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T H E P R E M I E R P E T & AV I A RY B I R D M AG A Z I N E VO L 29 I S S U E 3 • J U N -J U L 2016
Green-winged Macaws Blue-fronted Amazons
Bourke’s Parrot R E D S TR AW B ERRY FINCH B L U E PA R R OT M U TAT I O N S
regulars
152 BREEDING AUSTRALIAN
PARROTS: Bourke’s Parrots By Barry Blanch
154 FINCH FUNDAMENTALS: The Red Strawberry Finch By Marcus Pollard
CONTENTS
T H E P R E M I E R P E T & AV I A RY B I R D M AG A Z I N E VO L 29 I S S U E 3 • J U N -J U L 2016
Green-winged Macaws Blue-fronted Amazons
Volume 29 Issue 3
Bourke’s Parrot RED STR AWBERRY FINCH
COVER: KING PARROT BY ROBERT NORTH
B L U E PA R R OT M U TAT I O N S
157 INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES: Meet Loro Parque’s Juan Cornejo By Lubomir Tomiska 160 ABOUT BIRDS:
Risks and Rewards of Backyard Bird Feeding By Kit Prendergast
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178
170 features
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178 FINCH FOCUS:
Observation—Our Early Warning System By Russell Kingston
182 HOOKBILL HOBBYIST:
Lories Part 2—the Smart Choice By EB Cravens
185 CANARY CHATTER:
Breeding Canaries in Australia—Part 6 By Brian Bohl
188 AVIAN HEALTH WITH DR BOB: Exotic Diseases By Dr Bob Doneley
190 THE WISE OWL:
Rosellas—Right on the Nose By Dr Milton Lewis
192 CONSERVATION:
• LPF: Red and Blue Lories By Dr David Waugh • WPT: Yellow-shouldered Amazon Holds its Own on Bonaire By Carolyn Pradun and Echo
195 WILD CORNER:
Ocean, the Light-mantled Sooty Albatross By Dr Claude Lacasse
196 LAST CHIRP
• Fighting for Bird Expos, Sales and Auctions in Victoria By Sam Davis
196 WHAT’S NEW
• The Genius of Birds By Jennifer Ackerman
141 BLUE-FRONTED AMAZONS
By Rosemary Low Much-loved for their vivacious personality, Blue-fronted Amazons are no longer common in the wild, and breeding them requires patience and expertise.
146 BLUE MUTATIONS IN PARROTS
By Jean Marc Fleurier Many breeders think there is only one Blue mutation among parrots, but that is not the case as is explained in this article.
164 ISLAND KING PARROTS
By Peter Odekerken Peter profiles these stunning but shy subspecies of King Parrots.
166 AUSTRALIAN KING PARROTS—AND THEIR MUTATIONS By Robert North Robert is a specialist breeder of Australian King Parrots and their mutations.
170 AUSTRALIAN KING PARROTS
By Peter Odekerken Peter shares his experiences and methods of keeping Australian King Parrots.
174 GREEN-WINGED MACAWS—CAPTIVE BREEDING SUCCESS By Marcia Weinzettl A comparative examination of breeding results for this endangered species in the wild and in captivity in Brazil. 176 WORLD OF BIRDS—A RARE TREAT
By Dorothy Schwarz Dorothy is delighted by the work of Holland’s only recognised bird sanctuary.
