The Jambu Observations on Courtship, Nest..building and Nesting (Ptilinopus jambu)

by Nancy Bent Chicago Zoological Society Brookfield, Illinois

The ]ambu Fruit Dove (Ptilinopus jambu) is a member of an Old World branch of the large family Columbi­ Male]ambu Fruit Dove brooding seven-day-old chick. dae. This branch is s0111etin1es referred to as the sub-family Trero­ ninae, the fnlit pigeons and fruit doves neo, and nearby s111aller islands. It is included. (Peters 1937). The fruit doves of the at least paltly 111igratoly, often COIning The Chicago Zoological Society Ptilinopus are found in the to grief by landing near lighthouses, (Brookfield Zoo) received its first pair Australasian faunal region. Most spe­ on ships, or in cities (Goodwin 1983). of]an1bu Fruit Doves in May of 1987. cies are predominantly green in color, Despite occurring in a populous The were in1ported fro111 Thai­ with bands and patches of contrasting region of Asia and being described in land, with the 111ale estiInated to be color and pink or purple caps (Good­ regional guides (Smythies 1960; two years old on the basis of his plu­ win 1983; see color plate in Skutch King and Dickinson 1975), little is mage. After the loss of the felnale the 1991). known of courtship displays or other 111ale bird was sent to the St. Louis Zoo The ]ambu Fruit Dove has a fairly nesting behavior in the wild. Roberts in early 1988 on a breeding loan. He wide distribution in the wild. It inhab­ (1991) provides excellent descriptions was returned to Brookfield in early its forests and other wooded areas in of some courtship behaviors and 1989 and paired with a new wild­ the Malay Peninsula, SU111atra, Bor- son1e displays at the Memphis Zoo caught fen1ale. and Aquariun1; however, since their The birds were housed in the free birds did not build their own nests no flight exhibit, a large (52' x 32' x 30' description of nest building was high) mixed species aviary with an

N ~ .r:. u (J) E ~ >. ..Q o .r:.o a...

]ambu Fruit Doves allopreening. 'Ibis behavior is usually initiated by thefemale ]ambu Fruit Dove chick walking out ofnestfor thefirst time at 10 days old. (right).

8 January / February 1994 earth floor. The exhibit was heavily rest ofthe day with the male. was chosen, as evidenced by the planted with several mature of The female had apparently chosen female sitting on a high branch in various species along with lower veg­ this branch as her nest site. The next another Ficus tree with the male sit­ etation, and contained a small stream day the male searched the exhibit all ting quietly next to her. The next day with a series ofpools. day for dead Ficus twigs, which he the male performed several of his dis­ Several nest platforms of a design broke off and took to the female. The play flights and began to play with used successfully at the St. Louis Zoo female took the twigs from the male twigs, but didn't bring any to the were installed and the male bird and inserted them into her nest plat­ female until two days later. The birds showed interest in them almost imme­ form. Goodwin (983) states that followed the previous pattern of the diately. He sat on one of the platforms arboreal pigeon males collect twigs female doing all the nest building and rearranged the sticks and other from trees and shrubs and bring them using materials provided solely by the nest materials we had provided. He to the nest site, where the female does male. Though, in general, pigeons also called off and on, usually from a the building. Our birds always fol­ have not developed the art of nest­ perch in the lower canopy ofthe Ficus lowed this pattern. Many of the twigs building to a high degree (Skutch trees. When calling, the male tucked fell, and though several were caught 1991), this time, after three days, a his head down into his semi-erected in branches and leaves below the nest fairly sturdy little platform was built. neck , his throat swelling none were ever retrieved by the male. On the third day, after the birds