St. Louis Zoo Husbandry and Reproduction of the Brown,.breasted Barbet (Lybius melanopterus)
by Bruce W Bohmke, Curator ofBirds and Michael Macek, Bird Zoologist, St. Louis, Missouri
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The St. Louis Zoo reared six chicks in 1991 and 1992. All clutches resulted in single chicks. Other institutions andprivate breeders known to have reproduced theBrown-breastedBarbet include the Washington Park Zoo in Portland, Oregon and]im Gunderson.
The Brown-breasted BarbetLybius melanopterus is not well A pair of Brown-breasted Barbets represented in zoos andprivate aviculture. This beautifulsoftbill was acquired from a dealer in October originatedfrom Africa. of 1988. The birds appeared to be adult birds and were in good plum age. The pair was housed with a pair of White-headed Buffalo Weavers, Dinemellia dinemelli, in a planted avi ary. Although given a nest log, no reproductive behavior was observed. While the two species were compati ble, it was felt that perhaps the aviary was not large enough to allow both pairs of birds to settle in. The pair of barbets were removed from the aviary in the fall of 1989. Their new enclo sure was a wood and wire aviary off display in the basement of the bird house. The aviary measures 2.5 m x 1.2 m x 2.4 m (8'4" x 4' x 8') and the barbets were the sole occupants. The floor of the enclosure is concrete which is covered by a thin layer of shavings. Branches and vines are provided as perches and two wooden logs with cavities were provided for nests and TO ORDER: Your order will be mailed to the roosts. The lighting is all artificial and address on your voided check 1. Enclose an original VOIDED check from your current check supply. Indicate any changes clearly on voided check. Allow 3-5 weeks for delivery was set for a constant 12 hour cycle. 2. Enclose a sample deposit slip from your existing checks. For questions conceming your order.... 3. We need your daytime phone ('--~)<--- _ Food and water is provided on an ele 1-800-356-0353 * Number my checks starting with # _ vated platform 1.5 meters (5') off the (If astart number is not specified checks will start at #101) TOTAL Send check or M/O to: BIRD LOVERCHECKS ground. Other species of small birds The STYLES COMPANY Single Checks: Carbonless Duplication: 7~$~ add $2.00 are housed in adjacent cages but no 15916 MANUFACTURE LANE o 200 - $13.95 0150 - $15.95 elb engu.fJ add $2.00 other barbets are within visual or HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92649 o 400 - $25.95 0300 - $28.95 . Priority mail ~ervice add $3.50 vocal range. We also accept VISA &MasterCard... o 800 - $42.95 0600 - $49.95 Cal~f. ~dd 7.75 %tax 25 Shipping &Handling $1 .50 The diet is a mixture of fnlit (apple, ------Exp.--...L- Z00342 TOTAL orange, banana and grapes), vegeta-
4 November / December 1994
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE Dedicated to conservation ofbird wildlife through encouragement of captive breeding programs, scientific research, and education of the general public. 1994 OFFICERS LAURELLA DESBOROUGH, President (51 0) 372-6174 • Fax (510) 372-0306 GARY CLIFTON, 1st Vice President (602) 830-4920, fax (602) 994-1707 RICK JORDAN, 2nd Vice President (61 0) 683-5701, fax (61 0) 683-9333 JIM HAWLEY, JR., Chief Financial Officer (602) 987-9206, fax (602) 987-3389 DIANA SKALSKY, Executive Secretary (407) 892-0643 LEGAL COUNSEL VICE PRESIDENT • LEGISLATIVE AFA office, P.O. Box 56218, Phoenix, AZ 85079-6218/ (602) 484-0931 / FAX (602) 484-0109 MEMBER NATIONAL &INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS American Cockatiel Society, Inc. • Avicultural Society of America Eclectus World • Gold Triangle Parrot Club, Canada • International Aviculturist Society Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors • World Parrot Trust