197 classifieds 139
THE TEAM
WELCOME
T
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
SHERYLL STEELE-BOYCE
he opportunity to spread the word about bird keeping should be grabbed as often as possible. Many clubs take a proactive role, participating in events such as regional agriculture and animal events at local showgrounds, right through to major events such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show and the Brisbane Ekka. Recently ABK attended a wonderful event in Adelaide, South Australia—the Wildlife Expo, at the Adelaide Showgrounds on 14–15 May. This inaugural event focused on education and responsible pet ownership, covering a variety of bird, reptile, amphibian, invertebrate, and mammal exhibits—but sadly, very few featuring birds. With crowds of around 10,000, I believe the low participation of bird keepers and others in the industry was a wonderful opportunity to promote aviculture lost. The success of the event was also testament to the number of people genuinely interested in knowing more about animals, both before and after they are in their care. Congratulations to the organisers and fellow sponsors! However being there elicited an emotion I have often felt—that aviculture is being kept a secret. Our attitude should always be one of encouraging growth to a wider audience who may be interested in keeping birds. Aviculture needs to tune in to what is happening with other animal groups and take a leaf out of a book here and there. Think outside the square rather than focus narrowly on how much you are going to get for a particular bird or complain that you cannot sell your birds due to reduced interest or price, or that there are no young people coming into the hobby. There are plenty of young people keeping critters of all sorts. We just have to reach out to them! Anyway, off the soapbox and on to what we have for you this issue: The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources has commenced a review for the importation of household pet and noncommercial psittacine birds into Australia. This is in response to numerous requests from pet psittacine owners and hobbyists. Conditions for the importation of psittacines from all countries were suspended in 1995 and conditions for the importation of pet birds from New Zealand remain in force. Therefore, the Importation of Psittacine Birds (Household pet and non-commercial)— Draft Review will examine suspended and existing conditions. The next step is to prepare and issue a draft report to provide stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the analysis. A Biosecurity Advice will be issued to announce when the draft report has been placed on the department’s website and to invite comments. Following the consultation period, the department will consider all comments in preparing a final report. This announcement was released in May—ABK will keep you updated with the progress.
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Peter Odekerken
Russell Kingston
Dr Bob Doneley
Dr Terry Martin
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
Our focus this issue is on King Parrots— Peter Odekerken presents the Island species on page 164 and the Australian species on page 170, while well-known King Parrot mutation breeder Robert North reveals his breeding methods and the colours available in the Australian form both here and overseas on page 166. Not for the faint-hearted, the in-depth article Blue Mutations in Parrots on page 146 reveals the difficulties encountered when correctly naming Blue mutations in various species. This article may assist in clarifying some of the misunderstandings. Observation of your birds in any depth is something too often forgotten. Russell Kingston arms you with the tools to improve your husbandry skills by observing behaviours during feeding, breeding, and identifying potential problems during laying, rearing, fledging and more—the checklist appears on page 178. Interesting research, thought to be a world first, has been completed by a group of Australian scientists. It shows that birds can be very sensitive to detecting odours. Yes, birds use their nostrils to take in the smells of their environment, their own and other species, and more—see The Wise Owl on page 190. Many parrot enthusiasts are aware of Loro Parque and its world-leading work in the conservation of birds and other animals. AVES 2015 introduced the curator of birds, Dr Juan Cornejo, to Australian breeders. He reveals more about his career in Lubomir Tomiska’s interview on page 157. Marcia Weinzettl, from Brazil, also a past AVES Parrot Convention speaker and biologist, presents some interesting breeding results on the Green-winged Macaw on page 174. Dr Bob’s wise words on exotic bird diseases on page 188 should not be overlooked. We in Australia are not immune to these threats, and being aware of the signs may save a bird or flock. The Parrot Society of Australia Inc, based in Brisbane, is holding the Parrots 2016 convention on 1–3 July. The three-day program features international and Australian speakers including Rosemary Low, Dr Cromwell Purchase, Dr Scott Echols and Hillary Hankey—see full program details at www.parrotsociety.org.au. For registration see the website, email events@parrotsociety. org.au or phone 0432 988 977. ABK will be sponsoring Rosemary at this event and have a limited selection of her titles available for purchase and signing. Hope to see you there!