impressively with each "coo-coo." We He also never used any of the twigs, ceased construction of the nest, the noted that when the exhibit exhaust straw, moss, and other materials that male spent the entire day on the nest fans were operating, the soft voice of were provided for the other nesting and appeared broody. The female sat the male was drowned out, corrobor­ birds in the exhibit. near him on the nest branch off and ating Roberts' observation of back­ This behavior pattern continued on all day. ground nose interfering with his hear­ during the four days that the pair During the next nine days the pair ing oftheJambu calls (Roberts 1991). worked on the nest. The female established a pattern of the male sit­ The male made impressive flights stayed on the nest virtually all day, ting during the day and the female around the exhibit, flying in a stereo­ arranging the twigs that the male sometimes on the nest early in the typed pattern and usually landing brought to her. Most of the twigs con­ morning but always sitting by late within one foot of the female. He was tinued to fall, and this may be what afternoon. This incubation schedule regularly observed on or near the nest precipitated their abandoning of this has been observed in most pigeons platforms. He also was seen attempt­ nest site. studied (Roberts, pers. comm.; Skutch ing to preen the female, and attempt­ A few days later a second nest site 1991), though one pair ofJambus at ing to give her dead twigs that he had ,..------­ broken from the Ficus trees. The female, unfortunately, never re­ sponded to any of these cOllrtship dis­ plays and stayed by herself much of the time. After approximately one year this female was trapped from the exhibit and shipped to the Memphis Zoo. In trade we received a seven month old female. The new female was bred and parent-reared at Memphis. She appeared interested in the male imme­ diately upon release into the exhibit, staying with him constantly. The male continued to call off and on and soon was seen attempting to break off Ficus twigs and flying rapid patterns around the exhibit. When he landed near the female she immediately began to preen his breast feathers, concentrat­ ing her attentions on the bright pink patch on the male's upper breast. The male responded by briefly the female's breast. TWCfweeks after her release into the exhibit the female was observed sit­ ting on a Ficus branch. She had pulled Year Round t Nationwide Shipping the closest leafy twigs under her breast and appeared broody. After a Guaranteed Live Delivery few minutes sitting quietly on her (800) 735-8537 "nest," she flew away and spent the afa WATCHBIRD 9 Memphis Zoo changed off several same branch and in approximately the times daily (Roberts 1991). same location as nests one and three. No was ever visible, so our The male appeared to lead the female 1994 COMMITTEES assumption was that the birds were to this site in the morning. He then broody and sitting on an empty nest. turned around, treading with his feet AVIAN RESEARCH In hindsight (and in comparison with and making "tucking" motions under William Sager, D.V.M. (508) 486-3101 later nests) we now believe that the his breast with his . The female AFA IN BRIEF (monthly newsletter) Cheryl Jones (509) 226-0611 birds had an egg which fell from the spent approximately 20 minutes FAX (509) 326-6725 nest at nine days into incubation. This preening the male's breast and feet, AVYAWARDS nest was quite high in the canopy and after which he' flew away. The female Dale Thompson (805) 252-4871 not observable from above. We have moved to the same spot occupied by CAPTIVE BREEDING SURVEY found that the birds envelop the egg the male and, as he brought her twigs, Starr Kirchoff (616) 327-3399 with the breast feathers. Therefore, built a nest. The pair worked on this CITES when an observer is stationed below nest for the usual three days with the the nest, the egg is not visible even egg appearing on the fourth day (as CONSERVATION through