Breeding the Slaty,headed Parrot Psittacula himalayana by Greg Solorzano, Indio Hills, 'CA

himalayana finschii, also known as the Burmese Slaty- P• headed Parrot, for those unfa­ miliar with this bird, is, of course, a member of the Psittacula genus of Asiatic parrots. The two subspecies share a velvety black head over an aqualnarine collar and a nearly lime green breast, with darker green back and bluish suffusion under the wings. Sexing can be done while very young, as the males evi­ dence a dark maroon wing patch and the hens do not. They have a golden iris and a beautiful Chinese red upper mandible, tipped in yellow. The larger subspecies, P. h. himalayana, also called the Himalayan Slaty-head, has a tail with a green base, changing to blue and ending in a yel­ low tip, and the smaller, P. h. finschii has a tail that is violet-blue at the base, changing to a soft parchment yellow­ FIND OUT WHY HUMIDAIRE white at the tip. EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN THE This is a quietly exquisite little bird CHOICE OF ZOOS, PRE­ that can talk if raised alone and is oth­ SERVES AN 0 PROFESSIONAL erwise very quiet. The Slaty-head defi­ BREEDERS WORLDWIDE FOR nitely deserves a greater popularity in OVER SIX DECADES. WRITE, aviculture. CALL OR FAX FOR YOUR FREE CATALOG! Introduction I have been raising Slaty-headed P.O. BOX 9, NEW MADISON, OH 45346 U.S.A. Parrots since the early 90s. After read­ TELEPHONE [U.S.A.] Toll-Free (800) 410-6925 ing many articles in the AFA WATCH­ IlumlDAIRI WORLDWIDE (937) 996-3001 • FAX (937) 996-3633 INCUBATOR COMPANY E-MAIL [email protected] BIRD over the ye~rs, which talked about breeding and conserving the

46 July/August 2000 The Slaty-headed Parrot (or Parakeet) is an exquisite little bird that deserves more attention from the breeders of Asiatics. birds remaining in aviculture, I decid­ noticed that he had a faint crimson My Breeding Pool ed to keep a single Slaty-headed Parrot wing patch. Since that time I've Following thiS, I acquired three par­ belonging to the smaller subspecies, noticed that some males have darker, ent-raised clutch mates from a well­ Psittacula himalayana .finschii. This more pronounced wing patches than known Psittacula breeder. This seller was the beginning of my adventure others. When I got him home, I saw owned a single pair of breeding Slaty­ with Slatys, and it also launched me that this bird was missing all the toes headeds which he later sold; reasoning into specialization with breeding a but one on the back of his right foot. I that there was no purpose to breeding variety of Afro-Asian species. judged him to be apoor candidate for a species that was not popular and did breeding, reasoning that he would not not sell. When I sexed the three clutch Description be able to get a good grip on the hen's mates I found that I had two females Until I acquired my first Slaty-head­ back or wings while copulating. But and one male. I subsequently traded ed Parrot I had never even seen a live . there's no telling what challenged one of the hens for an older hen, with specimen and I found it to be a beau­ birds are capable of when mother another well-known Psittacula breed­ tiful bird, especially when the long nature calls! Nevertheless, I bought this er. "Stubby" was then paired with the beautiful tail remains intact. My first male (whom I named "Stubby") a hen, young hen, and I paired the young Slaty-head, according to ornithological at the Pomona Bird Mart, the following cock with the older hen. Both siblings description, was a male, because I summer. bred with their respective mates at two