Barry Blanch
Dr Milton Lewis
EB Cravens
Marcus Pollard
Brian Bohl
Rebecca K O'Connor
Kit Prendergast
Lubomir Tomiska
PUBLISHER Sheryll Steele-Boyce
EDITORIAL GRAPHIC CONSULTANT DESIGNER Alison Houston
Melinda Leu
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING Sheryll Steele-Boyce WRITERS Rosemary Low, Jean Marc Fleurier, Barry Blanch, Marcus Pollard, Lubomir Tomiska, Peter Odekerken, Robert North, Marcia Weinzettl, Dorothy Schwarz, Russell Kingston, EB Cravens, Brian Bohl, Bob Doneley, Milton Lewis, David Waugh, Carolyn Pradun, Claude Lacasse and Sam Davis. EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE MOST WELCOME SUBSCRIPTION, ORDER & ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Telephone: 07 5568 0011 Fax: 07 5568 0300 Email: birdkeeper@birdkeeper.com.au www.birdkeeper.com.au Published by
Postal Address: PO Box 2330 Burleigh BC QLD 4220 Australia Office Address: Unit 2, 6 Davo Court, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
International Standard Serial Number ISSN 1030-8954 DISCLAIMER While every care is taken, the publisher accepts no responsibility for the content of advertising or editorial material published. Articles represent the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher. ABK Publications also reserves the right to refuse any advertising it deems to be detrimental to the integrity of the publication, Australian Birdkeeper Magazine COPYRIGHT It is an off ence under the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968 to reproduce any part of the contents of this publication, including advertising artwork and photography without prior written consent of the publisher. ©2016 ABK Publications. All rights reserved.
P ODEKERKEN
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROSEMARY LOW
T
he genus Amazona is large, with approximately 29 species. They vary in temperament as much as in facial markings. Not all make good companions or breeding birds. But the Blue-fronted Amazon Amazona aestiva is much-loved for its vivacious and extroverted personality. It is the best known member of the genus, with a captive history in Europe that dates at least from the 16th century. For very many decades it was the only readily available species. From the 1960s more Amazona species gradually became available to aviculturists outside Australia. However, most of these ‘new’ species could not match the Blue-front for personality or its powers of mimicry. Many Blue-fronts would be described as unforgettable, endearing characters— let’s face it, others would be known as irascible and difficult! Blue-fronted Amazon male
A typical male of the nominate race with red at the bend of the wing—the all-black beak distinguishes the Blue-fronted from the Orange-winged Amazon
If you have not kept Amazon Parrots before, and you decide to keep Blue-fronts with the hope of breeding from them, there are a few things you should know. Most Amazons do not reproduce as readily as the smaller parrots. If you do not have the patience to wait several years for them to start breeding, perhaps Amazons are not for you. Breeding Amazons should be looked on as a long-term project. HOUSING Blue-fronts can be bred in suspended aviaries or walk-in enclosures. The former can be advantageous in that the keeper does not enter the space of a breeding pair, which can be a frightening experience! Males, especially, will not hesitate to attack if they think there is intrusion into their breeding space. A minimum length of 3m is recommended for aviaries. These parrots need water on their plumage, so part of the roof should be of welded mesh to allow rain-bathing, or a sprinkler system can be installed in arid areas. Amazons should not be kept permanently in enclosed buildings without access to the outdoors. They need the stimulation that this provides. However, adequate shade and protection from wind must be provided in the outdoor area. If the aviary is large enough, they will enjoy walking about on the floor and exploring. To avoid holes and possible escape at floor level, it is advisable to place the aluminium framework on three courses of bricks on a concrete foundation. Aviaries with earth floors must not be considered. They allow the entry of vermin and are impossible to maintain in a hygienic condition. Concrete or shingle floors are recommended because they are easy to keep clean using a pressure washer. Amazons can be very destructive to wood, so aluminium angle should be used as the framework. However, these parrots must have gnawing material on a regular basis—they love to remove the bark from branches. If these are not supplied, they will destroy the nest box in their desperate need to gnaw.
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individual is now defi ned as the product of a gene coding function that no longer works correctly.
