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Home , Bostrychia, Hadada ibis, Parrot

ZOO PROFILES on the Atlantic coast of , to south to , on the Indian Ocean coast. The range of B. h. The Hadada nilitoca borders the central portion of hagedassh this expanse to the north, comprising Josef Lindholm, 1/1 portions of , the , and Keeper, Disney's Kingdom, FL the Democratic Republic of the Congo, all of , and Western . ingo,John, Paul, and George of Good Hope (Hancock, et aI, 1992). The remaining part of Tanzania is are crossing a field full of Despite its distribution over the home to B. h. brevirostris. Since R sleeping Blue Meanies. greater part of the African Continent, Tanzania was a major source of zoo Suddenly, a giant mechanical clown, this bird appears to have little captive in the 1980s, it is not surprising, if head spinning like a top, emits horri­ history prior to the 1970s, in marked unfortunate, that both should be repre­ ble screeching noises and all chaos contrast to the other widespread sented in U.S. collections. breaks loose. African Ibis, the Sacred, 1breskiomis While these northern subspecies dif­ That scene from "Yellow Submarine" aethiopicus. Although vast African ter­ fer from the nominate Southern African came to mind after my participation in ritories were held by Germany, Britain, in color, both having brownish (instead nest inspections in Disney's and France before the First World War, of grayish) heads and necks, as well as Animal Kingdom's Pangani Forest I am unaware of any specimens in more pronounced and extensive irides­ . There is a fairly routine set of these countries' zoos in that age of cent and purple patches on the consequences resulting from such pro­ Imperialism. The only pre-World War wing (Hancock et aI, 1992) they differ cedures. The female, sitting on her II record I know of is a Single speci­ from each other in measurements. B. h. , protests with an explosive, ringing men received by the Amsterdam Zoo brevirostris, as one might gather from its "YAH! ! !" She is answered, identically, in 1888 (Brouwer et al 1994). subspecific name, possesses a shorter and in very short , by the male, Zoologischer Garten Berlin did than B. h. nilotica. However, its who, wherever he may be in this 6,600 receive at least one in 1965, and it lived beak is longer than that of B. h. square foot exhibit, comes swooping to there 16 (Brouwer et aI, 1994). hagedash. On an average, B. h. brevi­ her aid. There is a definite air of accu­ The first captive breeding, however, rostriss beak is about a centimeter sation in their dual yelling - an audial did not occur until 1974, when one longer than B. h. hagedash's but about pointing fmger, as it were, producing was hatched and raised at Vogelpark two centimeters shorter than B. h. nilot­ involuntary feelings of embarrassment Walsrode, the incomparably encyclo­ ica's (Hancock et aI, 1992). B. h. niloti­ and guilt. pedic German bird park (Zoological ca is correspondingly a bigger bird, These unignorable sounds have Society of London, 1976). sometimes significantly so. earned this bird its common name. The second collection to raise Aside from the San Diego Wild They yell in their evening roosts, they Hadadas was the Chicago Zoological Animal Park and Franklin Park, out of yell when they leave them to forage for Garden (Brookfield Zoo), where two the eight U.S. institutions listed by the and worms each morning, and hatched and one was reared in 1978 International Zoo Yearbook as having they yell when they fly from one feed­ (Zoological Society of London, 1980). bred Hadada through 1996, only ing ground to another (Hancock, et ai, The Brookfield Zoo went on to raise SeaWorld of is specified by that 1992). Frederick Jackson, turn of the six more, out of 11 hatched, from 1979 source to have bred a particular sub­ century Governor of Uganda, and an through 1981 (Zoological Society of . SeaWorld's birds are identified early leading authority on the birds of London, 1981 -84). No further U.S. as Bostrychia hagedash nilotica East Africa, likened those calls to the hatchings occurred until 1987, when (Zoological Society of London,1993- "hideous cackling of a witch" the San Diego Wild Animal Park 94). The International Species (Hancock, et ai, 1992). In their roosts, hatched three, and raised two. From Information System (999), however, where dozens may gather, "one bird 1988 through 1991, the Park bred a fur­ identifies the subspecies of birds at six starts calling, followed immediately by ther 18 of which 12 were fully reared. of the eleven U.S. collections holding the others, and in large roosts several The Wild Animal Park hatchings Hadadas 30 June, 1999. The unidenti­ groups may call simultaneously" are listed by the International Zoo fied specimens were five at Atlanta, a (Matheu & del Hoyo, 1992). With so Yearbook as the