the afa WATCHBIRD 47 years oflage. unless they have been previously that one wasn't too bad! That leg pulled for hand-rearing. seemed to have fused in a slightly Climate angled position so that its right foot My home and aviary are located in Challenges pointed a little to the right. This did not the low desert area of Southern My mature hen has since laid five represent a serious incapacity. California, in the mountain foothills at eggs each year, and never fails to have about 1,200 ft. elevation, where sum­ trouble with either her eggs or her Banding mer temperatures can range from 100 babies. For instance, in 1997 she laid had not yet banded any of the degrees F., in April, to about 115 her usual five eggs but hatched only babies, so I worried about banding degrees F., in August. four, most of which I fostered with a those fragile little legs. However, I suc­ Although I have successfully raised lutino Ring-neck whose own infertile cessfully banded the four other babies, both Ring-neckeds and Mustached eggs were discarded after about 40 and left the fifth baby with the crooked Parrots in the desert, I was at first hes­ days of brooding. The lutino hen leg unbanded. In talking with a fellow itant to try the Slaty-headed species accepted the first two babies, then Psittacula specialist, I learned that she because in the wild they are found far­ accepted the third about two days has also experienced finding different ther north than any other parrot later. She kept them well fed until they babies in the nest box with broken species. At one time, I supposed that were pulled for hand feeding at about legs. So although I don't understand it, their native climate must therefore be two weeks of age. The fourth baby, I know I'm not alone. cooler for that reason, but have since which had been left with the natural learned this is not necessarily so. mother, died from either having been Update crushed or smothered. Currently, my three Slaty-headed Housing I don't know if my interference with breeding pairs are kept in individual All my flight cages are built outside the Slaty-headed hen's nesting activi­ aviaries. As of this writing all three under the tree canopy in my back ties, or other factors has so far caused Slaty pairs have been in the nest box yard, and the birds do just fine. Birds this hen to be both an unstable and for seven days. I checked the nest of in such a climate given a large water unreliable mother, but she is just not my No. 1 pair (Stubby and his hen) bowl can thrive nicely and without ill yet calm enough to raise her babies when the hen was out of her nest, and effects, if acclimated. I do not use a without encountering problems. I discovered two eggs. I estimate that misting system, but I do spray them Stubby and his young hen, on the these babies will be starting to hatch down several times a week with the other hand, are the better parents, by March 20 if all goes well. I didn't garden hose set on a fine spray. although they too have had their prob­ check the No. 2 pair today, but the My aviary is 6 feet long by 3 feet lems. This past spring, they had five hen has been in her nest box continu­ wide and 3 feet high. All the aviaries fertile eggs and five babies. I was able ally, so I believe she has eggs. Pair No. are raised four feet off the ground. to leave the babies with the parents for 3 consists of a 3-year-old, hand-raised Mourning Doves and Gambel Quail two weeks without incident. At five male and a 2-year-old, hand-raised are always present, picking up any weeks, I removed the older nestlings hen. I had to relocate their aviary in food spilled or dropped by the parrots. for handfeeding so that there would be the yard, recently, so disturbing them less crowding and competition for the may have caused them to lose this . Feeding parents' attentions. Sadly, one morning breeding year. However, you never I'll admit right off that I don't feed when I made the nest inspection, I dis­ know. enough fruits or vegetables, due to covered two chicks with broken legs! time restrictions for preparation, but I It is unknown whether the cause was Conclusion have found that Slatys will eat just over-crowding, rough care by the par­ Despite somewhat rocky begin­ about anything a Ring-neck will eat. ents, my daily inspections, or what? I nings, I honestly believe that the P. was very disheartened. hima/ayana is one of the easiest Breeding I couldn't decide what to do: leave Asiatics to breed. Thus, I sincerely Except for the Derbyan, all the the babies and let nature take its hope that readers of this article will Psittacula are early season nesters, course, pull the babies and take them take up the challenge to breed these and this fact contributed to my deci­ to a vet, or see what I could do myself. very nice birds in their different loca­ sion to specialize in this genus. They I was already late for work that day, tions and environments, both in the US will begin breeding in my climactic and my real job pays the bills, so I had and abroad, and share their experi­ conditions in January, when it is usu­ to leave the fate of the babies to nature ence with others. ally quite cool, and will breed for the time being. I do hope that the Slaty-headed throughout our very windy season, Two days later I summoned up the Parrot will gain favor with Psittacu/a from February through April, umil the courage to pull the tiny chicks and breeders, sooner rather than later, heat kicks in, in May. By .;nid-M;,y examine them closely. Miraculously, because it would be a great shame to most of the Asiatic babies are fledgec and to my amazement, I saw that only lose this beautiful little Psittacula from and being weaned by their pare, one baby had a broken leg, and even aviculture. ..

48 July/August 2000