WORDS DS BY CIRCLE OF STUDIES OF PSITTACIDAE (CEMP) MUTATIONS S OF PSI PHOTOGRAPHS PHOTOGRAP PHS BY JEAN MARC FLEURIER
A
n increasing number of breeders today are raising parakeets and parrots, resulting in the appearance of new mutations. In most cases, these mutations appear spontaneously among a clutch and can be singled out as a possible mutation according to their phenotype. After identifying the modes of inheritance and genetic transmission, this change in appearance can be considered the start of a new mutation. When a similar mutated phenotype is observed among several species, and the mode of inheritance is identical, breeders often tend to conclude that they are dealing with the same mutation. In attempting to simplify the matter, there can be a tendency to generalise and apply these findings to all species. This approach is not without its own logic, but it should be confirmed each time through scientific means because genetics can mean this ‘logic’ may or may not apply. There are cases in which the same phenotype and same mode of inheritance are observed due to different genotypes and viceversa. Therefore, each mutation must be considered according to each particular species before naming it. In this article, we will examine Blue mutations among Psittaciformes. Many breeders think there is only one mutation for this colour among parakeets and parrots, but that is not the case. Based on current knowledge, we will analyse a few examples, proving that several mutations with a blue-coloured mutated phenotype exist. DEFINING A MUTATION The word mutation has had several definitions over time as knowledge of genetics developed. The big revolution, however, was the discovery of DNA and the molecular structure of genes. Without going into too much detail, it is necessary to revisit some elementary biology. All animal species (mammals, birds, etc) are classified as eukaryotes diploid cells. They are living beings whose cell nuclei contain a pair of chromosomes working together—one chromosome from the paternal side
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and one from the maternal side—and they have sexual reproduction. Diploid cells can have different numbers of chromosomes, depending on the species, but they are always grouped in pairs. These chromosomes carry information about the genetic heritage of each individual. This information is contained in thousands of genes that are passed on from one generation to the next. A given gene has a specific place on the chromosome—the gene locus. There are two of them, one on each chromosome of a pair (except the female sexual chromosome in birds). A gene is a piece of DNA molecule. This molecule is composed of different nucleotides—four elementary structural elements called adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine which are arranged in a very specific order. During cell divisions, there can be errors in the replication of the DNA molecule, thus creating mutations. If the change affects a gene by modifying the function of the protein it codes, we have a mutated individual. Sometimes the change is visually expressed through a different phenotype between the mutated and the non-mutated subject. Many breeders think that a mutated phenotype contributes to the definition of a mutation. This is not exactly true. The wild and mutated phenotypes are the visual consequence of a function affecting a protein which was coded by a gene. The phenotype can also be modified through environmental factors—the sun, temperature, age, light, food, etc. Based on current genetic knowledge, particularly molecular genetics, a mutated
NAMING A MUTATION There is no specific rule among the scientific community as to how to name a new mutation when it has not been identified on a molecular level. Except for geneticists, who study genomes and use an international classification to name the genes and mutations identified on a molecular level, mutations whose gene or determinism have not been identified, are often named after the produced phenotype (for example after the name of a colour, or a disease). However, once a name is given to a mutation and the necessary checks have been made, the name should remain unique and be used for all species among which the mutation exists. The process and unicity in naming are determining elements for further communication. It avoids any kind of confusion during debates and is a far more precise way in which to talk about a mutation not only in one species but in others. These days breeders tend to have a very selective way of thinking, naming a mutation according to the species they know rather than considering the mutation in other species. It would be interesting to possess a database of the Aves class to list all the names of existing mutations and their definitions. As far as we know this has never been attempted since there are very few exchanges among the breeders of different forms. But it would be no surprise to discover that the same mutation is known by different names in species across different avian families. It is also quite true that, in some cases, it would be rather difficult to be positive about it being the same mutation, as common genetics do not enable us to check if two mutations of species from different avian families are the same— it is not possible to cross taxa so widely different. (Mendelian laws have their limits which only molecular genetics can overcome.) Naming a mutation is not only determined by a gene function. The mode of transmission is also taken into account. According to heredity laws, back crossbreeding has to be carried out to find out if the mutation is passed on in a dominant or a recessive way and if it is sex-linked. When a name has been given in
BREEDING AUSTRALIAN PARROTS WORDS BY BARRY BLANCH Grad Cert App Sc. Ornithology PHOTOGRAPHS BY JULIE BLANCH
Bourke’s Parrots
D
espite being dull in colour compared to the brighter Neophemas, the small Bourke’s Parrot Neopsephotus bourkii is an unrecognised gem. A brown and pink coloured bird, the Bourke’s Parrot has in recent times been reclassified from the Neophema group to its own genus of Neopsephotus. These parrots were first discovered in 1838 by Sir Thomas Mitchell, not far from Bourke, their namesake town. They are grass parrots that camouflage in their drier inland environment. Having a quiet, curious and friendly nature, these birds can be kept in a variety of differently sized aviaries. The Bourke’s Parrot can tolerate both heat and cold, providing there is shelter from wet, windy conditions. Bourke’s are known to become very active before sunrise, after sunset and during moonlit nights. There is an increasing demand for mutations and variations in colours. IN THE WILD Bourke’s Parrots inhabit mostly drier parts of central and southern inland Australia, close to a water course or supply, including small rock pools. These small birds are absent from the large majority of dry, sandy desert inland expanses that have little to no vegetation and no water holes or water sources available. The birds range from throughout the central and south-western regions of Queensland, into central New South Wales, through Bourke and more far-western inland regions near Broken Hill. They also occupy regions in the eastern plains near Peak Hill and south to the Riverina area, including Ivanhoe. Flocks are commonly sighted along the Darling and Murray Rivers, southwards to over the South Australian border. Bourke’s Parrots have been sighted on the eastern side of the Flinders Ranges and up into central Australia through to the Northern Territory border and up through Alice Springs and north to the Davenport range. In Western Australia, Bourke’s Parrots inhabit the eastern Hamersley Ranges and central and southern regions, including the Laverton district.
