

The aforementioned Wilfred Frost, another of the great collectors, joined
the Avicultural Society in 1908. It was Frost who was commissioned by Sir
William Ingram to collect Greater Birds of Paradise Paradisaea apoda from
the Aru Islands for release on the Caribbean island of Little Tobago, which
he purchased for these birds when it was feared that the species might be
exterminated from New Guinea and the Aru Islands by the millinery trade’s
demand for its plumes. Forty-eight were released on Little Tobago in 1 909
and in 1912a further three were released.

In June 200 1 , shortly after returning from a visit to Trinidad and Tobago,
Rosemary Low wrote to tell me that contrary to what I had written previously,
Greater Birds of Paradise no longer exist on Little Tobago, having been
extirpated by Hurricane Flora in 1963. Apparently the Government of
Trinidad and Tobago approached the Indonesian Government about
importing replacements but its request was not granted. However, the
remains of the introduction cage which was optimistically built, can still be
seen on Little Tobago.

When I was in London last October, I had lunch with Don Newson,
formerly Head Keeper and then Overseer of Birds at London Zoo until his
retirement, from whom I learnt that Frost had been a scenery shifter in the
theatre, who had started out catching British birds, such as Goldfinches
Carduelis carduelis, as a sideline.

I was working at the zoo and met Wilfred Frost when he brought over
his last collection, which included four male Greater Birds of Paradise, their
long plumes stained dark red by the wood shavings on the floors of the
boxes. I also learnt that from Don that Frost had a son, who had lost an arm
while serving in the Navy during the war. The son lived in Ealing, west
London, and Frost stayed with him when he was in London.

Wilfred Frost died shortly after leaving for Borneo on what would have
been his 54th expedition. He was aged 82.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

37

BIRDS AND AVOCADOS

Rosemary Low writes: “Avocado as part of the diet of quetzals, bellbirds
and urnbrellabirds was mentioned in Vol.107, No. 3, p.140 (2001). The
statement that the flesh and stones of avocados are toxic to parrots, or to
some parrots, was included. I have seen the tiny avocados no more than
5cm (approx. 2in) long, eaten by quetzals in the cloud forest of Monteverde,
Costa Rica. They bear little resemblance to the cultivated fruits that we
buy. Whether their chemical composition is the same I do not know.
However, I do know that avocados can kill parrots. Let me quote information
from the internet published in Parrots magazine, February/March 2000
issue”:

“On Tuesday we were eating supper with our African Grey Parrot
‘Monty’. I only gave him a little piece of green avocado flesh. I was
unaware that avocado is unhealthy for birds. We spent the whole night up
with him, giving him supportive care but the toxicity was just too much for
his body. He passed away on Thursday morning at 8.00 a.m.”

“We would like to let as many people as possible know that avocado is
extremely toxic for birds. ‘Monty’ passed away at the young age of seven
years. He had never been sick...”

In an attempt to learn more, I contacted the Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew, and received a reply from Jill Turner, Centre for Economic Botany
(website:www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/). About the poisoning of birds by
avocado pears Persea americana , she wrote: “It seems that as long ago as
1989, studies had shown that avocado fruits could kill budgerigars and in
1994, ostriches. There are also many reports of their leaves causing the
deaths of various grazing and foraging animals.” Adding later: “Some
humans also have to avoid avocados - those who have a latex allergy may
experience a reaction to them, sometimes severe enough to provoke
anaphylatic shock.”

She was kind enough to print out three pages of information retrieved
from the website - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - of the US National Library of
Medicine. In one experiment, avocados of two varieties were mashed and
administered to eight canaries and eight budgerigars. Six of the latter and
one of the canaries died within 24-47 hours. Results indicated that avocados
are highly toxic to budgerigars and less toxic to canaries. Post mortem
findings observed in some birds included subcutaneous edema in the pectoral
area and hydropericardium. (Avocado ( Persea americana ) intoxication in
caged birds. Hargis, A. M., Stauber, E., Casteel, S., Eitner, D. Washington
Animal Disease Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington
State University. J Am Med Assoc. 1989 Jan 1; 194 (l):64-6).

