A Return Visit to California by Jonathan Beilby Raggiana -of-paradise Paradisea raggiana This year I returned to California and spent two weeks enjoying the glorious weather, meeting amazing people and seeing some of the Similar success is had with other most beautiful on the planet. I spent some time in Los Angeles, rarely-kept such as the and visited the zoo there, but wrote a lengthy article on their Fawn-breasted Bowerbird collection in 2010. I saw four species of Musophagids; Violet, White- Chlamydera cerviniventris, the crested and Lady Ross’ and a Western Grey Plantain-eater. Malayan Long-tailed Parakeet The zoo itself has undergone major alterations since 2010, with an Psittacula l. longicauda and the amazing new reptile complex called the LAIR (Living Amphibians Kagu Rhynochetos jubatus - two Invertebrates and Reptiles) and possibly the best elephant exhibit I of the latter were raised this year. have ever seen.

Baby Fawn-breasted Bowerbird Chlamydera cerviniventris

Some first successes for the zoo this year include Harlequin Ducks Histrionicus histrionicus, thought to be the most southerly breeding of this species ever in captivity, and the Blue-headed Macaw Primolius couloni, which is rarely kept in captivity. The bird collection never seems to end, with new aviaries appearing around each and every corner.

Of course in this bird collection there are several species of , White-crested Turaco leucolophus and many of them have had considerable success at the zoo. The I then took the Surf-liner down the coast to San Diego, where I was Corythaeola cristata breeding at the San Diego about to start a 10 day work placement. It is well known that San Zoo is one of the greatest avicultural achievements of recent years. Diego has an enormous collection of birds, but what might not be as These birds have always been difficult to rear in captivity, both by well known is the continual success with which they breed the species hand but even more so by parents. Many turacos suffer with they keep. Their group of Raggiana Birds of Paradise Paradisaea insufficient protein in their diets when feeding chicks, but with the raggiana is the most successful group of birds of paradise in captivity Great Blue, which is more folivorous than the Tauraco and on the planet, and every year several birds are raised. Musophaga species, this problem is even more pronounced.

Page 42 Page 43 It is thought that in the wild the parents would inadvertently find Other highlights of the bird collection include the North Island Brown invertebrate grubs in the fruit which they are feeding to their chicks Kiwis, which are a particular favourite of mine. The collection of and it is this protein which enables the chicks to grow and fledge. Imperial Pigeons and Ptilinopus Fruit Doves at San Diego is easily the The diet now provided to the birds has improved the success rate best and most successful in the world, with six species of the former dramatically and many birds have been parent raised at the zoo. and thirteen of the latter - many of which have bred, most notably This year however, one chick was hand-raised and this is an this year the Wompoo Fruit Dove Ptilinopus magnificus puella which incredible achievement. The article written a couple of years ago is not very common in captivity. from Paradise Park in Hayle shows the immense amount of time required to rear this species. The zoo now has three of these birds free-flight in the Scripps aviary (which is one of the large walk-in aviaries) and it is one of the most impressive walk-in experiences to see a turaco, the size of a small turkey, fly within metres of you.

Great Blue Turaco Corythaeola cristata

Other species on exhibit at the zoo include the Purple-crested, Lady Ross’, Violet and Livingstone’s. The Livingstone’s Turaco Tauraco livingstoneii is kept with a Royal Antelope - which is the world’s smallest species of antelope, and when in the same exhibit, it is bizarre to see a hoofed which is almost the same size as the bird with which it shares its exhibit. It is also nice to see a pair of White-bellied Go-away Birds Corythaixoides leucogaster and it is hoped these birds will be able to breed in the next couple of years.

Violet Turaco Musophaga violacea North Island Brown Kiwi Apteryx mantelli Page 44 Page 45 In fact a few of the species kept here are almost impossible to find in any other zoological collection - for example the Yellow-breasted Fruit-dove Ptilinopus o. occipitalis, Coroneted Fruit-dove Ptilinopus coronulatus trigeminus and the Ornate Fruit-dove Ptilinopus ornatus gestroi. Let’s also not forget that San Diego easily has the largest collection of lories and lorikeets of any US zoo - with most of them breeding successfully, most notably this year a Mount Apo Lorikeet Trichoglossus johnstonei was foster raised by a pair of Mount Goliath Lorikeets Charmosyna papou goliathina!

New birds since my last visit include the beautiful Plate-billed Mountain Toucan Andigena laminirostris, the Lesser Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis, the bizarre Calfbird Perissocephalus tricolor and Blue-winged Pitta Pitta moluccensis - the pair of the latter are the only ones in captivity in the US.

Lesser Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis

Plate-billed Mountain Toucan Andigena laminirostris

I really cannot recommend San Diego Zoo enough - the collection is fantastic, the aviaries are stunning and the staff are all incredibly warm and friendly. I would like to thank Dave Rimlinger and the staff of San Diego Zoo’s bird department for making my visit so Chestnut-backed Scimitar-babbler Horned Parrot enjoyable and for allowing me to write this article. Pomatorhinus montanus Eunymphicus connutus

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