MEMBER CLUBS Northeastern Region NEW JERSEY FLORIDA (SOUTH) OHIO MISSOURI State coordinator: State coordinator: State coordinator: State coordinator: Linda S. Rubin, regional vice pres. Peg Whitney (908) 542-7126 Kathleen Harring (305) 258-2377 Dianne Holloway (419) 636-3882 (617) 469-0557 Central Jersey Bird Club Cage Bird Club of Charlotte County Beakers Bird Club Gateway Parrot Club CONNECTICUT Feather Fancier's Society Greater Brandon Avian Society Classic Feathers Greater Kansas City Avicultural State coordinator: The Real Macaw Parrot Club Firelands Exotic Bird Club Society GEORGIA Golden Crescent Cage Bird Club Missouri Cage Bird Association Gustave Seehorst (203) 745-3697 PENNSYLVANIA State coordinator: Connecticut Association for Miami Valley Bird Club OKLAHOMA State coordinator: Mimi Shepherd, DVM Mid-American Exotic Bird Society Aviculture, Inc. Debra Foote (814) 967-2866 (404) 248-8977 State coordinator: Northwest Ohio Exotic Bird Club Richard Bewley, (918) 366-7427 MAINE Anthracite Bird Club KENTUCKY Central Pennsylvania Cage Bird Club WISCONSIN Bird Fanciers of Oklahoma, Inc. State coordinator: State coordinator: Chester County Avian Society State coordinator: Central Oklahoma Bird Club Margaret Fisher Thomas B. Angel, Jr., DVM •• Delaware Valley Bird Club David Bluma Oklahoma Avicullural Society Maine State Caged Bird Society (606) 371-4929 Erie Cage Bird Club Avian Insights Bird Club Oklahoma Cage Bird Society Central Kentucky Cage Bird Club MASSACHUSETTS Greater Pittsburgh Cage Bird Society Kenosha Exotic Bird Club State coordinator: TEXAS (NORTH) National Cockatiel Society MISSISSIPPI Madison Area Cagebird Association State coordinator: Nancy Myers (413) 256-3129 Philadelphia Avicuitural Society State coordinator: Wisconsin Cage Bird Club, Inc. Boston Cockatiel Society, Inc. Linda Smith (817) 790-8015 York Area Pet Bird Club Nancy Weaver (601) 853-2967 Dallas Cage Bird Society Exotic Cage Bird Society of Central Mississippi Bird Club North Central Region New England VIRGINIA Fort Worth Bird Club Massachusetts Cage Bird State coordinator: NORTH CAROLINA James McCabe, regional vice pres. Plano Exotic Birds Association Association, Inc. Dawn Kopf (703) 594-3841 State coordinator: (612) 753-5241, TEXAS (SOUTH) Blue Ridge Caged Bird Society Bob Beech (919) 855-8292 fax (612) 753-6772 State coordinator: NEW HAMPSHIRE Raleigh-Durham Caged Bird Society Commonwealth Avicultural Society IOWA Ray Wangler (210) 732-8025 State coordinator: National Capital Bird Club Alamo Exhibition Bird Club Susan Fellows (603) 887-4930 PUERTO RICO State coordinator: Parrot Breeders Association of Coordinator: Capitol City Cage Bird Ciub New Hampshire Avicultural Society Virginia Triangle Bird Breeders Club David Negron (809) 251-1153 Mid America Cagebird Society The Aviary Bird Club of Central Westwings of Austin NEW YORK Midwest Parrot Club State coordinator: Virginia SOUTH CAROLINA Charles Galusha (518) 686-5263 Tri-State Bird Club & Foundation State coordinator (acting): MINNESOTA Northwestern Region Beth ROWaR (803) 862·2852 Broome County Caged Bird Club WEST VIRGINIA State coordinator: Buffalo Hookbill Association Aiken Bird Club Steve Estebo (612) 432·4758 Natalie Frumln-Welss, State coordinator: Palmetto Cage Bird Club of Anderson regional vice pres. Capital District Cage Bird Club Alexis Sellert (304) 866-3433 NEBRASKA Central New York Caged Bird Club (206) 927-6983, TENNESSEE State coordinator: fax (206) 952-6983 Finger Lakes Cage Bird Association State coordinator: Greater Rochester Hookbill Southeastern Region Wanda Elder (901) 853-9988 Greater Omaha Cage Bird Society ALASKA Association Cage Bird Club of Northeast State coordinator: Long Island Feather Enthusiasts Dwight Greenberg, regional v.p. Tennessee NORTH DAKOTA Michelle Keener (907) 345-2220 Northern New York Pet Bird Club (407) 631·9800, Middle Tennessee Cagebird Club State coordinator: Alaska Bird Club RHODE ISLAND fax (305) 258-4574 Tennessee Valley Exotic Bird Club IDAHO State coordinator: ALABAMA VIRGIN ISLANDS SOUTH DAKOTA State coordinator: Margie Loewen (208) 378-8201 State coordinator: State coordinator: State coordinator: Royce King (605) 393-1720 VERMONT Carolyn McElroy (205) 664-2162 MONTANA Bird Club of Greater Birmingham Black Hills Cage Bird Club State coordinator: State coordinator: Central Alabama Aviculture Society Peter Lowry (802) 754-6494 Mid-Eastern Region Laura Lee Neva (406) 322-4444 Rocket City Cage Bird Club South Central Region Bob Smith, regional vice pres. OREGON Mid-Atlantic Region FLORIDA (NORTH) (517) 764-5170, Richard Hazell, regional vice pres. State coordinator: State coordinator: fax (517) 764-5103 (316) 942-8864, Dollie Sheffield (503) 564-9179 Kayla Snyder, regional vice. pres. Mary Glep (407) 892-1837 fax (316) 942-9030 Birds Exotic All Bird Club ILLINOIS (215) 855-4463, Central Florida Bird Breeders ARKANSAS Emerald Exotic Bird Club lax (215) 362·1842 