We Parrot Conservation Buy Birds • and Aviculture We Sell (a selfcritical exam/' Birds ~

Complete Bird Supplies byDelia Berlin 8990 Cerritos Ave. Bolton, Connecticut Anaheim, CA 92804 (714) 527-3387 (closed for vacation, first 2 weeks of July) 12200 Magnolia Ave. Riverside, CA 92503 (909) 278-0878 Opinions given in this article are tributing to more ecological tragedies. (closed for vacation, first 2 weeks of August) those ofthe author, and may not be The Spix's Macaw, for example, has those ofthe AFA. Ed. declined in the wild to near-extinction OPEN 9 TO 5 DAILY levels due to capture for bird fanciers Closed Sun., Mon. & holidays and not due to loss of habitat. Claims ost aviculturists I know are about their nesting sites being lost to M bird-loving people who care Africanized bees have not been sup­ Authoritative Workbook: about making ethical decisions. How­ ported by field studies. What has been COCKATIEL GENETICS ever, these decisions are based on the confirmed by these studies is that by information we have at hand, which paying as much as $40,000 per bird MADE EASY! during the late '80s, aviculturists con­ From the basics through Whiteface may not always be accurate and un­ crosses to Dominant Silvers! biased. Unfortunately, there is a tributed to a rapid decline in the wild by dangerous tendency in the avicultural population of these macaws. When linda S. Rubin literature to suppress or distort infor­ avicultural efforts geared to reintro­ contributing editor on cockatiels to AFA mation related to parrot conservation. duction of the Spix's Macaw are Wotchbird and NCS/ SBPE panel judge This tendency may be unintentional, disseminated by the literature, avicul­ 1993 recipient of AFA Wotchbird AW Award and may simply reflect our natural turists suddenly emerge as heroes in Over 15 chapters. 112 pp.. work problems. mini quizzes and chapter answers. inclination to see what we want to see complete denial of responsibility for " ... there is help on the horizon. anyone seriously and to hear what we want to hear. A the role we played in this tragedy. interested in color genetics should take a look at A similar scenario has emerged with Linda Rubin's book Cockatiel Genetics Made short summary of the disturbing mes­ Easy!... there is enough information in this little vol­ sage that I read between the lines in the Hyacinth Macaw. The wild popu­ ume to teach anyone the secrets of dealing with recessive. sex-linked and dominant mutations... too many avicultural magazines is this: lation of these macaws has declined from the simplest pairings to complex combina­ from about 500,000 to fewer than tions of three. four and more colors. Each chapter Aviculturists will save endangered is arranged like a true workshop...the book uses a 5,000 in little over a decade, due sound strategy and will give much pleasure and species that are on their sure way to largely to trapping. We must learn to knowledge to all." (Dr. Reiner R. Erhart. ACBM, extinction due to loss ofhabitat. Any Dec. 1993.pg.37) $39.95 seek information open-mindedly, pay attempt to save undisturbed wild hab­ attention to multiple sources, be THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO itats is a lost battle. Restrictions on aware of conflicting interests among COCKATIEL COLOR MUTATIONS importation and trade are dangerous authors of various reports, and then 11 chapters and appendices as published in and may result in the loss ofour busi­ ACBM and Cage & Aviary Birds, U.K....a "must for make up our minds, based on scientif­ those interested in cockatiels and their muta­ nesses and even ourpet birds. tions... explained to a depth not found in many ically backed facts rather than slogans publications." (Daie R. Thompson. AFA Watchbird. While aviculturists need to be aware and exhortations. Aug/Sept 1992. pg 19) $15.95 of the status of each captive species in The human need for animal com­ FREE SHIPPING within continental U.S.A. the wild and the possibility to avert panionship dates back to our early Foreign orders add $7 for S&H, U.S. funds only. extinction through increased captive ancestors. Even non-human primates Send to: Tangowood Aviary. Dept. AFA breeding efforts, they also need to are known to adopt animals as pets. 93 Woodcliff Rd .. Chestnut Hill. MA02167 learn from past mistakes to avoid con- Regardless of what we do in this