the open latticework of the evidenced by the male incubating in Kevin Gorman (716) 865-6414 nest platform. the morning). CONSERVATION SMALL GRANTS Roughly a week after the failure of Unfortunately, this egg was discov­ Joanne Abramson (707) 964-4380 their second nest, the birds were ered broken under the nest on day CONVENTION COORDINATOR 1994 observed copulating. This followed a nine of incubation. It contained a Mary Perry (801) 277-8607 bout of allopreeening, after which the well-developed embryo and had a Convention 1994 Speaker Chairman Rex Kennedy (801) 571-6183 female simply crouched and the male very thin shell. We became concerned mounted. When the copulation was that the female was laying thin-shelled CONVENTION SALES Mary Perry (801) 277-8607 completed, the birds continued to , which the birds were puncturing COOPERATIVE BREEDING PGM. allopreen. One day later they began or cmshing as they attempted to incu­ Sharon Garcee (916) 784-1314 bUilding their third nest, a few inches bate and then throwing from the nest. EDUCATION AND MEDIA SERVICES down the branch from their first nest. We later learned that thin-shelled eggs Bob Smith (517) 764-5170 This nest also took three days to build, appear to be common for this species ETHICS and on the fourth day the male was (Herb Robelts, pers. comm.). Larry Ring (916) 885-7868 observed on the nest. At this point the birds had been FINANCE The birds reestablished the pattern paired for two months and had David Smith (602) 516-0561 of the male incubating during the day attempted to nest five times, produc­ ILLEGAL BIRD TRADE with the female relieving him in late ing three eggs. We were concerned Marty Muschinske (619) 468-3201 afternoon. The female usually had to about the female producing so many LEGAL COUNSEL physically displace the incubating eggs in a fairly short period. Pigeons Gary Lilienthal (617) 345-0770 male by gently pushing him off the in the wild are subjected to heavy pre­ LEGISLATION egg. The male would then spring into dation on eggs and nestlings, and Janet Lilienthal (617) 345-0770 flight from the nest and the female have thus developed short incubation NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS would quickly settle onto the egg. The and nestling periods. The small brood Jeri Wright (206) 838-9802 Dwight Greenberg (407) 631-9800 non-incubating bird always stayed - one chick! - of the Jambu is PARLIMENTARIAN away from the nest except at chan­ quickly reared if all goes well, and if Gary Clifton (602) 830-4920 geover. lost to predation, is quickly replaced PUBLIC RELATIONS The egg finally was observed on day as long as food is plentiful. Anyone Cheryle Jones (509) 226-0611 five of incubation when the female brood is therefore expendable (Good­ FAX (509) 326-6725 shifted position. It was a typical white win 1983), Since our birds were well­ PUBLICATIONS pigeon egg, quickly covered as the nourished on the Brookfield Zoo fru­ M. Jean Hessler (714) 548-3133 female enveloped it in her breast givore diet (diet formulation available FAX (714) 548-0420 feathers. Incubation continued to day on request), we assumed that rapid ten, when the nest collapsed over­ egg production for a limited time BUSINESS OFFICE Phoenix Office (602) 484-0931 night and the egg disappeared. would not hUlt the female. Brenda Traul, A new behavior was noted from the The apparent inability of the birds to Carollnderrieden (602) 484-0931 female while the pair was building FAX (602) 484-0109 build a sturdy nest was another prob­ their fourth nest. When the male lem. We had tried inserting wire plat­ WATCHBIRD STAFF landed next to the female she quiv­ forms under the previous nests, but Dale Thompson/Editor-in- ered her wings as the male gave her either the platforms caused the birds Chief (805) 252-4871 the twig. This behavior exactly resem­ to desert the area or they normally Sheldon Dingle/Editor (213) 223-7449 M. Jean Hessler/ FAX (714) 548·0420 bled the begging behavior later choose a new site for each