Association State coordinator: Fluttering Wings Bird Club, Inc. Bonnie Doane (708) 223-2117 State coordinator: Emerald Coast Avian Society Jim McGuire (501) 965-2427 Mid Oregon Bird Club DELAWARE Exotic Bird Club of Florida Northwest Bird Club State coordinator: INDIANA Cage Bird Fanciers of the Ozarks Florida West Coast Avian Society State coordinator: Nancy Selz (302) 798·8625 Gulf Coast Bird Club KANSAS WASHINGTON Nicole Vander Heyden, DVM State coordinator: DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Imperial Bird Club (317) 786-1826 State coordinator: Jacksonville Avicultural Society Patl Hazell (316) 942·8864 Jeri Wright, legislative liaison State coordinator: Central Indiana Cage Bird (206) B38·9802 Thomas Marshall (703) 777-3252 Sunshine State Cage Bird Kentuckiana Cage Bird Club Kansas Avlcultural Society, Inc. Society, Inc. Northeast Kansas Cage Bird Club Avicultural Society of Puget Sound MARYLAND Michiana Bird Society Avis Northwest Bird Club Tropical Cockatiel & Lovebird LOUISIANA State coordinator: West Florida Avian Society, Inc. MICHIGAN Cascade Canary Breeders Assoc. State coordinator: Brad Clark (301) 242-8471 West Pasco Exotic Bird Club State coordinator: Greater Spokane Avicultural Society Oave Bowman (616) 381-5779 Jeanne C. Murphy (504) 833-4241, Northwest Exotic Bird Society Ann Arbor Cage Bird Club fax (504) 833-4241 South Sound Exotic Bird Society B.E.A.K.S. Acadiana Bird Club Motor City Bird Breeders, Inc. Bayou Bird Club Saginaw Valley Bird Club Louisiana Aviculture Society Town & Country Feathered Friends
6 November / December 1994 bles (corn, black-eyed peas, carrots, nest was often in the nest during incu and beets), soft billed bird-fare (Relia bation and rearing of the next chick 1--ble Protein Products), and insects although no feeding was observed (mealworms, waxworms, and crick directly. ets). The fruit is chopped small and A total of six chicks were reared by the vegetables are diced, cooked, and this pair of birds in 1991 and 1992. All Western Region Central Coast Avicultural Society canned. Fresh food and water are pro clutches resulted in single chicks. It is Coastal Avian Society vided once a day in the morning. Kelly Tucker, regional v.p. Contra Costa Avian Society unknown how many eggs were laid in (505) 298-3876, Foothill Bird Fanciers In early 1991, over a year after being each clutch. The genus Lybius gener fax (505) 237-2405 Gold Country Aviculture Society put in the off-display breeding area, ally fledges one to three chicks with ARIZONA Gold Country Bird Society State coordinator: Golden Gate Avian Society the birds began to show an interest in the average being two (Fry 1992, Faust Michelle Rietz (602) 973-9282 Monterey Bay Cage Bird Club the nesting logs. One log, 50 cm long 1968). It is possible the narrow size of Arizona Avian Breeders Assoc. Redwood Empire Cage Bird Club and 25 cm (20" x 10") in diameter was Arizona Aviculture Society Redwood Exotic Bird Society the nest log (six inches) contributes to Arizona Seed Crackers Society Santa Clara Valley Bird Club hung vertically near the top of the the consistently small clutch size. In Avicultural Society of Tucson HAWAII enclosure. The other nest was a palm 1993 a second pair ofbarbets began to Yuma-Imperial Exotic Bird Club State coordinator: log 1.8 m (6') high and 15 cm (6") in breed. The first clutch produced two COLORADO Joe Baker (808) 966-6966 State coordinator: Hawaii Parrot Fanciers Inc. diameter which was set on the floor in chicks. While the size of the enclosure Ray Vander Leest (303) 795-2088 a rear corner. Both nest logs already was similar, the nest log is ten inches Front Range Avian Society had cavities and the birds showed in diameter, which is significantly Rocky Mountain Society of Southern California Aviculture, Inc. Region interest in both. Additional wood was larger than the first pair's log. Fledge NEVADA removed from both logs for several weights for four offspring were 56, 44, State coordinator (acting): Aletta M. Long, regional v.p. (310) 596-7429, months. The birds seemed to grad 42, and 44 grams. Joanne Edwards (702) 436-0110 Las Vegas Avicultural Society fax (310) 429-1892 ually focus more attention on the palm The second pair of breeding birds Reno Area Avian Enthusiasts CALIFORNIA (SOUTHERN) log and when the female stayed in a was composed of a male purchased NEW MEXICO