Remembering Arthur Crane Risser, Part II by Josef Lindholm, III Senior Aviculturist, Th e Dallas World Aquarium

Editor’s note: The tables in 1977, were the subject of and Yellow-billed Cardinals interval are quite diff erent. referred to throughout the fol- another painfully detailed (Ring, 1931). In 1959, the most well repre- lowing article can be found in article (Risser, 1977). As a Kenton C. Lint joined the sented order were the Galli- the previous edition of Watch- remedy to these situations, Art staff of the San Diego Zoo formes (gamebirds) with 22 bird, 36-4, on pages 8–12. This pursued the establishment of as a mammal keeper in 1936, taxa. Only three were bred in article will be folllowed by Part a quarantine station expressly joined the bird department 1970. Eleven kinds of fi nches III in our next edition. for zoos, to be jointly admin- in 1938, and, aft er service in were bred in 1959 and none Art Crane’s evangelical zeal istered by the Zoological Pacifi c, became Curator of at all in 1970. On the other in confronting the Newcastle’s Society of San Diego and Sea Birds in 1948, retiring in 1976 hand, no soft bills were bred crisis was a refl ection of his World, Inc. (Risser, 1976a). As when Art succeeded him. in 1959 and seven species were newly attained responsibilities it happened, this did not come K.C. would have been a hard hatched in 1970. While par- as Assistant Curator of Birds to pass, and, by the 1980s, the act for anyone to follow. From rots are well represented in to the largest collection in the problems inherent in import- 1938 through 1976, more than both years, the nineteen taxa Western Hemisphere (and ing birds through commercial 425 species and subspecies of bred in 1959 made up less than until a very short time before, and government quarantine birds hatched at San Diego a third of the total, while the the world). His fi rst several stations were dealt with in var- (Lindholm, 1993a&b). Th e 28 hatched in 1970 comprised years at the zoo were made dif- ious ways and bringing birds huge number of publications more than two thirds of the fi cult by one quarantine sta- to U.S. zoos became somewhat he authored further estab- taxa bred that year. tion crisis aft er another. He routine, if far more costly than lished San Diego’s reputation Th is was very much K.C.’s enumerated several of these in before. as a center of aviculture (Lind- intention. In an interview a paper presented at a regional Enhanced propagation and holm, 1993b). And of course, (Lint, et al, 1990) he explained: conference of what was then the establishment of self-sus- the sheer size of the collection “My philosophy is that the the AAZPA, in 1976 (Ris- taining captive populations in compelled attention. more species you have, the ser, 1976a): 10 South African the U.S. were zealously pur- Although an enormous more you have to work with. Penguins, for whose quaran- sued. Th e San Diego Zoo had number of birds were hatched Each year I tried to concen- tine the zoo paid $1,000, were a very long tradition in breed- during K.C.’s tenure and dis- trate on a diff erent family of destroyed, along with all the ing birds. Founded in 1916 and tributed to public and private birds, you see. Because I had a other birds in a commercial sta- established at its present site collections all over the coun- large collection, I could do this tion, when a Turaco tested pos- in 1922, the zoo had already try, results were not always and I was able to establish a lot itive for Newcastle’s on their achieved a remarkable breed- consistent. For example, I pres- of breeding records with that 29th day there. A compatible ing record by the end of the ent San Diego Zoo’s breed- collection.” pair of Double-wattled Casso- 1920s. Fourteen taxa of pstt- ing records for 1959 (Table Th e imposition of Newcas- waries had to be sent back to acines were bred there through I.), when the year’s-end inven- tle’s Disease import restric- Holland (where they were sold 1930 (Dolan & Moran, 1970), tory listed 2,109 birds of 559 tions ended this state of things. elsewhere) when a starling at far and away the best record for taxa, compared and contrasted In 1974, the year Art arrived at the same station died 20 days an American zoo (Lindholm, with those for 1970 (Table II.), San Diego, the year began with aft er their arrival. Attempts 1999). Th ese included the which began with 3,465 speci- an inventory of 2,510 birds of to pair up San Diego’s Great Red-sided Eclectus, the Blue- mens of 1,126 species and sub- 772 taxa. As can be seen from Hornbill and White-tailed winged Grass Parakeet and the species of birds. Th ere is almost Table III, the total number Black Cockatoo were thwarted Swainson’s Lorikeet (the fi rst an inverse relation of taxa bred of species bred jumped back over happenstance of one kind lory breeding in North Amer- to the number exhibited. to 1959 levels, exceeding that and another. Th e particularly ica). In 1930 alone, 16 species On closer examination it year’s total by one. Th ough nightmarish logistics involved of wild pigeons and doves were can be seen that quite aside parrots still dominated with in bringing a shipment of hatched at San Diego, along from the number of taxa, the the 36 taxa comprising nearly Birds of Paradise and other with Guadalupe Island House sorts of birds propagated at half the 1974 total, there was birds from Papua New Guinea Finches, Diamond Sparrows each end of that eleven year a much greater representation