In another experiment pairs of budgerigars were given samples of plants

38

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

considered potentially toxic to pet birds. Of the 19 plants tested, only six
induced clinical signs of illness; these plants were yew Taxus media , oleander
Nerium oleander , clematis Clematis sp., avocado Persea americana, black
locust Robinia pseudoacacia and Virginia creeper Parthenocissus
quinquefolio. (Evaluation of selected plants for acute toxicosis in
budgerigars. Shrophire, C. M., Stauber, E., Arai, M. Department of Veterinary
Clinical Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington
State University J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1992 Apr. 1;200 (7):936-9).

Nine out of 120 ostriches died from congestive heart failure within 96
hours of ingesting avocado leaves and immature fruits in an avocado orchard
containing Hass and Fuerte cultivars. (Cardiomyopathy in ostriches ( Struthio
camelus ) due to avocado {Persea americana var. guatemalensis) intoxication.
Burger, W. P., Naude, T. W., van Rensburg, I. B., Botha, C. J., Pienaar, A. C.
Ostrich Research Centre, Oudtshoorn, Republic of South Africa. J SAfr Vet
Assoc. 1994 Sep:65(3):113-8).

Jill Turner also sent photocopies of the page-and-a-half on the Avocado
from a comparatively new book, Toxic Plants Dangerous to Humans and
Animals by Jean Bruneton, Professor of Pharmacognosy at the University
of Angers (France) School of Pharmacy. According to this the toxicity
appears to be associated with only the Guatemala variety, its cultivars (e.g.
Hass, Anaheim, Reed) and the Fuerte cultivar ( drymifolia x guatemalensis ).
The exact nature of the toxic substance was unknown for a long time but, in
1994, a method was published for assessing avocado toxicity. The toxin is
in fact an ester of a C21 fatty alcohol, (2i?)-(12Z, 15Z)-2-hydroxy-4-
oxoheneicosa- 1 2, 1 5-dienol acetate, already isolated in 1975.

There is no known antidote. The onset of edema is an indication for
prescribing corticosteroids and diuretics.

On the subject of humans and avocados, the author writes: “....those
patients treated with some MAO inhibitors (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
must exercise moderation” and cites the example of a 35 year old man
undergoing this type of treatment who had a hypertensive crisis after eating
four avocados that must have been very ripe. He concludes: “This incident
was probably induced by the fact that avocado contains a large quantity of
tyramine, an amine normally degraded by the MAO.”

Jill Turner concluded her letter: “In view of the personal and monetary
value of parrots, other caged birds and dogs to their owners, the dangers of
feeding avocado pears to these animals should be more widely known.”

39

BOOK REVIEWS

HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS

One of the most poignant books you are ever likely to read Hope is the
thing with feathers - is a unique account of the extinction of six North
American bird species. It is not a cold scientific record but an imaginative
and thoughtful book. Christopher Cokinos is an award-winning author and
a professor of English at Kansas State University. One September afternoon
in Kansas he saw an escaped parrot and this led him to research the extinct
Carolina Parrakeet, which once coloured the sky “like an atmosphere of
gems”.

His research prompted him to ask: “How could we have lost and forgotten
so beautiful a bird?” In an attempt to answer that question and in an effort
to make certain that we never again forget this species, he set about writing
an account of the demise of this parrakeet, plus the five other species. His
painstaking research has resulted in this fascinating book, illustrated with
black and white photographs and other pictures of extinct species and
historical events. The most shocking one (though doubtless commonplace
at the time) depicts a woman’s hat decorated with a dead Carolina Parrakeet.
Surely the saddest one is that which shows a Mr Bryan with his pet Carolina
in 1906. Like any tame conure, it is sitting on its owner’s chest, snuggling
close to his face. Only 12 years later, the last Carolina Parrakeet known to
exist died at Cincinnati Zoo. She is said to have died from grief after her
mate of 32 years passed away.

Today it might seem incredible that the opportunity to breed this species
in captivity was neglected but times were different then and the word
conservation was unknown in the context we use it today. Among the many
fascinating stories that surround the decline and demise of the Carolina
Parrakeet is that of film purported to have been taken in Georgia’s
Okefenokee Swamp in 1937. When this colour film was presented in 1970
at a meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, the audience watched
carefully, but no one could say if the birds depicted were Carolina Parrakeet s.