24 January / February 1995 respect, our actions will have an envir­ that would i111pact on a l11iniscule close ecological exchange with a great onmental impact. Because we are part number of species. Efforts to ustain number of other specie . Hunlans for of the ecosystell1, it is not realistic to species through captive breeding, exa111ple ho,t nU111erOU pecies of expect that we go through our lives although cOlnll1endabl a a la t Inites, fungi 'lnd bacteria. It is believed without altering the environ111ent. resort, will usually fail, even in the no that a l11any as 30 life fonns What we can aim at is minilnizing the best progra111S. S0l11 of the reasons becam extinct with the Carolina Para­ destructive ilnpact of our actions on for failure are: keet, 1110St of the111 111icroscopic para- the environment and on other life • Inbreedi11,g: When nU111ber dwin­ itic and sYlnbiotic organi IllS. form. dle belo a critical mininlU111 eu ually With till alnlost 330 p cies of par­ Captive breeding of parrot species is at least" 500), lethal and sub-lethal rot living in the wild, aviculturists desirable because it helps meet the recessive genes become shared traits ho want to preserve these species demand for avian cOll1panions, reduc­ of too ll1any individuals within a for years to C0111e should Inake a COIn­ ing capture in the wild. I say reducing) couple of generation . The reproduc­ mitlnent to pre erve the environnlent and not eliminating) as we are SOlne­ tive viability of the specie i thus and to tay infonl1 d about the i111pact times led to believe, because we still decreased. our pr ference , behavior and current need to capture most of our breeding • Genetic shift: When founder pop­ practic Inay have in th tatu of stock. We should remember this to be ulations" are s111all, they don't provide wild parrot populations. We have an more conscientious and responsible a C0111pl te repres ntation of the obligation to keep inforoled, to exaOl­ in caring for our parrots. I aln deeply genetic pool for the species in the in our own ll1istakes, and to trea ure aware that my d0111estic pets had wild­ wild. Descendants of the snlaller ev ry bird we already have, pet or caught parents. It pleases me to know subsets usually diff r f1'onl the wild breeder, in recognition of all e take that I decided to pay more to save population a a group. Over a few fro111 our b autiful planet. S0111e parrot suffering, and that I up­ generation the e differences nlay ported a business that will result in the lead to genetic divergenc ,d creasing References and production of many other wonderful the chances that captive bred individ­ Recommended Reading companions by the sanle pairs with­ uals will interbreed successfully with The Ditersity ofLUe} Edward O. \X!ilson, orton Books, Tew York NY 199 out further capture. I don't need to ild ones. deny that my purchases contributed to • Ecological.factors: We are ju t ReC0J7217Zended reading} in addilion 10 allicu/­ lura!puhlicaliolls: the capture of the original pairs. This beginning to grasp the c0111plexity of Audub n, Birder' arid ature Can ervancy denial would be dangerous, becau e ecosystel11s. Each species lives in .. ierra. ,.. it would prevent me fro111 nlaking ethical decision about sp cies selec­ tion. If I had thought that 111y purcha ~e would have no impact what oever in the wild, I could have ea ily selected critically endangered species as pets. The captive .breeding of endangered species should be a last reso11 to pre­ serve a gene pool once irreparable loss of habitat has taken place. Our strongest efforts should go to preser­ vation of all species in situ) which Inay involve S0111e restrictions for avi­ culturists. The advocating of a resigned acceptance of loss of habitat is one of the biggest danger parrot conservation face today. While it is true that when los of habitat appears to be unavoidable we should 111ake efforts to preserve those species dis­ placed by this loss, this should never be presented as an equivalent alterna­ ~~~~~~~~~~ tive to conservation in the wild. We TO ORDER: 1. Enclose an original VOIDED check from your current check supply. should be aware about the inlplica­ Indicate any changes clearly on voided check. tions of this 111uch scaled-down goal in 2. Enclose a sample deposit slip from your existing checks. • l-Fo-,q-u-esti-·o-ns-c-on-ce-m-ing-,,-ou-,-om-e-r...-.---' 3. We need your daytime phone ("-~)'-- _ order to 111ake a trong cOlnmitlnent to 1-800-356-0353 * Number my checks starting with # _ exhaust every availabl av nue to (If astart number is not specified checks will start at #101) TOTAL pre erve wild habitats. Send check or Mia to: BIRD LOVER CHECKS The STYLES COMPANY Single Checks: Carbonless Duplication: y~$~ add $2.00 The illusion that aviculture can pro­ 15916 MANUFACTURE LANE D 200 - $13 95 D 150 - $15.95 . elb engUub add $2.00 vide a satisfactory vehicle to save spe­ HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92649 D 400 - $25:95 D 300 - $28.95: PriOrity m~~I~~~~~e7~~~ ;;t~ cies is dangerous because, at best, we We also accept VISA &MasterCard... D 800 - $42.95 D 600 - $49.95 25 Shipping &Handling $1 .50 ll--- Exp. ---l.- Z00342 TOTAL can playa very s111all redee111ing role

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