ni/otica subspecies pair at The Zoo at Gulf Breeze, Florida, conspicuous a voice, coupled with a (Zoological Society of London, 1990 - nine at Honolulu, one female at range encompassing most of sub­ 93). According to the same reference, SeaWorld of Florida, and three at the Saharan Africa, it is not surprising that the 17 Hadada Ibises raised, out of 45 Metro Washington Park Zoo, in the Hadada Ibis was one of the earliest hatched from 1988 through 1996, at the Portland, Oregon. The only place list­ African birds to receive a scientific Franklin Park Zoo in Boston were B. ed for B. h. nilotica was the San Diego description, being described by the hagedash brevirostris. This subspecies Wild Animal Park, with a single pair. great British ornithologist Latham in occurs in a vast sweep from Mauritania On the other hand, B. h. brevirostris 1790 from a bird collected at the Cape south to the mouth of the Congo River, was represented by 10 at Franklin

22 January/February 2001 Park, a pair at Disney's Animal a purchase from the neighboring Kingdom, three at the Jacksonville Jacksonville Zoo. These birds were ini­ Zoo, in Florida, a pair at the Oakland tially housed at the Lubee Foundation, Birdpark "Jagrie" Zoo, in , and seven at Safari in Gainesville, Florida, where the nucle­ Holland West, in Santa Rosa, California. In all, us of Disney's Animal Kingdom's col­ this comes to a total U.S. 200 popula­ lection was being assembled while Very Rare: tion of 46. facilities at Walt Disney World Resort, in AMAZONS- The Regional Collection Plan provi­ Orlando, were nearing completion. · sionally drafted by the Ciconiiformes Two of the ibises were hatched in in Captivity Advisory Group of the Atlanta, a male on 29 May 1992, and its 300 Outdoor female sibling on 1 June, 1992. The American Zoo and Aquarium Specialized in Association, recommends the Hadada third was a female hatched at the Ibis for "display," in other words, a Franklin Park Zoo, on 13 May, 1994. Rare Colour Mutations species that does not need to be care­ All three arrived identified as the brevi­ Please look at our website: fully managed for conservation pur­ rostris subspecies. As neither the http://www.birdpark-jagrie.nl poses or as a perpetually selfsustain­ International Zoo Yearhook or ISIS On demand we ing captive population. The CICAG specify the suhspecies of any Atlanta send a price list. suggests that no more than 50 speci­ birds, I contacted Mary Noell, Registrar rnens be collectively maintained .in at Zoo Atlanta, who told me Atlanta's J.J. Postema North American Zoos. hreeding pair, purchased from the now Veenakkers 4 According to ISIS (1999) reproduc­ defunct California firm Bellbird in 1988, 9511 RC Gieterveen tion occurred at three U.S. collections in had heen captured in West Africa. the first six months of 1999. Four Exactly which West African country the Holland hatched at Atlanta, one at Franklin Park, birds originated from is not recorded, phone: + 31-599-648382 and two at Honolulu. Considering 123 hut that entire area falls under the range fax: + 31-599-648216. Hadada Ibises hatched in seven U.S. of B. h. brevirostris. Visiting the Birdpark only institutions from 1987 though 1996, Be this as it lnay, in the age-old tra­ possible after agreement. even in light of the fact that only 53 ditions of the Pharaohs and Ali 'is , the were fully reared, it is obvious that Atlanta sihlings' preference in mates future U.S. breedings will need to be appeared to run towards each other. severely curtailed if the 200 popula­ From records that arrived with these tion is to be maintained at anything birds from Jacksollville, it seems that near 50 birds. there had heen enmity hetween the That this may require some effort Atlanta and Boston specimens hefore may be gathered from experiences their transfer, and this War hetween with this species at Disney's Animal the States a ppears to have continued Kingdom, yelling and all. through their sojourn at Lubee. On 7 August, 1997, Disney's Animal (Hancock, et aI , (1992) suggest, in Kingdom received three Hadada Ibises, contrast to at least Sacred, Scarlet, and American White Ibises which re-pair !J each and breed in large colonies, ~ that the noncolonial Hadada mates for ~ life, retaining some sort of ~ beyond the breeding season). At any LEG BAND ~ rate, the Atlanta ibises made the trip to ELECTRONIC CUTTER Disney's Animal Kingdom by them­ SCALES & PERCH STAND selves, and on 27 January, 1998, they THERMOMETERS HEATING were released into the Pangani Forest CLOACAL & MOUfH PLATFORMS Aviary. SPECULUM CORDLESS On 16 March, 1998, Chelle Plasse, FEEDING TUBES ORE MEL Aviary Team Manager, noted the male AND MORE placing small twigs in the fork of an LOOK IN OUR CATALOG oak tree, spending almost an hour l'/~T/~'RINARr . "working to place the same twig." On SP/~'CIA.IJTr PRO/)UCT.t.;, INC. 21 March, Chelle ohserved "both birds (561) 362-7340 fax (561) 362-9982 aHo- and rattling bills togeth­ ORDERS (800) 362-8138 This chick, hatched in at incubator at er," the standard courtship display for Disney's Animal Kingdom in july, is 'Veh Address www.