I suspect that it is more likely that they were escaped aviary birds of
another closely related species of Aratinga conure, such as the Jendaya.
Whenever I read about the Carolina Parrakeet, the omission of one fact that
would surely be obvious to anyone closely associated with parrots, always
surprises me. The Carolina was so obviously a Aratinga conure, yet everyone
seems to have missed the fact that as long ago as 1 826 this parrakeet was
classified with the Aratinga species. The name of the genus was changed to
Conurus , then back to Aratinga. Probably towards the end of the nineteenth
century, someone decided to change the generic name of the Carolina to

40

BOOK REVIEWS

Conuropsis. Soon after this the species became extinct - and the name stuck.
Despite all his research, Cokinos makes no mention of this. Generally
speaking A ratinga conures are not difficult to breed in captivity. If they had
lingered on for a few more years, could they have been saved by captive
breeding? Perhaps not. Some species are doomed when their numbers fall
below a certain level because they needed large flocks as a stimulus to
breeding, as in the case of the Passenger Pigeon.

The other species covered are the Heath Hen, Passenger Pigeon, Labrador
Duck and Great Auk. Finally, there is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, so
recently extinct that it is included in that indispensible volume Threatened
Birds of the World. However, as Christopher Cokinos comments, it “may
not be extinct although it has vanished from the gaze of all but a few...”

With interest in extinct species being rekindled by a couple of recent TV
series, this book is a timely addition to the literature. It should be read by
everyone who cares about the plight of birds today, though I must admit that
I found it depressing. Unfortunately, we are now witnessing the start of an
era of mass extinction in which many more birds species will be lost. Perhaps
these tragic stories, so skillfully related, will help to prevent the extinction
of another half dozen (6) bird species. Some are perilously near the edge
and this book might provide the inspiration that will save them.

Hope is a thing with feathers (ISBN 1-58542-006-9), 360 pages, is
published by P. Tarcher/Putnam of New York.

Rosemary Low

CHATTER OF CHOUGHS

OK, here is a break from aviculture. Or, perhaps not, for aviculturists
look after birds because they love birds, not aviculture! So, in this respect,
we are no different to birdwatchers or ornithologists. It is just that we study
them at closer quarters, and notice different things. To find out about life
patterns. Protect them. Breed them. Secure them. Pamper them.

So this is a book that will not worry you or make you feel inadequate.
No feeling of “Oh, if I’d done that...” or “Maybe I should do that next season”
or “Should I try this species or that species?’ Instead you can sit back, and
in odd moments dip into this delightful anthology of poems, essays and
cartoons, all dedicated to the Red-billed Chough, or as many of us still think
of it, the Cornish Chough.

When I imply that it would not make you feel inadequate, I should perhaps
say that it may make you feel a little literately inadequate, for this slim
volume of 128 pages is chocker with charming, amusing contributions. All
of a very high standard, by contributors who are all connected with St

BOOK REVIEWS

41

Edmund Hall, Oxford - which has four Choughs on its coat-of-arms (to find
out why you will have to get the book!). The contributors include Terry
Jones (of Monty Python) and renowned poets, including Tom Paulin, Kevin
Crossley-Holland, John Powell Ward, David Constantine, Bernard
O’Donoghue and Jenny Lewis. So this might be temptation enough.

The abundant illustrations come in a wide range of styles, some which
may not totally impress our esteemed Editor, but all are funny, clever or
evocative. Some of the cartoons remind me of Guy Troughton’s work in
those great little Whittet Books.

And when the entertaining is done, there’s a heap of learning too.
Everything you never knew you wanted to know about the history, folklore
and mythology of this remarkable bird. Short on natural history perhaps
but, like I say, that’s not the point. It is a break from all that. And I doubt
you will find a more treasured one.

Chatter of Choughs, A St Edmund Hall Anthology, is published by Signal
Books Ltd., Oxford. The softback edition is priced £10 and the hardback
£20. Copies are available from Lucy Newlyn, St Edmund Hall, Oxford
0X1 4AR, UK (website: www.seh.ox. ac.uk).

Dr Richard Meyer

HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD

If anything, number six of this monumental series is more stunning than
its predecessors. Of course it helps to have a volume devoted almost entirely
to some of the world’s most colourful and spectacular birds - kingfishers,
bee-eaters, rollers, trogons and hornbills among them. By contrast with
these dandies, the mousebirds look positively drab.