8 Volume XXXVII • Number 1 • 2010 across the orders and families of birds than in 1970. It should be noted however, that a num- ber of species were native to North America and several others were already extremely common in U.S. aviculture. One fi gure that stands out in the 1974 list is the Dar- win’s Rhea. Th is was to be a particular focus for Art for several years. Unfortunately, his attempts to establish it in American aviculture ulti- mately proved frustrating. San Diego obtained several birds from the Brookfi eld Zoo at the beginning of the 1970’s and breeding was already in full swing when Art arrived. Currently classifi ed as Near- threatened by the IUCN, this bird has been considered a declining species for a long time. By the end of 1976, San COU RTE SY OF TH E ZOOLOG ICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO/RON GARRISON , P HOTOGRAP HER Diego held “what is believed to Art Risser at zoo school. New World parrots were always a particular favorite of his. be the largest breeding fl ock of captive Darwin’s Rheas in the birds in the 1980’s, Darwin’s list of aviculturally remark- end of the 1970’s. Aft er Art world” and groups had been Rheas were not to be estab- able species is startling. Bul- succeeded K.C. Lint as Cura- sent on breeding loan to sev- lished in North America. At wer’s Pheasants and Desmer- tor of Birds in 1976, it was eral U.S. collections (Risser, the end of 2009, the Interna- est’s Fig Parrots had only been his turn to appoint an Assis- 1976b). However, this pro- tional Species Inventory Sys- added to the collection the tant Curator. A less confi dent gram was beset with diffi - tem lists one specimen each in year before and Greater Prairie man might have selected some culties, especially a very high two U.S. collections, though Chickens had just arrived in one “green around the ears”, susceptibility to salmonella around seventy are distributed 1981. Th e parents of the Raggi- but instead, Kerry Muller, among the chicks, along with among a number of European ana Bird of Paradise arrived in the Curator of Birds at the various developmental prob- collections, several currently the aforementioned challeng- Taronga Park Zoo, in Sdyd- lems. Because of this depress- breeding them. ing Papuan shipment of 1977. ney, was chosen. Before going ing neonatal mortality, Art Between Jan. 1 and Nov. Th e hatching of nine Tahitian to Australia, Kerry had been at came to call Darwin’s Rhea 22, 1981, when 141 Darwin’s Lories was the fruit of another the National Zoo, in Washing- chicks the “Heartbreak Kids” Rhea chicks hatched, the total nightmarish Newcastle’s quar- ton, for years and had started and detailed these problems in number of birds hatched at antine situation, to be further his zoo career at San Diego in an article by that name (Risser, San Diego was 715 Specimens discussed. Other species that his youth. In the early 1980’s 1978). However, he carried on. of 71 taxa , as well as a hybrid stand out in this list include Kerry again crossed two hemi- In 1981, 141 Darwin’s chicks hummingbird. Th ese birds 29 Black-breasted Hemipodes, spheres to become Director of were hatched and 56 were are listed in the January 1982 six Tawny Frogmouths, six the Wellington Zoo, in New reared to independence and number of ZooNooz (Risser, Blue-faced Honeyeaters, three Zealand. In his several years at distributed to fi ve zoos and 1982). Th e number of taxa Painted Finches, 21 Black- San Diego, his Australian con- two private collections (Risser, is slightly less than for 1974 rumped Parson Finches, all nections were put to consider- 1981). As it happens, despite (Table III), but the taxonomic descendants of birds imported able use and an amazing series the importation of unrelated range is much broader and the directly from Australia at the of soft bills, fi nches, psttacines,

AFA Watchbird 9 waders and other species were door leading to a small indoor not open for public viewing, hornbills in Th ailand; Other thus able to arrive at San enclosure. Chicks of various they have not been landscaped researchers’ projects in Haiti Diego. In the days when ISIS species, especially ratites, can as extensively as the exhib- and the Dominican Republic, was still in its infancy, Kerry fi nd necessary warmth on the its on display. For the most Chile and Isla Rasa, in the Gulf also organized a Birds Breed- inside and can move to the part, only the species’ essen- of California; Th e construc- ing Survey , in which 123 zoos outdoor enclosure at will. A tial requirements are met and tion of a Torrent Duck aviary and private collections partic- shallow, rectangular depres- caution is taken to keep distur- at Slimbridge: Th