nest. Each Art Director, Production (714) 548·3133 observed from site proVided good horizontal SUPPOIt, Jack Clinton-Eitniear/Managing chicks, and we observed it off and on but the birds built the typical pigeon's Editor (210) 828-5306 Phoenix Office/Advertising (602) 484-0931 during nest building bouts from that nest consisting of a flat pile of loosely or FAX (602) 484-0109 point on (see also Skutch 1991). The interwoven twigs with a slight central Jack Clinton-Eitniear/ fourth nest collapsed after three days. depression (Goodwin 1983; Skutch Advertising (210) 828-5306 The fifth nest was situated on the 1991). The eggs either rolled off the 10 ]anua'Y I Februa'Y 1994 nests or fell through the openings between the sticks. This problem has also been reported in the Black-naped Corporate Members Fruit Dove (Pfilinopus melanospila) Hagen Inc., Rolf C., Canada Sun Seed Company, Bowling Green, OH (Morris 1991). LIM Farms, Pleasant Plain, OH Sunshine Bird Supplies, Miami, FL While we discussed our options, the Luv Them Birds, Miami, FL White Bear Products, Indianapolis, IN birds moved around the exhibit Picture Perfect , Walton Hills, OH Zoogen, Inc., Davis, CA apparently investigating nest sites. No obvious signs of courtship were noted, but one morning the female Commercial Members was found sitting in a broody posnlre on a large, moss-covered platform that Aardvard Imports, Santa Monica, CA Kentucky Down Under, Horse Cave, KY had been installed in the exhibit for About Birds, Hebron, IL Lake's Unlimited, Inc. Sunbitterns (Eurypyga helias). When Absolutely Aussie, Salem, OR L'Avian Plus Pet Products, Stephen, MN the male relieved the female on the American Bird Center, Goulds, FL Lima's Exotic Birds, Woodland Hills, CA "nest" we were sure that she had laid. American Bird Company, Living Design Inc., Sioux Falls, SD The birds had not built any nest or Falls Church, VA Loriidae Production Network, added any material to the platform. And Feathers Bird Studio, Chicago, IL Woodlake, CA This egg fell from the nest the next Animal Environments, Carlsbad, CA Lu-Chow Aviaries, Ft. Lauderdale, FL day, presumably during changeover Animal Exchange, Rockville, MD Lyon Electric Company, Chula Vista, CA of incubation duties. Avian Kingdom Supply, Inc., Dallas, TX Magnolia Bird Farm, Anaheim, CA The birds immediately began court­ Avian & Animal Hospital, Largo, FL Max Sharpe, Plant City, FL ing again, and five days after the loss Avi-Sci, Inc., Okemos, WI Miramar Animal Hospital Inc., of the last egg the female had chosen Bay-Mor Pet Feeds, Cressona, PA Jacksonville, FL a new nest site. This nest was built on Bayou Bird Club Inc., Sulphur, LA Mountain Lake Aviary, Brooksville, FL a fairly low Ficus branch in the front Bayshore Pets, Anchorage, AK K.K. Muser part of the exhibit, right above the Bird Country, Lewistown, MT Nekton USA, Clearwater, FL perch of the resident Green-winged Bird-on-a-Stick, Merrillville, IN Nest Box Aviary, Miami, FL Macaws (Ara chloroptera). TheJambu Bird-Safe Co., Humboldt, AZ Parkwood Animal Hospital, Woodland Fruit Doves never appeared nervous Birds of Paradise Hills, CA or bothered by their proximity to the Bird's Haven, Inc., Elmhurst, IL Parrot Jungle & Gardens, Miami, FL visiting public or the macaws, even Brian Lee Leahy, Santa Monica, CA Parrot River, Richmond, VA when the noise level became exces­ Buy Buy Birdie Exotic Bird Mart, Parrotville Aviaries, St. Clair, MI sive. This nest site also allowed much Glendora, CA Pittman International, Anaheim, CA closer observation by the keeper staff. C & F Parrot Farm, Corpus Christi, TX Pollywood and Supply, After four days of building, the female C &J Parrot Pals, Phoenix, AZ East Point, MI laid an egg at approximately 1:00 p.m. Citrus Park Animal Hospital, Tampa, FL Premium Nutritional Products-Zu/preem, The male began to incubate almost Corners Ltd., Inc., Kalamazoo, MI Topeka, KS immediately after the egg was laid. Country Critters, Ltd., Medford, NY Gwyn Poor After the loss of the first four