The sheer volume of high quality material available for this latest volume
presented the publishers with a considerable dilemma and they have devoted
some two pages to explain how they resolved the problem. The material in
question has been split into two parts - Volume 6 (Mousebirds to Hornbills)
will be followed in April by Volume 7 (Jacamars to Woodpeckers), with
passerines starting at what will be Volume 8. As a result of these changes
we are not quite at the half-way stage of what was planned originally as a 12
volume work, but has recently been increased to 16. The publishers looked
at various options and eventually decided to poll readers in order to ascertain
their views: (a) that future volumes should continue to be as comprehensively
illustrated as possible or (b) to cut costs where necessary by including fewer
photographs and illustrating fewer subspecies on the colour plates, as well
as imposing strict word limits on authors. Ninety-three percent of readers
polled want future volumes to continue to be as comprehensive and fully
illustrated as possible, therefore nine volumes will be devoted to passerines.

42

BOOK REVIEWS

In Volume 6 the HBW team has succeeded in carrying out a trial on a
long-term aim of encouraging good photographers to go out in search of
photos of species for which it has none of publishable quality. “On this
occasion, Brian Coates very kindly agreed, at very short notice and with
very modest funding, to travel to Sulawesi in search of photos for some
elusive species. We are delighted to report that the results of this experiment
include a fine series of shots, of which we are very happy to be publishing a
selection in this and forthcoming volumes”, said a spokesman. Examples
of Brian’s work can be found among the kingfishers, rollers and hornbills.

Layout remains the same of course, with lengthy family introductions
providing much general information on Systematics, Morphological Aspects,
Habitat, General Habits, Voice, Food and Feeding, Breeding, Movements,
Relationship with Man, Status and Conservation. Species accounts, which
are accurate and up to date, are provided under the headings, Taxonomy,
Subspecies and Distribution, Descriptive Notes, Habitat, Food and Feeding,
Breeding, Movements, Status and Conservation, plus a short bibliography
appropriate to individual species. The 45 colour plates - the work of Richard
Allen, Francesc Jutglar, Lluis Sanz, Norman Arlott, Douglas Pratt, Jan
Wilczur, Hilary Burn, Chris Rose and Tim Worfolk maintain the high
standards achieved in previous volumes. As usual, distinctive subspecies
are also illustrated.

The photographs in Volume 6 provide irrefutable evidence of the
importance of maintaining the status quo. They are of outstanding quality
and while I have not checked every caption I believe the emphasis is solidly
on the work of field rather than studio photographers. My personal favourites
(not in any particular order) are: Resplendent Quetzal at nest (p. 95); Southern
Ground Hornbills feeding on zebra (p. 469); Von der Decken’s Hornbillls
with Dwarf Mongoose and Superb Starling (p. 451); Green Woodhoopoes
at nest (p. 419); Long-tailed Ground-Roller (p. 384) and Red-faced
Mousebird drinking (p. 69). Just about every facet of behaviour is captured
in more than 380 photographs. That is what sets apart the photographs in all
volumes, the fact that subjects are invariably engaged in activity of one kind
or another - feeding, preening, displaying and rearing young.

As usual this is as good as you are likely to get. It is now simply a
question of looking forward to further superlative volumes, for everyone
who has made the acquaintance of those so far published will surely want to
complete the set!

Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 6, Mousebirds to
Hornbills, is priced £110. Further information, samples and ordering are
available online at: www.hbw.com. Lynx Edicions have a new address:
Montseny, 8, E-Q8193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. Tel: +34 93 594 77 10/
Fax:+34 93 592 09 69/E-mail: lynx@hbw.corn

Frank Woolham

43

NEWS & VIEWS

PITTA BRED

Burgers’ Zoo, Arnhem, the Netherlands, last year bred an amazing 26
Hooded Pittas Pitta sordida, of which just three failed to survive. Other
birds bred included 17 Black-footed or African Penguins Spheniscus
demersus, of which just three failed to survive and 30 Striated Herons
Butorides striatus of which two failed to survive.

