Breeding Parrotlets the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora an Overview and Fauna (CITES)
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rotlets are listed under Appendix II of Breeding Parrotlets the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora An Overview and Fauna (CITES). Anyone desiring to breed parrotlets by Matthew M. Vriends, Ph.D. Rocky Point, NY must first decide which species they want to keep and breed. It is highly rec ommended that one starts with a mini ue to the increasing populari importing them. Unfortunately, in mum of three unrelated pairs of birds ty of these charming, much those early days priority was never per species or subspecies. The three Dsought after companion par given to the responsible captive breed pairs must not he related in any way, so rots, demand often out trips upply. It ing of the hirds because they were that the young produced from thes i thu important that aviculturist usually easy to ohtain or replace. So pairs also are unrelated; in other word' know how to breed their birds in order why would one 'hreak one's neck" we will have three groups of unrelated to minimize importation from the wild. trying to breed them? offspring that can he paired up. Although, due to the recent regula Today, however, the situation is Experience ha ~ shown that each pair tions, importation has come to an quit different. Because th supply of of birds are better housed in their own almost complete stop anyhow. ild caught birds from their native breeding cage or (even hetter) aviary. In the 1920' most wild-caught par countries is likely to dry up in the not In this way it is less difficult to leg hand rotlets were imported into Germany, too distant future, future demands will (dian1eter 4 - 4.2 mm) the young accu the etherlands, Belgium, and have to he met hy captiv hreeding. rat ly and to keep an accurat record. Denmark; this gradually increased into Fortunately, most species are not yet Without accurate records (a card sys the 1950 when almo't the whole of dir ctly endangered in the wild hut, in tem, for example) it is ilnpos 'ihle to western Europe and England were spite of this (and rightly so), all par- maintain a healthy, noninterbred series of breeding pair. Don't forget that many parrotlet species, especially hens, ar quite difficult to distingui ~h, which can lead to unwanted hyhridizations if inadequate care is taken. Always take care in detern1ining the The Paqfic Pan'otlet s species (or subspeci s) you ohtain' plu1l7age is Ilot at it be t {{iter being hal/sed in a don't just ,tudy illustrations in one !Jlall cage. Although the book but check various puhlication' bird is smaller thall a (i.e. Forshaw's Parrots q(the World [3rd Bl/dv,erigar. it like' a roomye1l1'ironment. edition], Alderton s The Atlas q(Parrots, and Junip r and Parr's Parrots). My hook The Parrotlet Handbook (fall 1999, Barron s) will show many species and subspecies in color as w 11 but mo t of these hirds are captive bred and therefore sometimes look nicer when compared with wild caught specimens. Due to the difficulty in determining the various species (and subspecies), it is recommended that heginners start with three unrelated pairs of Pacific or Celestial Parrotlets Forpus coelestis. Apart from the re-discovered suh species F. c. lucida (see Molenda's arti cle in Watchbird; Volume XXII, No.5' Septell1ber/Octoher, 1996 pages 20 22), which is rarely commercially available, the Pacific Parrotlet ha no subspecies to cause confusion. This is a hybn"d male Green-rumped Panvtlet x BLue-u!f1lged PC/nvllel. \"ote ubat has We must set out to pair up pure happened to the u'ings an£! nlrnp. 77Je 110n7inateform qfthe Greell-rllmped has a hirds, so that they in turn produce pure green rump; the male Blue-u'inged has Cl cobalt blue lower back {{nd rli I7lp. Olle homozygous offspring; pairing doesn't have to be a Rembrandt to see what happens u 1hell those .pecies are C1vssed. 36 July/August 1999 Birding Books from Yale Parrots Owls A Guide to the Parrots a/the World A Guide to the O\l'ls a/the World Tony Juniper and Michael Parr Claus Konig. FriedheIm Weick, and Jan-Hendrik Becking Illustrated by Kim Franklin, Robin Restall. Illustrated by Friedheim Weick Dan Powell, David Johnston. This book, accompanied by recordings of the and Carl D'Silva distinctive voices 01 owls on a double CD, is an '"This fine ... book ... is uniquc in that it is invaluable aid to identifying owl species the tirst ever written to be used primarily as a throughout the world. The book details field guide to all the world's parrots.... 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The They will separate themselves from Europe and are thus readily available future of this species in aviculture other aviary inhahitants, and will chase even in the yearly breeding season. looks rosy. them away if they get too close. They Several color mutations are availahle in All of the other species have one or sleep, in their favorite spot, pressed this species (which are given full atten more suhspecies, some of which are tightly to each other and, when the tion in above mentioned hook). In extremely difficult to distinguish from hen is incuhating, the cock will often order to keep specific color mutations each other. If you want to hreed these spend the night with her in the nest pure, they must he paired carefully, species/suhspecies (which is quite hox. Parrotlets can thus he correctly and it may sometimes he necessary to possihle), you must he very familiar called the "lovehirds of South inhreed them. For this reason, I would with the various suhspecies, so that America." However, hefore this is all advise heginners to concentrate firstly false pairings and inhreeding can he possihle, cock and hen must he willing on the "normal" wild colored hirds avoided. At this point I will stress to pair up in the first place. (but be careful that you use genuine again, that only strict selection of pairs The easiest way to pair up hirds is to wild-colored birds that are not split of pure nominate or suhspecies can place several unrelated youngsters (all with a certain color mutation).