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Much of the inland area inhabited is spinifex grass, with very little tree cover. Small amounts of rain—with less than 50–250mm a year recorded throughout these areas—confines the wildlife to staying close to the infrequently replenished water sources. Man-made bore holes, stock troughs and dams attract birds and provide habitat areas suitable for nesting. Nesting trees throughout the Bourke’s Parrot’s habitat include mulga, Acacia, Gidgee, Casuarina and Mallee Eucalyptus. Bourke’s Parrots feed among the spinifex, saltbush and, on occasion, porcupine grass in marshy regions. Acacia seeds form the majority of this parrot’s diet, along with native grass seeds and the common inland Nardoo aquatic fern, found in marshy areas. The seeds from these are poisonous to humans unless specially prepared to remove toxins. Historians suggest that it was this plant that killed the explorers Bourke and Wills when they ate the raw clover-like leaves. Bourke’s Parrots are known to be very active two hours before sunrise and after dusk, even when it is relatively dark. On moonlit nights the birds continue to flit around their habitat. Flocks of 100 birds can commonly be seen frequenting the vicinity of water sources at this time. Flocking is a survival tactic to reduce attracting predators that may be waiting for lone birds and small animals drinking from the very few water holes. As many as eight different species of predators can be lying in wait for an unsuspecting Bourke’s Parrot near the scarce water supply in the majority of their habitat areas. Description This little parrot is a rather small but hardy bird with brown and varying amounts and shades of pink plumage. It grows to approximately 20cm in length and has a gentle nature. Looking at the birds more closely, the distinguishing feature between sexes of Bourke’s Parrots is the adult male has varying amounts of sky blue colouration on the cere and forehead. The call of the Bourke’s Parrot is a soft chirping musical twitter that can attract stray and prowling cats to the aviary.
Above and below: Bourke’s Parrot male
Adult Males The lores and around the eyes, including either side of the beak and front of the cheeks, are a whitish-grey, with tinges of palest pink that stand out against the surrounding dark brown scalloped feathers. The ear coverts, crown, nape, hind neck, mantle and upper back vary from brown scalloped-edged pastel pink feathers to a soft brown over the central lower back, rump and upper tail coverts. Feathers from the chin, throat and upper breast are various shades of salmon pink, randomly tinged with undefined grey-brown, while the abdomen can be a rose or watermelon pink colour. Over the royal blue primary wing coverts, the median secondaries and greater wing coverts are dark brown edged with creamy beige scalloping, contrasting with the
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER ODEKERKEN
Green-winged King Parrot male from eastern New Guinea—females have no red on the head and upper chest
TAXONOMY TA A XONO O MY We are fo fortunate or tuunatee iinn A Australia usttraaliaa to see the Australian King Parrot frequently—even in our o ur gard gardens denns in tthe he ea eastern asteern st states. This colourful Alisterus genus is also found north of Austral li in lilia in New Neew ew Guinea Guineea and an islands west of the New Guinea mainland. Island King Australia Parrot otts are ots are usu ualllly re rreferred efeerreed to as the subspecies A. amboinensis, but in this article I will Parrots usually includ u e the Pa ud P apu pu n K puan ing Parrot species A. chloropterus. include Papuan King A Al ormss ar re st tunnn in colour and there is no question as to how closely related Allll fforms are stunning tth he genuss Al liste is— the Alisterus • A. a. amboinensis, from Seram and nearby islands, referred to as the Amboina King Parrot. • A. a. sulaensis, from the Sula Islands east of Sulawesi, referred to as the Sula King Parrot. • A. a. versicolor, from Peleng Island off the coast of Sulawesi. • A. a. buruensis, from Buru Island, referred to as the Buru King Parrot. • A. a. hypophonius, from Halmahera, referred to as the Blue-winged King Parrot. • A. a. dorsalis, from the western Papuan islands and adjacent mainland New Guinea, often referred to as the Salawati King Parrot. It has no pink webs to the tail and is significantly smaller than the nominate form. • A. c. chloropterus, from eastern New Guinea. • A. c. callopterus, from the central ranges of New Guinea. • A. a. moszkowskii, from north-western New Guinea, known as Moszkowski’s King Parrot.
