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"Hawaiian Bird Chick Is a First", Endangered Species Bulletin

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Hawaiian Bird Chick by Barbara Maxfield is a First Marking the first time the species its feeding habits, and it uses its strong, has been bred in captivity, an endan- parrot-like bill to tear apart decaying gered Maui parrotbill (Pseudonestor timber in search of insects and larvae. xanthophrys) chick hatched on July 21, The number of Maui parrotbills in the 2000, at the Keauhou Bird Conservation wild has dwindled to fewer than 500. Center on the island of Hawai’i. The An introduced avian disease carried by encouraging news makes it possible non-native mosquitos is thought to be that, with captive breeding as a tool, the primary reason for the parrotbill’s this extremely rare forest bird will decline, said Thane Pratt, a wildlife eventually recover. biologist for the U.S. Geological “This is really a quantum leap,” said Survey’s Biological Resource Division. Alan Lieberman, co-director of the Other major threats to the bird are Zoological Society of San Diego’s habitat destruction, encroachment of programs in Hawaii. “It’s a big step to invasive species, and introduced have captive adult birds healthy and predators such as rats. Restoration of content enough to breed.” mature forests and elimination of unnatural predators will be necessary for most native Hawaiian forest birds to thrive in the wild, Pratt said. The center currently holds three adult parrotbills, including the pair that bred. Two other endangered Hawaiian songbirds being held at the center, the palila (Loxioides bailleui) and the Hawaii creeper (Oreomystis mana), also successfully bred for the first time this year. The center plans to keep a small, genetically diverse population of each species to help replenish numbers in Above, a 20-day old Maui parrotbill. The chick’s parents hatched at the the wild once proper habitat has been Photo by Alan Lieberman/Zoological Society center from eggs collected in the wild secured. Partners in the Hawaiian forest of San Diego Above right, a parrotbill peels away in 1997 and 1999. Until now, little has bird conservation programs include bark in search of food. been observed of the birds’ breeding Hawaii’s Department of Land and Illustration by Rochelle Mason, behavior because they normally live in Natural Resources, The Peregrine Fund, www.rmasonfinearts.com a rugged, remote area. the U.S. Geological Survey’s Biological The Maui parrotbill, an olive-green to Resources Division, the Zoological yellowish bird the size of a small Society of San Diego, the Fish and canary, is found only on Maui’s mid-to- Wildlife Service, and numerous private high-elevation eastern rainforests in the landowners. Hanawi Natural Area Reserve and The Nature Conservancy’s Waikamoi Barbara Maxfield is a Public Affairs Preserve. The parrotbill, like other rare Specialist in the Service’s Honolulu, Hawaiian forest birds, is a specialist in Hawaii, Field Office. 22 ENDANGERED SPECIES BULLETIN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2000 VOLUME XXV NO. 5.
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