Cooperative breeding in emerald starlings Lamprotornis iris at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Susan Congdon, Aviary Keeper Disney's Animal Kingdom
he Emerald Starling, two-level waterfall. The first water species bowls also contain carnivore Lamprotornis iris, with its fall pool is approximately 20 feet by diet. Small and large mealworms, T striking iridescent emerald 30 feet and 5 feet deep. The second crickets, and waxworms are also dis green and purple feathers, is a fasci is a large pond that measures persed throughout the day to all the nating bird to display. Unlike many approximately 50 feet by 20 feet. birds. There are several built-in trap other starlings, they can be housed The guest walkway forms a bridge cages used to introduce and capture with numerous other bird species that divides the pond in two. There birds. Food bowls are placed daily in with little or no inter-specific aggres are no trees directly over the pond, these cages to get the birds used to sion. There has been little observa allowing more light to reach this going in and out. tion of these birds nesting in the area. The back of the aviary is wild, and observations in captive formed by a gunnite wall that is Breeding birds vary with regard to cooperative approximately 12 feet tall and 7 feet Disney's Animal Kingdom was breeding. Separate incidences of wide. The height and design of the originally home to 2.2 wild caught aggression by Emerald Starlings dur aviary also creates three distinct Emerald Starlings which was ing breeding season have been zones: a canopy, sub-canopy, and reduced to 0.2 by March of 2000 due described by Pyper (994) first hand, the forest floor. to death. At this time 4.2 additional as well as recounted from a conver The Emerald Starlings currently wild caught birds were added to the sation with another aviculturist. share their exhibit with approximately collection, resulting in a population Brusch (1983) and Wilkinson (1996) 123 other individuals of 32 species, of 4.4. Although the original group both describe instances where a including amethyst starlings had been observed carrying green third adult helped feed chicks, (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster), superb leaves, (thought to playa significant though this extra bird was later starlings, (Spreo superbus), golden role in courtship (Feare and Craig, killed by the parents in one of these breasted starlings, (Lamprotornis 1999), and were observed some cases. Here I provide an account of regius), wattled starlings CCreatophora times near various nest-boxes, they cooperative breeding in our Emerald cinerea), white collared kingfisher, never nested. During the end of Starling group, also describing some (Halcyon chloris), hammerkop, 2000, after the new group of birds possible aggression that took place (Scopus umbretta), white- headed buf had settled in, the occurrence of leaf during this time. falo weavers, (Dinemellia dinemelli), carrying and passing increased. and magpie shrikes, (Coroinella Finally, in March 2001, it appeared Habitat melanoleuca). There are 11 feed sta that the Emerald Starlings were The walk-through African tions throughout the aviary that are focusing on a knot-hole in one of aviary at Disney's Animal Kingdom utilized by the Emerald Starlings, six the aviary support poles, about 35 is 143 feet long, 62 feet wide and 45 on the upper level and five on the feet above ground level. feet high. It is divided into two very lower level. One of the bowls has a In July of 2000 we lost one bird distinct sections. The first section is combination of carnivore diet mixed to snake predation, leaving us with . densely planted with various tropical with Mazuri flamingo pellets. The 3.4 birds. At the beginning of April, African trees, shrubs and other other ten bowls are mixed species continuous activity began at the knot plants. The trees are tall and effec bowls comprised of chopped mixed hole and keepers immediately began tively help to disguise the view of fruit, soaked Mazuri parrot breeder to notice that several different birds the wire mesh at the top of the and small bird breeder pellets, greens, were carrying green leaves to the aviary. The second section contains carrot'i, seeds and Bevo (a commercial hole. Initially the pair defended the a pond that is fed by a two-story, insectivore diet). Two of these mixed nest from the other birds but after sev- 42 Third Quarter 2002 The wing is spread to SbOll tbe uaried color q/a basical(v green bird. eral days all of the fell1ales ere the birds were caught for banding it Acknowledgments allowed at the nest. By May 29th, was noted that the back and ing This paper was made po , ible due to when they were believed to have feathers were an iridescent brown the detailed observations made by the past begun feeding chicks, the two non gre n and the breast area was dull and present Ati'ica aviary team at Disney's breeding males were d ad leaving gray with a few purple feather Animal Kingdom. The Di ney's Animal our population at 1.4. One was found pre ent. exing indicat d 3.1 ju e Kingdom's bird departm nt Management dead with signs of trm.1ma and the niles, who are till re kUng in the team of Grenville Roles, Chelle Plasse. Paul other one silnply disappeared. Little aviary with the 1.4 adult birds. , chutz, and , cott Barton also provided valu- aggression had been observed toward Recently there has been S0111e able feedback .:. these Inale ' by the breeding male. renewed acti ity by the adult birds everal felnales, in addition to around the nest site. the pair were ob erved bringing food While w had never itnessed to the ne t. Up until feeding had a great deal of intra-specific aggres apparently begun, the adults had sion, w lost two males during this Quality Incubators and Brooders Visit our website • b en continuously adding and r n10 - nesting activity leaving only the www.aveyln- .. ····· .... · ing leaves. On June 11 th, one day breeding ll1ale. It is not known for after keepers obs rved a chick stick sure whether the breeding 111ale Easy to use ing its head out of the nest, one chick killed the other t 0 male but there fully adjustable for all birds fledged and was assum d to be the is hope that the male will tolerate only chick because the adults were these other males helping at the nest 1(877)283-946~2 ~~~~~~JlJ not observed returning to the nest. All because they are related. 1-877-AVEYINC of the adults wer observed perching Toll Free References near and feeding what was thought to Bruch, K (19H3) Gelu ngene Zuchr des be this fledgling. It wa nit until June SmaragcJglanzslars (Coccycol i us iris). Trocbilus Lt : 56-5 . 30' that two n10re fledglings were dis Feare, C, and Craig. A (999) Starlings and covered and later on July 13 th that a Mynahs. Princeton University Press fourth one was found. Prine ton, Nc'v Jersey. Pyper, S (199 ~1) Breeding the Emerald Starling. Th juv niles were ntering the vicultural Magazine 1: 35-39. perll1anent aviary trap cages and eat Will inson, H (1996) Cooperative Ijre cling in captive Emcrald c t~Hlings Coccycolius ing on their own by mid-July. When iris. Malimhlls 6: 2--1. the afa WATCHBIRD 43