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IN THE WILD I am fortunate to have seen a number of these subspecies in the wild but have found them extremely shy and retiring. A swift flyover or flight low across a track and they are gone. The various forms are said to be found from the lowlands up to 2800m in elevation. However, in my experience they are more likely to be seen at higher elevations. This could be due to the lowlands being changed by agriculture and the accompanying population pressure. Higher regions are definitely much less densely populated. Island King Parrots are said to feed in the forests but can be seen in adjacent farmland in small parties, or a pair may be seen with their offspring. I have only ever witnessed them in primary forest or flying through logged areas where large trees have been removed. Colin Morgan, on a recent trip, heard and saw a number of shapes of the Bluewinged King feeding and squabbling on Halmahera, inland from Weda Bay Nickel. I was fortunate to get a hurried snap of one of a pair of Blue-winged Kings feeding on the side of the road. They were in full view for seconds before flying across the track to feed on the other side, making sure that they were out of view on the other side of a bush. Occasionally you could see a dark shape flit to another position but otherwise it was impossible to see them. They are frequently heard with their typical King Parrot whistle, but seldom seen. Island King Parrots feed on fruit, flower buds, seed and, I am sure, new growth such as leaves and adjacent stems. Very little is known of their breeding habits but it is reported to be from February to April for both the Island Kings and the mainland forms. In the wild, birds would be expected to lay 3–4 eggs, similar sized clutches to Australian King Parrots, with incubation being about 20–21 days. Young fledge at about 8–9 weeks. IN CAPTIVITY The subspecies most likely to be seen in captivity is the nominate Amboina King Parrot, with Buru and Moszkowki’s occasionally seen in collections. The other forms have seldom been seen and the gorgeous Blue-winged King, from Halmahera, has only occasionally been imported and I believe has never been established. The Australian King Parrot would be considered by aviculturists worldwide as easy to cater for. However, the Island Kings seem to be more difficult to establish and maintain in captivity. Very few people are able to maintain them for long periods of time. I imagine that there are a few reasons for this. Firstly, I feel that the Australian King has adapted to a drier climate in most of
WORDS WO WOR DS D S AND AN N PH PHOTOGRAPHS HOTO TO OGRA G PHS PH BY MARCIA M MA MAR CIA WEINZETTL CIA W INZ WE NZETT NZ ETT E T L
CAPTIVE C CA PT TIV I BREEDING SUCCESS IN FREEPOWER AVIARY, BRAZIL
Gree Green-winged e n-winged Macaw adult
T
hee G h Green-winged r en re en-w -wi -w wiinge in nge ged Maca Ma Macaw aca caw Ara Ar A ra ch chloroptera hlo oro ropte pttter erra o eera occurs ccurrs cc ffrom fr rom m eeast aasst of o P Panama, an nam ma through Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana and southern Brazil to Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and northern Argentina. It inhabits evergreen forests, usually at altitudes of 500–1500m, but can also be found in deciduous tropical forest, savannah and scrub.