SAN DIEGO AREA: nest all day this was the nest she from a private breeder Qim Gunder State coordinator (acting): State coordinator: Shareen Bird-Shellon Marty Muschinske (619) 468-3201 chose. Unfortunately, we were unable son) and a female hatched at the St. Finch Society of San Diego County phone/lax (505) 891-3380 to see the bottom of the cavity in the Louis Zoo in March of 1992. This Las Cruces Parrot Club Hookbill Hobbyists New Mexico Bird Club North County Aviculturists palm log. On April 15, 1991 the female breeding confirms that the Brown San Diego County Bird Breeders began spending most ofthe day in the breasted Barbet reaches sexual matu UTAH Association State coordinator (acting): log. For the next 50 days the female rity at one year. The enclosure, diet CALIFORNIA (SOUTHERN) Steve Long (801) 647-3653 was mostly in the nest log although and aviary set up are the same as that Avicultural Society of Utah LOS ANGELES AREA: State coordinator: there were sporadic days when she for the original pair. WYOMING Jami Kennedy (805) 296-4451 State coordinator: Antelope Valley Bird Society seemed to be out of the log most of From available records, it appears Avicultural Society of America the day. On June 5th a chick was the Brown-breasted Barbet was first International Parretlet Society Long Beach Bird Breeders found fledged on the floor ofthe cage. bred in North America at the Washing Northern California Norco Valley Bird Breeders The interval from the first day of incu ton Park Zoo in Portland, Oregon. A Region Orange County Bird Breeders bation to fledge was 51 days. The pair was acquired in 1988 and first Pion us Breeders Association Donna Tondreault, regional v.p. Simi Valley Bird Society same interval for a pair of Double bred in August 1989. A total of 11 (916) 642-9050, Valley of Paradise Bird Club toothed Barbets Lybius bidentatus chicks were produced between tax (916) 338-5016 Ventura County Bird Club CALIFORNIA (NORTH) West Los Angeles Bird Club was 50 days (Faust, 1968). August 1989 and May 1990. Although State coordinator: West Valley Bird Society The chick began to perch within a number of chicks were sent to other Jim Pritchard (707) 887-9462 several days of fledging and would locations, all the chicks as well as the Aviary Association of Kern Butte County Bird Club Philippines regularly roost in the nest log. The adults are now dead. As mentioned Capitol City Bird Society Avian Society of the Philippines appearance ofthe chick was similar to earlier, Gunderson produced a num Centrai California Avian Society that of the adults but the brown areas ber ofyoung in 1992, several ofwhich • Position open - contact regional vice president if interested •• Indicates 2 year term has been fulfilled. If no new interested party tended to be darker, the red less were acquir:ed by the St. Louis Zoo. comes forward and indicates a desire to serve, incumbent remains in extensive and a variable white patch No other institutions appear to have position. was present on the side of the face. bred this species and only a small The white patch is only present three number are in other zoos. The genus For information about contacting any of these member clubs, to four months. Lybius as a whole is poorly repre please call that club's state coordinator. The Brown-breasted Barbet is sented in captivity even though they SCHEDULE FOR known to breed in groups in the wild breed well and make excellent display AFA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS (Fry, 1992), and the most likely expla specimens. Hopefully other zoos and Mark these dates and plan to attend! nation for nest helpers is offspring private breeders will take an interest from the previous nesting. Faust in the Brown-breasted and other bar (1968) describes offspring feeding and bet species. BOARD MEETING removing fecal sacs from subsequent 27,28, 29 October 1994 nestlings. With this in mind, the chick References Phoenix, Arizona was left with the parents during the Faust, I. Breeding the Double-toothed Barbet, next nesting attempt. The adults Lybius bidentatus, at Frankfurt Zoo. Interna began to stay in the nest log in late tional Zoo Yearbook 8:157-158,1968. Fry CH, Keith S. Urban EK. Birds of Africa. Vol June and on August 29th a new fledg ume 3. Academic Press. San Diego, California. ling was seen. The chick from the first 1988.• afa WATCHBIRD 7