The Laughing Thrushes (Garrnlax Species)

The Laughing Thrushes (Garrnlax species) Josef H. Lindholm, III Keeper of Birds Fort Worth Zoological Park he 48 pecies in the ge~us Garrulax constitute one of the T major groups of Asian passer ines, and a number of species have held important places in aviculture. Ganrulax canorus, the Melodious Jay Thrush or Hwamei ha been a much exploited cage bird in China for hun dreds of years. The White-crested Laughing Thrush (G. leucolophus) and the Greater Necklaced Laughing Thru h (G. pectoralis) w re main tays of both the Indian and Thai bird trades that flouri hed in the 1950' and 60s the major sources of Asian passerines entering the U.S. in those decade. Prior to the 1980s about half-a dozen species in this genus w re com mon commercial imports to this coun try (Bates & Bu enbark, 1963). Other 'pecie howed up from time to time, specially out of Hong I(ong. In the mid 1980s, a much richer variety of Ganrulax pecies became available, hen the People's Republic of China Red-winged Laughing Thrushes (Ganulaxformo us) at the F011 Wonh Zoological Park. began large- cale commercial exports of birds. Traditionally, Laughing ThlU hes (orJay Thrushe a they are just as commonly called) of one kind or another have been traditional zoo softbills for a long time. From the accompanying table it will be seen that of the 15 species of Ganrulax hatched in U.S. zoos in the period 1959 - 1995, only four com menced breeding before 1987. It is also interesting to note that the one specie consistently bred during the 1970s, the White-crested Laughing Thrush, was hatched far less frequent ly in the late 1980s and 90s, as some of the novel species began to be prop agated in numbers. Perhaps this is to be expected. At any rate, by the 1990s it wa clear that some sort of program would be needed if any species was to be truly established in this country's zoo as a self-sustaining population. In As of30June 1995 67 White-crested Laughing Thrushes (Garrulax leucolophus) were distrib 1994 the various Species Interest uted among 27 U.s. public collections. This bird wasphotographed at the Los Angeles Zoo. Committees of the Passerine Taxon 42 January/February 1997 Pretty Bird... The Right Stz.Qf. The Right Way! manufactures a line of Species Specific Diets as well as our Daily Select Diets in sizes from Mini to grains as well as the Large. For breeders or pet owners proper amounts of vitamins interested in raising their birds and minerals and other dietary from hatchlings, we make four supplements to keep Handrearing formulas with various your birds fat and in protein good Knowledgeable feather and know that it health. We right stuff' to also have taken healthy and happy into account the that there's a "right various dietary do it. requirements Pretty Bird® is the diet of choice of different levels. For a little for many of these people and there families variety, try our are several reasons why. We design of birds. Birdy Banquet, a pasta, our diets with the health of your This grain, vegetable and fruit combi means nation that is a nutritious meal for that your favorite pet birds. Start your Pretty birds out the Bird right way, always use Pretty Bird products for birds in mind, keeping an eye on healthy the nutritional balance so that your and happy pet is assured of a healthy birds. and happy life. Using the best Please call for more information. 1-800-356-5020 United States Please call for more information. 0800 614 394 United Kingdom PRETTY BIRD INTERNATIONAL INC. c Advisory Group (operating under the ~ Q. E aegis of the American Zoo and o .c r- Aquarium As ociation) were formed. a:: The SIC for Laughing Thrushes wa coQ) o inaugurated with three people. The -g m Q) Specie Interest Committee Organizer 0> 'D (SICO) is jimmy Pichner, long-time •o 0 o Curator of Birds at the Minnesota Q) o0> Zoological Gardens who al a recently Q) CD > as 'umed re pan 'ibility for the .0 o Rothschild 'Mynah studbook. The other .co participants were Christopher Brown, 0... Curator of Birds at the Fort Worth Zoological Park, and Anita Cramm, Curator of Birds at Lincoln Park. Out of the 18 species of Gan'ulax 'held by .. zoos a ' of 31 December, 1994, four were designated as target species species in the Fir t Draft of the Pa'serine TAG Regional Collection Plan, which resulted from a two day meeting of SICOs at eattle, in eptemher of 1995. If the draft is approved as is, these will he the Laughing Thrush speci ,that zoos will he encouraged to estahlish as 'elf-su ' taining population'. A White-browed Laughing