BREE BREEDING BR REE EEDI DI IN THE WILD Th her e e ar aare re records of wild Green-winged There M Ma Maca aca c ws ws b Macaws breeding in January in Brazil. Each ccl luuttcchh comprises com om clutch usually 2–3 eggs, and in a st sstudy tud udy dy off 16 nests in which 25 chicks were b bo orn rn, only onnlyy 40% survived. Another 36% died born, ffrom fr om mm a ln al malnutrition and 24% were killed by p pr reed datto orrs Those birds which do make it to predators. adul ad u th ul thoo thoo ood d measure 90–95cm in length and adulthood w we eig i h 1050–1708g 10 05 weigh (Hoyo, 1997). Thhe Green-winged T Gr Gr The Macaw is not cconsidered cons co onssider id der ere endangered, despite already bein be inng ex eextinct ext xt being in many Brazilian states, in nclud cludin cl udinng Bahia, Espirito Santo, Rio de ud including JJaneiro Ja ane neir iro an aand Minas Gerais Atlantic Forest— w wh ere itt hhas been extinct for 70 years er where ((S Sili vi vieerra, raa,, 22015). (Silviera, Eduaard Edua Ed do Nycander (Abramson, 1995) Eduardo cconducted co ond nduc duc ucted teed a fascinating in-situ study of tthese thes th hes esee bi b ird d which showed the weight gain birds, o cchicks of h ck hi cks rreared by parents in south-eastern cks Peru Pe ru. Fr ru F rom 23.9g at birth, they reached a rom Peru. From m me eann p ea of 1400g at 70 days old. Weight ea mean peak measurements were taken until the chicks were 99 days old, when they still had weight loss due to weaning and their weight was recorded at on average 860g. Weight loss during weaning reached 34.5%. The study also found that 32% of the eggs hatched and, in most cases, the third egg of the clutch did not hatch. The authors believed this was probably due to improper incubation after caring for the first two chicks. In another table, Nycander showed the results of monitoring 13 breeding pairs from which 25 chicks were born, but only 10 were weaned, giving an average of 0.7 chicks per nest. IN CAPTIVITY In captivity, commercial breeders, FreePower, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
Green-winged Macaw breeding pair
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Green-winged Macaw chicks at 2–7 days old
monitored the reproduction of two Green-winged Macaw pairs. By the end of the study, the males were at least 20 and females at least 15 years old. After two years of the initial pairing, they began nesting and one year later, chicks arrived. The pairs were housed in suspended cages measuring 1.5m wide x 2m long x 1.5m high and suspended 1.2m from the ground. Nests were rectangular and constructed of wood, measuring 0.8m long x 0.4m wide x 0.5m tall. Adult reproductive diet comprised 70% pellets and 30% grain mix, plus fruits and vegetables. During breeding, fresh corn was always added, which proved advanatgeous to the parent-raised offspring in early life. The feed used has basic assurance levels of about 17–20% protein, 8–12% fat and 1–2.5% calcium. These levels were reduced outside the breeding season. Of the 26 chicks monitored and handfed, only two died, and this was due to electrical problems that affected the temperature in the intensive care machine. In an effort to deduce the peak time for reproduction, we added the records of six young reared in previous years, making a total of 32 chick development records. All were born between July and February, but the peak was in October, when 34% of births occurred. This was followed by August and September with 13% of births each. Most of the chicks spent up to 10 days being reared by their parents, but 40% of them were handreared from birth. The handrearing methodology used was the same as publised by Weinzettl (2015), but in summary we offered the
Chicks at 21, 25 and 28 days
THE WISE OWL WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY DR MILTON LEWIS BSc (Hons) PhD
Rosellas—Right on the Nose
A
s I sat sipping coffee and enjoying an amazing autumn day, a Crimson Rosella perched beside me on a nearby chair and chatted. I had noticed signs posted around the outside of the café declaring it an offence to feed the parrots. A little sad, I thought, but I had no food (seed), so my temptation to disobey the rules could not be fulfilled. Although I am not really a parrot person, I am still able to admire the beauty of their vivid red and blue feathers. Most of all, I am constantly impressed by their boldness, intelligence and awareness of the world around them. Sadly, the other people at the café were seemingly totally oblivious to my visitor and his companions walking around the tables and collecting the windfalls of clumsy humans. Not surprisingly, I also expect that nobody there had any idea that these birds were part of an amazing Australian story in cutting-edge science.
recognised as very important. Australia has so many birds with wonderful colours and showy plumes, it is difficult to choose the best examples. I dare say that if it were not for the array of bright feathers and a multitude of patterns on so many species, the hobby of keeping these gems would not be so popular. But for many birds, colours reveal the value of a prospective partner through traits such as health, genetic background, ability to forage and strength in competing for resources.