eggs, Creative Bird Accessories, Darien, CT Precious Hearts Aviary we decided to altificially incubate this Crest Avi'3ries, Boerne, TX R.B. Exotic Birds, Thousand Oaks, CA one. We were ready with a dummy Crofton Animal Hospital, Gambrills, MD Rain Forest Exotic, Aptos, CA egg prepared from a Sun Dehesa Valley Bird Farm, EI Cajon, CA Collen Richardson (Aratinga solstitialis) egg which was Di Vinci Ltd., Las Vegas, NV Roscoe's Aviary, Seattle, WA filled with plaster. The male was sit­ DRB Bird Ranch, Deming, NM Santa Barbara Bird Farm, ting so tightly that he had to be gently East Coast Aviaries, Conway, SC Santa Barbara,CA pushed from the nest before the eggs Exotic Animal Rescue Service, Schults Bird Farm, Langhorne, PA could be switched. At the same time Carmel Valley, CA Seven Seas Aquarium & Pets, Auburn, WA we reinforced the nest. Because the Fancy PUblications, Mission Viejo, CA Sloan's Exotic Birds, Indianapolis, IN birds had rejected nests in the past Featherwood Farms, Phoenix, AZ Swan Creek Supply-Grumbach that had been reinforced with wire, F.M. Brown's Sons, Inc., Sinking Incubators, Saginaw, MI this nest was reinforced with a plat­ Spring, PA Swelland's Cage & Supply Co., form of glued together Ficus twigs. Greenfield Bird Farm, Solvang, CA Ramona, CA We also assumed that the attraction of Gulf Coast Exotic Birds, Panama City, FL The Bird Shop, Sacramento, CA the egg would outweigh the disturb­ Hagen Avicultural Research Institute, The London Zoo, Watertown, MA ance we were causing, which was Rigaud, Quebec, Canada Tropic Wave, Ft. Myers, FL proven true when the male returned H.F. Birds, Oklahoma City, OK Tropical Paradise, Fountain Inn, SC to the nest less than ten minutes after House of Tropicals, Inc., Glen Burnie, MD Turner, Drs. Stanley & Kathleen, we left the exhibit. JDP Enterprises Inc., Cooper Canyon, TX Hilton Head, SC Ironically, when the birds switched JimaNI, Inc., Lee's Summit, MO Urban Bird, New York, NY off incubation in late afternoon they Kaytee Products, Inc., Chilton, WI Waylyn Enterprises, Onyx, CA dislodged the egg. The female was Kellogg, Inc., Milwaukee, WI West Coast Bird Farm, Chino, CA discovered on the nest about

afa WATCHBIRD 11 5:00 p.m. peering down at the dummy cia! nest platforms. After a brief court­ egg on the sand below. The un­ ship consisting mainly of allopreen­ damaged egg was returned to the nest ing, the female built all the nests by and more Ficus twigs added as rein­ herself using materials provided by forcement. The female returned to the male. The one time the birds did incubate fifteen minutes later. not build any nest at all was probably specializing in: The entire 18-day incubation passed because the female was physiologi­ without further incident, with the nest cally ready to lay before the birds had Caiques holding up well and the dummy egg selected a nest site. We discovered also staying where it belonged. Mean­ that the birds would accept augmenta­ while, the genuine egg was develop­ tion of a nest they were using if it was Australian King ing normally in a 99.5°, 54-56% done with natural materials (twigs) Parrots humidity incubator. Pigeons take a and if an egg was present. Roberts and day or more to hatch (Skutch 1991), reported that birds at the Memphis Mutation Lady Gouldian and our chick was no exception. It Zoo will also accept an augmented pipped on day 17 and was fully nest, but only after the female had laid (818) 703-.1112 hatched by the midmorning of day 18. (Herb Roberts, pers. comm.). Finally, The chick was allowed to dry for our birds have continued to build their Ralph Lima about an hour and then was placed in own nests, losing eggs occasionally P.O. Box 6496 the nest with both halves of the egg but successfully rearing several Woodland Hills, CA 91365 and the dummy egg removed. The chicks. male was first to return to the nest and Observations made upon birds in OUR 48TH BIRDMART he cautiously approached the chick captivity, particularly those in semi­ EVERYBODY'S but