It also acted as a ‘dating centre’ for Great Hornbills Buceros bicornis
from Amsterdam, Antwerp, Arnhem and Rotterdam Zoos, at the end of which
some were re-paired. There were approximately 100 birds when the Great
Hombill EEP (European Species Survival Programme) was initiated 10 years
ago, since when 30 adults have died and 15 chicks have hatched, of which
10 have survived. Only a couple of pairs have bred consistently, and their
young may become over-represented in the near future.

* * *

FROM WCS ANNUAL REPORT

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) (website: www.wcs.org ),
New York, manages the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led
by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Parrots and pheasants at the Bronx have been
trained to perch on a scale, eliminating the need to catch the birds to weigh
them and its flock of young American or Caribbean Flamingos P. ruber
ruber have been trained to enter their shelter at the sound of a whistle.

At the WCS’s Queens Zoo construction began on a Thick-billed Parrot
Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha exhibit, and the zoo recorded its first successful
hatching of this species (one of six during 2001 in the USA). Kori Bustards
Ardeotis kori were introduced to the St . Catherines Wildlife Survival Center
in the late 1980s in the hope that the hot Georgia climate and open spaces
would be conducive to breeding. Despite males drumming and performing
breeding and territorial displays though, no eggs were laid. However,
following studies of bustard habitat in Namibia, changes were made to the
birds’ enclosure and in June 2001 , an egg was laid and artificially incubated.
It hatched in July.

A female Maleo Macrocephalon maleo dug her nest in the sandy substrate
beside the artificial site created for her. As a result the single egg was
undetected during the incubation period lasting 80 days, and the sudden
appearance of the chick came as a great surprise. It represents the second
generation of Maleos hatched at the center, the only collection to hatch this
species from Sulawesi in captivity.

* * *

44

NEWS & VIEWS

WITHOUT A BIOLOGY DEGREE BETWEEN THEM

Spix’s Macaw Cyanopsitta spixii is almost certainly extinct in the wild,
the last remaining male not having been seen since October 2000. A female
released into his area in 1995 died after hitting a power line a few months
after being released.

All but the most knowledgeable will, I suspect, be surprised to learn
that there are as many as just over 60 of these birds living in captivity, which
would seem to be more than enough to establish a captive breeding
programme, with the aim of eventually reintroducing this species back into
the wild. However, Rosemary Low points out that genetically the pool is
very small because so many are offspring from probably just one or two
pairs belonging to Antonio de Dios in the Philippines - and are therefore
related. Furthermore, many of the captive birds are owned by strong-willed,
wealthy individuals, who seem unwilling to cooperate on terms other than
their own.

This was the main theme of the cover story of Times 2, a section of The
Times newspaper (Friday, January 1 1th 2002). A colour photo of a pair of
Spix’s Macaws adorned the cover, the species the subject of what was
described as a story about “The good, the rich and the egotistical - Why
human vanity threatens the survival of the world’s rarest bird’’, with Giles
Whittell’s investigation on pages 1 & 2 headlined “Battle of the bird
breeders”.

Things came to a head when contrary to an agreement signed at a meeting
in Houston, Texas, in 1999, whereby all transfers of Spix’s Macaws between
breeders or zoos would be approved by the Permanent International
Committee for the Recovery of Spix’s Macaw (CPRAA) set up by the
Brazilian Government, Antonio de Dios of Birds International Inc., in the
Philippines, transferred four macaws to the collection of Sheikh Saoud
Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani, a member of the ruling family of Qatar, who
is not a signatory to the CPRAA agreement. Amongst other rare birds, the
Sheikh is also said to own several Lear’s Macaws Anodorhynchus leari.
Recently, A1 Wabra Wildlife Preservation, owned by the Sheikh, advertised
for a Bird Curator, whose qualifications were to include familiarity with the
breeding of parrots, in addition to which, a knowledge of birds of paradise,
would be appreciated!

What seems to have especially incensed Wolfgang Kiessling, owner of
Loro Parque, is that the transfer was allowed or perhaps even encouraged
by Natascha Schischakin, at the time a representative of Houston Zoo, who
for most of the 1990s served as the International Studbook Keeper for this
species. Recently relieved of her Spix’s Macaw conservation duties, she is
quoted as considering the home that the Sheikh has created for his macaws
“impeccable” and, Dr Nigel Collar, of BirdLife International, is said to have

NEWS & VIEWS

45

met the Sheikh and found him “wholly genuine” and sees no reason to doubt
his sincerity as a conservationist. The Loro Parque Fundacion, which over
the years is stated to have contributed US$600,000 (over £400,000) to the
recovery programme, has suspended its funding of the committee’s field
programme and will no longer participate until the recovery committee is
significantly reformed, and a commitment clearly made to the principals of
clarity, transparency, fairness, and adherence to the agreed rules and
procedures.