e donation of ipated (Risser, 1981a) result- sion in the fl oor of each of the bances to this valuable breed- a greenhouse to the San Diego ing in a 92-page document indoor enclosures provides a ing stock at a minimum.” (Ris- Wild Animal Park, for grow- cataloging 26,077 of 939 taxa, swimming pool for waterfowl ser, 1982). ing browse; Research on the distributed to all participants and other types of water-lov- Over the last three decades, natural incubation of parrot and AZA-listed zoos (Anon, ing birds. the projects and research of the eggs and growth rates in hand- 1987). “Baby birds grow fast and “Prop Center” have had far- reared New World Parrots; In the face of the sud- soon outgrow the space at the reaching implications. Already, Veterinary research on psitta- den decrease in availability brooder house. Th ey are then by 1994, more than 250 taxa of cosis and eff ective antibiotic of birds, Art became a leader moved to another brooder birds had been hatched there. regimens for psittacines; Th e in attempts to create self-sus- facility which consists of six Th ese bird formed a vital com- development of microcom- taining populations of birds in large enclosures (each 15 feet ponent of many of the the cur- puter programs for collection American zoos. A major early by 16 feet) and twelve smaller rent avicultural populations of management; Th e publica- step in this direction was the enclosures (4 feet by 16 feet). their respective species. Pro- tion of the proceedings of the creation of the San Diego Zoo’s From these brooder pens birds cedures perfected there have 1978 Delacour Conference in Avian Propagation Center in are sent out to other institu- been applied to conservation 1981, a project led by Art, with 1980, three years into Art’s tions, to private aviculturist, programs in far places and staff considerable involvement of Curatorship (Nickel, 1994, or into display enclosures. who began their careers there San Diego Zoo Staff (Risser, Risser, 1982). Art described “As the zoo expands its cap- have been tremendously infl u- 1981b). this facility thusly: tive-propagation programs, it ential in today’s aviculture. And, of course, there were “Th e propagation center is essential to have off -display Crucial funds for the con- the 1983 and 1987 Delacour is composed of four separate breeding space, which pro- structions of this facility came Conferences (more formally areas of activity. Egg receiv- vides necessary room for addi- from International Founda- known as the Jean Delacour/ ing and recording, incubation, tional breeding pairs, off spring tion for the Conservation IFCB Symposia on Breeding hatching and egg preparation of which can be put on dis- of Birds, founded by Ger- Birds in Captivity) , a trea- and embryonic research occur play. Off -display areas are also ald Schulman in 1979, with sured memory for many avicul- in one building. Attached to important for housing diffi - Dr. Risser one of its found- turists. With his good friend this so-called incubator build- cult or temperamental species ing Directors and a primary Frank Todd, then Corpo- ing, which occupies approx- which may be unlikely to carry infl uence. Th e Foundation’s rate Curator of Birds for Sea- imately 720 square feet, is on normal activities before the activities spanned a little less World, Art was instrumental a mechanical room which public. Th e Avian Propaga- than a decade, yet during that in arranging the august assem- houses the separate air fi ltra- tion Center includes 40 breed- time, a remarkable number of bly of speakers and editing the tion systems, the solar/electri- ing cages of a variety of con- other projects were endowed proceedings (whose immedi- cal hot water system and air fi gurations, with another 19 (Anon., 1987): Kerry Muller’s ate availability was another humidifi er. breeding enclosures located on aforementioned 1982 breed- munifi cence of the IFCB). “Adjacent to the incuba- the roofs of the incubator and ing survey and a reprise by I have chosen to present the tor building, but separated brooder buildings. Altogether, another investigator in 1987; bird breeding records for 1985, by a breezeway, is the brooder these breeding enclosures Th e fi rst edition of the Queen in Table IV, as that was the last building, occupying approxi- occupy 4,300 square feet. Care of Bavaria (Golden) Conure full year that Art served the mately 1,500 square feet. Th is was taken in the orientation Studbook; Th e Center for San Diego Zoo in the capac- portion of the facility has sep- of these enclosures so that all Propagation of Endangered ity of Curator of Birds. In arate environmental controls.. cages are exposed to some sun- Panamanian Species; Some of 1986 Art Risser unexpectedly “On the south side of the light during the day, especially Frank Todd’s fi eldwork with found himself General Man- brooder building are 12 out- during the winter months. penguins around the world; ager of the San Diego Zoo. Th e door enclosures, with a central Because these enclosures are Pilai Poonswad’s work with circumstances were tragic. Dr.