did not step onto the nest. The natural enclosures, can reveal behav­ female then landed next to the male. ior patterns difficult to observe in the She was bobbing her head velY excit­ wild state. "Little recorded of its BIRD MART edly and appeared to be anxious to habits" and "Display: no information" March 13, 1994 get to the chick. She finally hopped are all that Goodwin (983) repolts of L.A. County Fairplex Bldg. #4 over the male and onto the nest, the Jambu Fruit Dove, despite his Pomona, California immediately settling onto the chick extensive lists of references. Avicultur­ 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and brooding. She fed it for the first isrs have a responsibility to record and Admission: $4, Youths 5-15: $1 time one hour after it was placed into report courtship, breeding, and nest­ The Bird Mart has become the the nest. ing behavior observed in their captive marketplace for buyers and sellers. The parents switched off more often collections. In these days of shrinking BIRDS. CAGES • FEEDERS. NESTBOXES while tending the chick than they did budgets for animal behavior studies in VITAMINS. SEED. PERCHES. GIFT ITEMS PARKING $3.00 while incubating eggs. Robelts (991) the wild and rapidly disappearing nat­ Use White Ave. parking lot describes the appearance, growth and ural habitats, we may be the only ones (Tram service from parking lot to building G) development of Jambu Fruit Dove who will ever be able to observe and a division of J. Williams Financial Services Inc. chicks at the Memphis Zoo. Our chick record this information. P.O. Box 794, Acton, CA 93510 followed the same developmental (805) 269-0424 stages. The chick first walked out of Acknowledgements: the nest at ten days old and flew for Patty McGill (Brookfield Zoo) and Herb Roberts The Original, The #1 Bird Mart the first time at 12 days old. By five (Memphis Zoo and Aquarium) for helpful comments on the manuscript. weeks of age he was about half the Scott Schiller and the entire staff of the Perching size of his parents and still being Bird House for help with all phases of our The Avicultural Society tended by them. jambu Fruit Dove breeding program. of America, Inc., The parent birds began allopreening Literature Cited Welcomes new members. and copulating approXimately three Goodwin, Derck. 1983. Pigeons and doves of the weeks after the chick fledged. From world, third edition. Comell University Press, this nest attempt on we have not inter­ Ilh"GI. New York. King, Ben F. and Edward C. Dickingon. 1975. A fered to reinforce the nests or to altifi­ field guide to the birds of South-east Asia. cially incubate the eggs. The birds Collins, London, England. have lost some nests and eggs but Morris, Hon. 1991. North American regional stud­ have also raised several chicks. All book for the Black-naped Fruit Dove (Ptilino­ oun e pus melanospila). North Carolina Zoological r..,unded 1927 nesting attempts have followed the Park, Asheboro, 'orth Carolina. We publish a monthly bulletin on all same basic pattern as described Peters, James Lee. 1937. Checklist of birds of the aspects of . For member­ above. world, Vol. 3. Museum of Comparalive Zo­ ship information please contact: In summalY, it took seven nests and ology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Helen Hanson, (909) 780-4102, ASA, Robens, Herb. 1991. Breeding the Jambu Fruit Inc., P.O. Box 5516, Riverside, CA five eggs in a three month period Dove at the Memphis Zoo and Aquarium (Plil­ 92517. Yearly dues $20. Foreign before ourJambu Fruit Doves success­ il1op/lsjamb/l). Watchbird 18:36-39. members please add $5.00 to cover fully raised their first chick. With one Skutch, Alexander F. 1991. The life of the pigeon. Corneliliniversity Press, Ithaca, New York. postage (U.S. funds only). exception, the birds built their own Smylhies, Bertram E. 1960. The birds of Borneo. nests and would not utilize any anifi- Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, Scotland.•

12 January / February 1994