Loro Parque has three Spix’s Macaws. Antonio de Dios is said to now
own 27 and seems to be the most successful breeder. A further 18 are owned
by Roland Messer and are housed in his private aviaries in northern
Switzerland. He is said to have bought 15 for £70,000 (almost US$1 00,000)
from their previous owner, a Swiss dentist. According to a report in
Cyanopsitta No. 60 - March 2001, Joseph Hammerli, the dentist, owned 20
originally, and others went to Adolf Indermauer and a Mr Itten, neither of
whom are signatories to the CPRAA agreement.

According to the account in Times 2, Roland Messer believes that his
seven pairs are capable of producing more than 200 young over the next
five years, and when he has 250 he will give half of the offspring every year
to the CPRAA. Antonio de Dios is said to have similar plans and both are
said to have the backing of Natascha Schischakin.

There is, it seems, one Spix’s Macaw in Sao Paulo Zoo, Brazil, the only
one worldwide of the 60 or more on exhibition to the public. Writing in the
UK weekly magazine Cage & Aviary Birds (June 2nd, 2001), Rosemary
Low described the breeding of a further pair, this pair belonging to Mauricio
Ferreira dos Santos, at Criadero Chapparal, Recife, Brazil (not mentioned
in Times 2), that reared two chicks in 2000. The male of the pair originates
from the last confiscation from Paraguay. The two confiscated macaws
were sent to Sao Paulo Zoo and the male ultimately went to Mauricio Ferreira
dos Santos’ private collection and was joined by a young female bred by
Antonio de Dios. Of great importance is the fact that the male is probably
unrelated to those in the Philippines and Switzerland.

In Times 2, much was made of the fact that most of these birds are in the
hands of private individuals “without a biology degree between them” and
the international conservation community is said to be “begging them to
leave the saving (of Spix’s Macaw) to the experts”! Whereas it is questionable
whether one needs a biology degree to be a successful parrot breeder, surely
every member will agree with the part of Dr Nigel Collar’s statement where
he is quoted as having said: “...We need everyone with a Spix’s Macaw
sitting at a table agreeing on a plan thought through by experts...” No names
are put forward as to who these experts might be - perhaps members would
like to come up with one or two names !

46

NEWS & VIEWS

RED DATA BOOK

Threatened Birds of Asia: The Bird Life International Red Data Book , in
two volumes and described as “an essential reference source for anyone
with an interest in birds and conservation in the Asian region”, has recently
been published, price £55. There is also a CD-ROM at £12. Further
information is available from: NHBS Ltd., 2-3 Wills Road, Totnes, Devon
TQ9 5XN, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1803 865913/Fax: +44 (0)1803 865280/Website:
www.nhbs.com/birdlife.html/E-mail: nhbs@nhbs.co.uk

* * *

NATIONAL SUCCESS

Stewart Pyper writes: “The 58th National Exhibition of Cage & Aviary
Birds was held Saturday-Sunday, December lst-2nd 2001, at the National
Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. Judged best exhibit in the show, best foreign
bird and best nectar-feeder was the Streaked Spiderhunter staged by the
father and son partnership of B. and A. Howlett, well known keepers, breeders
and exhibitors, and keen supporters of the National Exhibition. Bernard
Howlett is a member of the Avicultural Society. Second best foreign bird
was the Grey-backed Thrush, as steady as a rock, shown by M. and C. Brown.
In third place was the normal Peach-faced Lovebird benched by D. Watlow.”

“The sunbird class with an entry of 31 was headed by J. P. Faulkner’ s
Malachite Sunbird, followed by an Amethyst and a Tacazze Sunbird. It was
a very difficult class to judge. Best small softbill and most artistically staged
foreign bird, was A. and M. Tugman’s Rufous-tailed Robin. Best large
parrot-like was the Ring-necked Parrakeet owned by R. Lewis. An excellent
male Star Finch, perhaps the best I can recollect, was judged best Australian
finch. It was benched by Mr and Mrs G. Nancarrow.”