Thrush (Garrulax sannio) at the San Diego Zoo where eight were White-crested Laughing Thrush .ful(y I ared.from 1988 through 1993. It was almo 't inevitahle that one of these four is the White-crest d Laughing Thru 'h. Quite aside from the c .c fact that this 'pecie' i' triking-Iooking, ~ > .0 hardy an adlTIirahle songhird (per o .co forming duets), and typically stay' out 0... where people may enjoy it, it ould be mo't annoying to not finally have 'omething to show for all the speci mens hatched in this country's zoos over more than 25 year' a total of 419 from 1968 through 1995. Out of this total, howev r, at least 258 died before reaching adulthood. The problen1 of neonatal lTIortality remains a major problem. A contrihut ing factor is the tendency for "the hirds to re-cycle on to the n t quickly, and not to finish off the chicks after fledg ing" (Roth, 1993). The Minnesota Zoological Garden' ha dealt with thi ' by pulling chicks and handrearing them (Ibid, 1993). I have not heard whether hand-raising at thi' ag leads to imprinting. While imprinted Jay Thrushes make charming pets, they are certainly not the hest of hr eder' and are definitely an escape risk in The enigmatic Yellow-bellied Laughing Thrush (Garrulax galbanus)) the subject ofpartIf of walk-through aviaries. this article, This specimen is in a breedingprogram at the Fort Worth Zoological Park. 44 January/February 1997 The White-crested Laughing Thrush five of the chicks (from two clutches) System) listed 67 specimens distributed breedings in U.S. zoos have definitely hatched in 1973 were pulled at the age among 27 U.S. collections. At least 50% declined in recent years. Ofthe 29 col of 10 days and hand-reared easily on a were captive-bred. Only 12 hatched in lections that bred this bird in the u.s. diet of mealworms and Zu/Preem U.S. zoos in 1995: Four at the Henry from 1968 through 1995, 13 did so in Canned Feline Diet (Young, 1978). Doody Zoo in Omaha, and eight at St. the 1970s, 18 the '80s but only seven By March of 1974, only two adults Louis. The largest holdings at the end did in the '90s. A major reason has were still living in the aviary, and it was of 1995 were at St. Louis with seven been the importation of other not clear if these were a pair. The five birds, followed by Minnesota with six. Ganulax species in recent years. Not hand-reared offspring were reintro Though none of these birds are identi only are these novelties colorful and duced to the exhibit, and had to be fied to subspecies, I think it likely they otherwise attractive, most of them removed at once, as the remaining two are all the Indo-Chinese Ganulax leu have proved to be markedly less attacked them murderously. These two eolophus diardi (also found in China's aggressive than the White-crested were a pair after all, and hatched three Yunan Province ). A great many were Laughing Thrush. chicks that same April. This time, the exported out of Thailand in the 1960s The White-crested Laughing Thrush chicks, though again removed at 10 and '70s. has a long-standing reputation for days, were placed in a "nursery" cage The San Diego Zoo and Bronx Zoo aggressiveness, especially when in the aviary. After 12 days ofbeing fed breedings are attributed to this sub breeding. This has not prevented it by their parents, they were released species. In the 1950s and '60s, the larg being kept in all sorts of mixed without incident. er and grayer Himalayan G. I. kueolo aviaries, but caution is advised. In 1975, 11 chicks were successfully phus was exported to the U.S. from Unrelated White-crested Laughing handreared, and six were likewise India, and the very dark Sumatran G. I. Thrushes are notorious for aggression raised in 1976. Again, the chicks were bieolor has recently arrived in Europe, against members of their own species pulled at 10 days of age. The three where it has already bred. I am not as well. The most detailed published young birds released in 1974 assisted aware of either of these breeding in account of the breeding of this species with feeding and protecting their sib American zoos. I am aware of concerns the repeated lings, as well as in nest construction. The Passerine Taxon Advisory successes at the now-defunct Busch However, all incubation was done by Group's recommendations for White Bird Park in Houston (Young, 1978). the breeding pair. The young birds crested Laughing Thrushes are as fol This article is illustrative of the prob never attempted to breed in the pres lows: "A popular species for display.

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