10 Volume XXXVII • Number 1 • 2010 James Bacon, the zoo’s Cura- Temminck’s Tragopans and tor of Reptiles, who had only Elliot’s Pheasants. Commenc- assumed the position of Gen- ing in 1979, the Zoologi- eral Manager a few months cal Society of San Diego was before, suff ered a fatal embo- in the forefront of exchang- lism. Art was to hold this title ing animals between Ameri- for seventeen years. can zoos and their counter- Comparing and contrasting parts in the People’s Republic the breeding results between of China. From 1980 through 1974 and 1985, one can see 1986, the partridges and eight that though fi ve fewer taxa species of Chinese pheasants were hatched in the latter year, were received at San Diego the degree of avicultural com- from three Chinese Zoos (Lie- plexity of the birds involved berman, 1988). In its fi rst eight rose signifi cantly. For instance, years, this program resulted in while fi ve soft bill species were 527 chicks hatched. Many of hatched in 1974 (three of them these birds were distributed to starlings), 14 were hatched in private aviculturists, especially 1985. through Chick and Min- Th ough 37 taxa of pstt- nie Driscoll’s Lexington Phe- acines hatched in 1974, if one santry in Kelso, Washington, does not count Cockatiels, where many more were bred. there were no cockatoos and Badly needed genetic the only New World parrots refreshment was provided for were Quaker Parrots. Of the the North American stocks 32 sorts of parrots in 1985, fi ve of Reeve’s, Elliot’s, Golden, were cockatoos and fi ve were Amherst, Blue-eared and New World species, includ- Brown-eared Phesants, as ing three macaws (of which I well as Chinese Bamboo Par- believe Art was particularly tridges. Th e glorious and fond). Th is was partially due gigantic Chinese Monal was to innovations in sexing mon- bred for the fi rst time outside omorphic birds, of which Art of China. Before San Diego’s was an early enthusiast. He four 1980’s importations, was especially supportive of Temminck’s Tragopans, seen the fecal steroid research that today in nearly 20 U.S. zoos Arden Berkowitz conducted and generally available to pri- in the 1970’s and ’80s (Ber- vate aviculturists, probably covitz, et al, 1983). I should existed only as hybrids with note here that one constant in Satyr Tragopans. I remem- the 50 years of San Diego Zoo ber walking back and forth, bird breedings represented in in more than one zoo, trying the six tables I’ve presented is to distinguish the purported the propagation of Lories: two Temmink’s and Satyrs in taxa in 1959, 12 in 1970, 16 in their respective exhibits only 1974, 12 in 1985, eight in 1996 to realize in retrospect that and fi ve in 2009). both were mostly mongrels. Other birds that stand out Th e 15 birds that San Diego among the 1985 achievements imported from three Chinese are the startling numbers of zoos from 1980 through 1983 Chinese Bamboo Partridges, (Lieberman, 1988) completely

AFA Watchbird 11 changed that situation. display in 1960, as “the fun- time to Africa. U.S. public zoo were featured Quite aside from all the nest aviary anyone ever had.” One of the fi rst major here. Several remarkable birds Chinese pheasants that San He told me it held 1000 birds exhibit area transformations from Bolivia, including the Diego Zoo distributed across of 200 species, more than most during Art’s curatorship were only Crested Quetzals I’ve ever North America, birds were sent American zoos now maintain the “Seventeen Cages,” where seen, Pale-legged Ovenbirds to China. In 1987 and 1988, in their entire collection. Bali there were indeed 17 long, and two species of Mountain 21 Temminch’s Tragopans, Mynahs bred there for the fi rst narrow unplanted aviaries Tanagers arrived from Bolivia. nine Elliot’s Pheasants, 10 time in the Western Hemi- with earthen fl oors, in a row Th ey were among the last ship- Blue-eared Pheasants and six sphere, in 1962 (Lint, 1962). between the Scripps Cage and ments of the then Octoge- Brown-eared Pheasants, all It was certainly an interesting the ape exhibits. Each held a narian Charles Cordier, who hatched in North America, place. In 1975, for instance, I species of psittacine and a spe- also supplied denizens for the went to the Beijing Center for remember admiring a Euro- cies of ground bird. In 1979 and famous hummingbird house, Breeding Endangered Ani- pean Starling, a Paradise Why- 1980, the walls