“A Silver-breasted Broadbill, a steady bird in good condition, attracted a
great deal of attention as it was perhaps the first time this species has been
shown. There was also a selection of owner-bred foreign birds, just the tip
of the iceberg of those bred in the UK.”

“There was a good display of trade stands and an isle with all the club
stands. This was where the society had its stand. The total number of new
members who joined and lapsed members who rejoined the society was 13,
while 15 members took the opportunity to pay their 2002 subscriptions,
making it our best year yet. Scott Appleton again covered the cost of the
stand and the society is once again most appreciative of his generous help. I
would also like to thank those who helped run the stand.”

“This year’s National Exhibition will be held November 30th - December
1st. It is hoped the society will again have a stand at the exhibition. Anyone
willing to help run it should telephone 01373 836293 or write to me at my
address which can be found on the inside front cover of the magazine.”

NEWS & VIEWS

47

BANDING TOGETHER

Hunting hornbills for their feathers has become unsustainable in many
areas of Sarawak, Malaysia, leading to the depletion and even the extinction
of some local hornbill populations, especially of the Helmeted Rhinoplax
vigil and Rhinoceros Hornbill Buceros rhinoceros. In an innovative approach
to help protect these hornbills, the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)
Malaysia Programme Coordinator Elizabeth Bennett, working with Bronx
Zoo Curator of Ornithology Christine Sheppard, is providing the local people
with turkey feathers, with a black band painted across them so that they
look like hornbill feathers, so there is no longer the need to hunt wild hornbills
for their tail feathers. The painted feathers are usually culturally acceptable,
though there are a few ceremonies that, for spiritual reasons, require real
hornbill feathers. To meet this need, North American zoos, in a cooperative
effort led by the WCS, are supplying the indigenous peoples with hornbill
feathers moulted by birds in their collections. Feathers are worn by the men
in traditional hats and occasionally in capes, and by the woman during dances.

* * *

DODO’S NEAREST LIVING RELATIVE

A DNA test on the mummified remains of the Dodo said to have helped
inspire Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland has confirmed that the Dodo
was indeed a species of pigeon. The study, led by Dr Alan Cooper, Director
of the Henry Welcome Ancient Biomolecules Centre, Oxford University,
concluded that the Dodo’s nearest living relative is the Nicobar Pigeon
Caloenas nicobarica .

* * *

DECEMBER 1916 - OCTOBER 2001

Chester’s Zoo Life Winter 2001 - Issue 8, included an obituary to Muriel
Florence McCann. She was the eldest daugther of George and Elizabeth
Mottershead, the founders of Chester Zoo. Except for service in the Navy
during the war, she worked at the zoo until on a trip around the world, she
met and in 1956 married Charles McCann a Curator at Wellington Museum,
New Zealand. Her father was a Vice President of the Avicultural Society
1962-1978.

* * *

AVICULTURAL MAGAZINE BACK ISSUES

A large stock is available including some early issues. Sales are by post
only. Further details are available from: Hon. Secretary/Treasurer, The
Avicultural Society, P.O. Box 47, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7WP, UK.

48

STRAIGHTS

Brown Perilla Seed £2.50 kg £11.50 5kg
Black Lettuce Seed £5.50 kg

£12.00 2.5kg
£11.50 5kg
£4.95 5kg
£5.50 5kg

Blue Maw £2.50 kg

Buckwheat £1.50 kg

Canary Seed £1.50 kg

Chillies £2.50 500g £5.00 kg

Chicory Seed £3.50 kg £15.00 5kg

Fonio Paddy £6.95 500g £13.00 kg

Fresh Water Shrimps £5.00 500g £9.50 kg

German Thistle £4.50 kg £8.50 2.5kg
£1.50 kg £5.00 5kg
£1.50 kg £8.00 5kg
£4.00 500g £15 2.5kg

£1.00 kg £4.50 5kg

£7.00 5kg
£11.75 5kg

£3.25 500g £12.50 2.5.k
£2.50 kg £9.50 5kg
£1.50 kg £4.95 5kg
£3.00 500g £6.00 kg
£4.00 500g £8.00 kg
£1.50 kg £4.95 S kg

