U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Iguaca Aviary Techniques used in the Puerto Rican Parrot Parrot pair inside a breeding cage. USFWS Recovery Program April 2007

Captive Breeding Maximizing Egg Production José L. Vivaldi Memorial Aviary Captive breeding is The parrots reproductive system is (administered by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and San Juan New Aviary critical to keeping examined through endoscopy. This Environmental Resources) near El Portal the species from procedure allows us to identify sterile 2 extinction. To parrots and focus breeding efforts on Aguadilla Arecibo 2 3 N 12 maximize the parrots that are fit to reproduce. Caguas Río Abajo Forest 3 10 31 genetic pool of the Mayagoez 38 Some parrots have high fertility and 42 Old FWS Aviary species, parrots in 2 near El Yunque productivity. Biologists remove the Ponce El Yunque and Rio 3 Peak Abajo aviaries are first few eggs from those parrots to managed as a single stimulate production of more eggs. Puerto Rico Caribbean National Forest population, Eggs with cracked shells can be exchanging birds to repaired and saved by artificial incubation. In the aviary, incubators The first captive flock of Puerto form breeding Rican Parrots was established in 1973 pairs. Mature breeding parrot pairs in the Luquillo Mountains by the U.S and young parrot pairs that have not Fish and Wildlife Service, to ensure yet reproduced are housed in the survival of the species. The second breeding cages during the captive group was established on 1993 reproductive season. Foster pairs in the José L. Vivaldi Memorial may incubate eggs laid by other Aviary (Río Abajo Aviary), parrots. administered by the PR Department Fertility of the Eggs of Natural and Environmental Fertility is determined by “candling”, Resources, located in the Río Abajo or illuminating the air sac of the egg. Commonwealth Forest. Fertility can be determined from the The Luquillo Aviary gave support fourth to the eighth day of incubation both to the field and enhanced captive when a network of blood vessels parrot production. For 34 years, begins to form within the shell. Service biologist Iris Rodríguez Service biologists have expanded our examining eggs and looking for vein formation. USFWS understanding of parrot biology and behavior, all aimed at releasing the most parrots to the wild with the are useful when a parent or a foster highest survival. parent cannot incubate the egg. The most recently acquired incubator From the Luquillo Aviary, the Service mimics a parrot mother. The machine has been on the leading edge of does this by periodically changing the parrot research worldwide. Our temperature and humidity, as it would scientists have developed techniques happen when the mother parrot exits that have aided conservation the nest and reenters throughout the programs for other parrot species in day. Hawaii and throughout Latin America. The Priscilla Stubbe Nursery will be used mainly during the breeding In 2007, the Service, in partnership season to incubate eggs and care for with the U.S. Forest Service, young parrot chicks from the Iguaca completed construction of Iguaca Aviary, the Río Abajo Aviary, and at Aviary. This new facility will serve as times from the wild population at El the Service’s main facility to advance Yunque National Forest. the parrot recovery. The following Service biologist Marisel López Assisted Hatching information describes the Service’s checking eggs inside the incubator. efforts at the aviary in captive USFWS Typically after a female parrot lays breeding and releases into the wild. the last egg in the clutch, she begins U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to incubate the eggs for Veterinary Care: Annual Physical Quarantine approximately 24-26 days until they Exams Parrots with potentially contagious hatch. The chick begins to break the Every parrot gets an annual checkup; diseases that could infect the rest of eggshell from the air sac, and the which includes blood work, weighing the birds are isolated in the entire process can take up to a day. and physical examination of the wings Quarantine Room. Parrots that exit When a chick demonstrates problems to detect any parasites. the aviary for public outreach and hatching, or is poorly positioned parrots brought from the wild and within the egg and cannot break free Treatment of Illnesses and Emergency the Río Abajo Aviary are placed in on its own, biologists can assist by Situations quarantine for 30-40 days before carefully tapping on the shell on Both the adult and juvenile parrots joining the rest of the captive parrot strategic locations. This work that are suffering from mild to severe population. requires a great deal of patience and conditions are treated in the hospital. care to avoid damaging the vascular Veterinarian Dr. Antonio Rivera Socialization and Exercise system of the egg that is providing treats infections and wounds, applies Parrots socialize, form new pairs and oxygen to the chick inside. treatments, and performs surgeries. exercise inside two 20 high flight An X-ray machine and a developer cages. This is an important time for Chick Incubation are used to diagnose parrots with biologists to make observations and Chick incubators are used to house possible bone fractures, or to gather information about the parrots and feed young parrot chicks that determine if they have ingested a behavior that can be useful for occasionally are abandoned by adult foreign object. breeding. parents. The incubators are maintained at a constant and specific Parrot Releases to the Wild temperature because the very young The goal of the recovery program is chicks cannot effectively regulate to have three self sustaining wild their body temperature. These populations in Puerto Rico. So far, 66 incubators are also used to house parrots have been released in El parrot chicks brought in from the Yunque and in Río Abajo Forest. The wild in need of veterinary care. Service has created meticulous protocols tailored to the specific Hand Feeding conditions of each one of the two This technique is used only when release site. However, all parrots there are no foster mothers that can Puerto Rican Parrot under considered candidates for release go feed the chicks. A powdered formula anesthesia getting ready for a through training to help them is mixed with an electrolyte solution fertility study. USFWS develop flight skills, maneuverability, and delivered to the chicks with strength and stamina. To eliminate sterilized syringes. Hand feeding Blood Chemistry Test the possibility of introducing diseases chicks inside the incubators requires The hospital has sophisticated to the wild, medical checkups are constant care, feeding every two equipment to analyze a blood sample extensive. Released parrots are in top hours, 24 hours a day. and in minutes reveal information medical and physical condition. The about the liver, pancreas, muscle release protocol includes predator Camera Surveillance enzymes, calcium, sodium, potassium aversion training, because predation An infrared camera surveillance and other important diagnostic is one of the leading causes of system allows biologists to see inside parameters. mortality for wild parrots. Biologists the wild nests to look for eggs and also install radio transmitters on the chicks without disturbing the parrots. Birds have a very fast metabolism. If parrots’ neck to track their Biologists are able to do this because treatment is delayed, diseases can whereabouts for up to a year after parrots return year after year to the progress quickly resulting in released. same nests. At the Luquillo aviary mortality. Many parrots have been there was a surveillance system that saved because of our ability to run For more information, please contact: has deteriorated. Iguaca Aviary blood chemistry tests on site to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offers a new, more effective expedite diagnosis. Río Grande Field Office monitoring system. Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Nest Material Sterilization Program The immune systems of chicks are P. O. Box 1600 immature. This makes them Río Grande, Puerto Rico 00745 susceptible to infections. Pulmonary 787/887 8769 infections caused by bacteria used to be one of the leading causes of mortality for young parrots. The Service has been able to virtually eradicate this problem by sterilizing woodchips used for nesting material in both wild and aviary nests.

Video monitoring aviary nests. USFWS