were knocked including the only Red-tailed mals (Lieberman, 1988). Run dah, a Nutall’s Woodpecker, out of most of them to create a Comet Hummingbirds to by China’s Ministry of For- a Four-toed Golden-backed series of planted aviaries, each breed in North America. Th e estry, the Center was partially Woodpecker and a Crimson- featuring a diff erent corner of logistics of receiving these funded by the Zoological Soci- rumped Tanager at the same the world. Th e Australian one treasures from Cordier in the ety of San Diego. visit. was the source of large num- 1980s were demanding and I do not have the over- In the early 1980s, Art bers of Black-rumped Parson time-consuming. all collection statistics for the oversaw the transformation of Finches and Gouldians that Art went to great eff ort beginning or end of 1985, this enormous structure, con- went into private aviculture fi nding homes for many of the but on Dec. 31, 1982, there structed in 1936, to a habitat and quite a variety of other birds of prey that had resided were 2,406 birds of 422 taxa, for birds of tropical Asia and fi nches were exhibited there in the McRae cages, as well as while on Dec. 31, 1986, there the Indo-Pacifi c, a conversion over the next decade. Th e fi rst a great many parrots and other were 1,673 birds of 485 taxa. that stands to this day. Th is Emerald Starlings I ever saw birds represented at the zoo by Th is is a signifi cant reduction included the addition of the were in the African display. single specimens. Many par- from Jan. 1, 1974, the year Art “Upper Rainforest,” an exten- A desert aviary featured Least rots went to private avicul- arrived at San Diego, when sion composed of metal pan- Seed Snipes, always an avicul- turists. Th e number of birds there were 2,510 birds of 772 els from Europe that had to be tural rarity. Sun Bitterns bred on breeding loan from and to taxa. Th e 1980s bird collection assembled in the zoo’s parking repeatedly in the South Amer- San Diego exploded. In subse- held fewer than half the spe- lot before visitors arrived. Th e ican exhibit. Asian exhib- quent years, I saw San Diego’s cies and subspecies present in three resulting sections were its focused on Malaysia and Asian White-backed Vulture the late 1960s and early 1970s. then lift ed by helicopter into China. Greater Prairie Chick- and Hooded Vulture at Hono- Th is reduction was deliber- the zoo and assembled into a ens bred there, and, in the mid- lulu Zoo. Th e American Great ate, with the aim of enhanc- tension structure, the fi rst of 1990s, one of the few pairs of Gray Owl went to Winnipeg. ing propagation and improv- its kind in the U.S. (Jouett, Capercaillie ever displayed in Th e Javan Brown Wood Owl ing overall husbandry, as well 1982). A great variety of soft - North America could be seen (Strix leptogrammica bartelsi) as presenting animals more in bills and pigeons have since there. went to the National Zoolog- the context of how they live, been bred in this complex. In 1983, another transfor- ical Park, where it had been rather than as living museum Th is was followed by the con- mation was unveiled. Built in placed with another Brown specimens or fi eld guide version of San Diego’s other 1923, the McRae cages fea- Wood Owl that looked noth- illustrations. huge walkthrough aviary, tured a remarkable collec- ing at all like it. It was only When the collection was in the 1922 Scripps Cage, into tion of hawks, eagles, falcons years later that it was realized the neighborhood of a thou- a purely tropical American and owls, many of them single that this specimen, beautifully sand taxa, many of them were display. Th is also resulted in specimens, with practically no portrayed on the back cover represented by single speci- some remarkable propagation, breeding, in long, unplanted of the January 1974 ZooNooz mens, or exhibited in circum- including Toco Toucans, Pale- runs (Greeley, 1983). Th ese was actually a Spotted Wood stances not optimal for breed- mandibled Aracaris and an were turned into another Owl (Strix seloputo). ing. K.C. Lint described the Andean Cock of the Rock in series of habitat displays fea- A far more productive great rainforest aviary, con- 1988, shortly before this avi- turing remarkable species. Th e verted from a birds of prey ary was again re-themed, this fi rst Chinese Monals seen in a Please see RISSER, p. 41

12 Volume XXXVII • Number 1 • 2010