£2.50 kg £10.00 5kg

£6.00 5kg
£10.00 5kg

Groats
Hemp Seed
Juniper Berries
Linseed
M. Sprays Chinese £1.50 kg
M. Sprays French £2.50 kg
Mountain Ash
Niger Seed
Paddy Rice
Pine Seed Small
Plantain
Safflower
Sesame Seed
Sunflower Striped £1.95 kg
Sunflower Kemals £2.95 kg

Teasel Seed £4.50 500g £9.00 kg

White Penlla Seed £3.00 kg £13.50 5kg
Whole Rosehips £2.50 500g £5.00 kg

STRAIGHTS
EGGFOODS
SOFTBILL DIETS
LIVEFOODS
PARROT MIXTURES
NECTARS
VITAMINS &
SUPPLEMENTS

PARROT PREMIUM (Witte Molen ) or
HARVEY’S LARGE PARROT SPECIAL

A completely new mix for 2002 which we
formulated for our own birds with over 30
ingredients such as: Exotic fruits, nuts out of shell,
Mountain ash berries, Elder berries, Rosehips,
Cedarnuts, Banana pieces, Pumpkin seeds. Blue
raisins but to name a few. Designed for the larger
parrots and does not have so many of the smaller
seeds of the parrot premium mix.

1kg £2.00 5kg £8.00 15kg £19.75
30kg for only £35 (Can be 15kg of each)

EGG FOODS FROM WITTE MOLEN

Wimo Moist Eggfood 1kg £3.00 5 kg Tub £14.25
Egg Rearing Food With Herbs 5 kg Tub £15.50
Wimo Eggfood Red 1kg £3.65 5kg Tub £15.50
Egg Rearing Food With Insects 5kg Tub £16.50

SOFTBILL FOODS

Softbill Food With Fruit 5kg Tub £ 1 6.25

Universal Food 1kg £3.45 5kg Tub £14.25

Softfood with 30% Insects 3.5 kg Tub £19.00

Avi-Plus Softbill Pellets 1 kg £3.95 5kg £13.95

LIVEFOOD (All species available)

Mealworms 1kg (2.21bs) £14.95 2kg(4.4 lbs) £26.95
5kg (1 libs) £41.96 10kg(221bs) £72.34
MiniM. 50g (1. libs) £13.95 1kg (2.2Ibs) £24.95

All Livefoods prices include delivery

P&P only £4.95 up to 45kg. For our advice helpline, free fact sheets or information on
our ever expanding range ofproducts please contact Rob Harvey Specialist Feeds,
Kookaburra House, Gravel Hill Road, Holt Pound, Famham, Surrey, GU10 4LG.
Tel: 01420 23986 Fax: 01420 23078 E-mail: rob@robharvey.com
Or go to our massive website with over 1 100 world wide links!
_ www : robharvey.com _

The proven supplements
system to improve breeding
performance.

Daily Essentials3

(or Bird Park Essentials)

Calcivet

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Feast or Flourish
ProBoost SuperMax
Potent Brew

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Leading the way - naturally

Contact us for details:

The Birdcare Company, Unit 9, Spring Mill Ind. Est,
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Tel: 0845 130 8600 (local call charge only) (UK only) or
Int + 44 1453 835330 Fax: Int + 44 1453 834302
E-mail: sales@BirdcareCo.com or advice@BirdcareCo.com
Website: www, B i rdcareCo.com

CONTENTS

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LIBRARIES

9088 0

769 6451

My Experiences Breeding the Victoria Crowned Pigeon

by Rosemary Wiseman . 1

The Breeding Behaviour of a pair of Cinereous Vultures

at Lincoln Zoo Park

by Nicole Kehl and Megan R. Ross . 3

The Grey Parrot in Aviculture

by Derian A. L. Silva Moraton . 8

Birdwatching in Papua New Guinea and New Britain

by Roger Wilkinson . 17

Bird Notes from Chester Zoo, 2001

by Roger Wilkinson . 24

London Zoo Review 2001

by John A. Ellis . 32

Letters to the Editor . 35

Book Reviews

Hope is the thing with feathers . 39

Chatter of Choughs . 40

Handbook of the Birds of the World . 41

News & Views

43

Published by the Avicultural Society, England.
Produced by Data Publishing Service, Cheddar.