The Nose Knows The idea that birds may also use odour (olfaction) as a sensory queue has never really been accepted in the world of zoology. We are quite at home with the concept that mammals are highly evolved in using scent in their daily activities. Canids mark the boundaries of their territories regularly by urinating and thus depositing an array of chemical markers that inform others of the same and other mammal species that there is an owner for that piece of ground. At an even higher BIRD TALK level, these animals are able to determine Science has in the past tended to the sex and the time of ovulation in teach students that birds do not have a urinating females of the same species. particularly good sense of smell, and only I am not sure how or why it became a communicate through sight and sound. dogma in science to ignore the fact that There are hundreds of examples that birds have nostrils and might use them like show conclusively how birds use complex other animals to take in the smells of their song structure and a wide repertoire of surroundings. Recently a group of Australian syllables to communicate their status as a researchers completed a study that is thought prospective partner or their competitive to be a world first in science, showing that ability as a territory owner. indeed birds do use their noses and can be The value of plumage colour and very sensitive to detecting odours. extravagance for birds has also been The species in question was our very own Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans, which p it was shown o Sh can distinguish d , ir B NTS E diff erences M r E e d UIR IONS. r Q the E l O IES AND R, MEDICAT GUE. between i a odours of sexes, M ESSOR ENTS CATALO rds s r M subspecies and a C E e c C L EE it ci n A N A S / S U P P O R A F R a j o r cr e d I V a species. The A F D m Y F The S OF QUALNITDITION FOLOOR WRITonEey orders and 37822523 research was R W performed very C A L qu e s , m , NS D CO PL IE 33 e dale h t 5 r c S U P R ING A N o t p M simply by fi nding 9 e , c t c 2 H e a r ne S RE A We a 0 nesting pairs in x a 0 F 2 /1 Ph / an area where
e r T a c C t Pe IRE D
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nest boxes were being used by a wild population, hanging small bags of feathers inside the nest and watching the behaviour of the incubating females. Mihailova et al (2014) found that when nesting female rosellas were exposed to the feathers of another rosella of the same species, there was a distinct change of behaviour. The length of incubation sessions was extended as was the time sitting outside the nest box. This behaviour was probably nest-guarding because of the high likelihood that another rosella of the same species (conspecific) visiting the nest could destroy the clutch. A female staying in the nest, or on a perch within sight, could defend against this possibility. In reality, the Crimson Rosella is not a very social bird when it comes to nesting and accommodating other rosellas nesting in close proximity. You have probably noted this yourselves when watching groups of feeding rosellas harassing each other and picking fights. Krebs (1998) found some very disturbing statistics nearly 20 years ago when studying a wild population in Canberra. In 55% of Crimson Rosella clutches, the eggs were destroyed by other members of the same species, 12% by possums and 29% by causes that could not be determined. It is a wonder we have any Crimson Rosellas at all, given that only 4% of clutches survive, but it was particularly bizarre to learn that most clutches were destroyed by conspecifics. Mihailova’s study also found that both males and females could detect odour from the feathers placed in the nest cavity several metres from the entrance. In these cases, the nest owners would delay entering the cavity and sit on a nearby branch where they were able to inspect for intruders before deciding to check the eggs. Clearly their olfactory ability is very good. Interestingly, the reaction of females when presented with odours from the feathers of Yellow Rosellas Platycercus elegans flaveolus, a subspecies, resembled the behaviours exhibited when either sham controls (bags without feathers) or heterospecific controls (feathers from unrelated species) were encountered. In these treatments, the females spent much less time perched on the nest box and entered the nest box sooner than if they detected
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