\.et-prududs.l·unl about to be hand-fed. this species (Hancock, et aI, 1992). the afa \V'ATCHBIRD 23 Aviary Keeper Paul Schutz recorded proximity. However, that evening, Shannon reported this bird "flew over the pair gathering nest materials, but both birds roosted on the deadfall. and grazed my head when flying placing them in two different oak trees They resumed roosting in the nest the towards nest." While Disney's Animal on 24 March. Aviary Keeper James following night. Kingdom guests were often alarmed Grant observed on 27 March that the On Earth Day, 22 April 1998, by the Hadadas swooping over their pair was "building a nest over the Disney's Animal Kingdom opened its heads as they approached the nest, water near the bridge" and that the gates. In the week that followed, what often trailing nesting materials, I am female is very active and drops more amounted to roughly a year's atten­ not aware of any physical contact with into the water than she manipulates on dance for many municipal zoos passed non-staff persons. the branch." This time, the tree was a by the ibises' nest (about three feet On 16 May, a broken was dis­ feathery leafed Tipu (Tipuana tipu). above, and five feet away from the covered under the nest. There did not An unsuccessful attempt at copulation public path). The Hadadas responded appear to be any development. On 20 was noted by Paul that same day. with aplomb. On 22 April, Paul May, the shell of an egg which had On 29 March, Aviary Keeper observed copulation at 6:00 P.M. On 23 "obviously hatched" was found in the Shannon Mezzell noted that the female April, he observed it at 7:45 A.M. And water beneath the nest. Later that day, was now successful at placing branch­ on 24 April, James observed copula­ James inspected the nest, and despite es, and worked at nest building all after­ tions at 12:25, 1:35, and 6:50 P.M. both birds being "very aggressive and noon. Over the next several days, nest The female did not leave the nest at protective of nest," discovered a chick construction progressed, accompanied all commencing 26 April. The male and a pipping egg. by bill clattering and evening vocaliza­ joined her on the nest as twilight fell. The chick was weighed, at 42.4g, tions. On 2 April, Paul noted "precopu­ Shannon noted he was "very aggres­ and returned to its parents. Its weight latory behavior (alIa-preening, bill rat­ sive toward keeper when nearby." on 23 May was 59.2g. At the same time tling, mounting) followed by copulation Paul records "he actually flew at keep­ it was discovered the chick in the and a postcopulatory upward bill­ er's head two times when approaching pipped egg had died before hatching. stretch." That evening he noticed the the nest," on 28 April. The weight of the surviving chick had female sitting in the nest for an extend­ The first successful nest inspection jumped to 368.5g by 30 May, and it was ed period. From this point, with one since 24 April (when no eggs were pre­ noted to be very active, attracting much exception, both Ibises spent the night sent) was finally achieved 29 April, and attention from park guests. Both the on the nest (previously, they roosted in three eggs were found. On that date, male and female parent provided food the deadfall near the aviary waterfall). the male began relieving the female at constantly, especially Giant Mealworms For most of the month of April, brooding during most of the day time. from the scheduled "throwings" for the observed copulations were an almost On 30 April, James noted the male resident flock of Carmine Bee-eaters. daily entry in the keepers' log. spent about half an hour preening the On 3 June, Paul observed that the On 5 April, the male Hadada began female while she sat on the nest "most chick was a third the size of its parents, stealing sticks from a pair of of the morning." Paul recorded that and sprouting pin on its wings Hammerkops (Scopus umbretta), a while the male was sitting for the tail and back. He also noted that when species renowned for enormous remainder of that day, the female "flew one parent arrived to relieve the other domed nests. Shannon reported that at Keeper once and at a Hostess once." at chick brooding, they both per­ "confrontation was observed in A.M., (The Pangani Hosts and Hostesses, formed a one to two second upward when both Hammerkops flew at who interpret the exhibits to our guests, bill stretch, "similar to post-copulatory Hadada to remove him from the nest are garbed in the same lime-green shirts display." platform." She recorded that the and dark green pants as the keepers). By 20 June, Shannon was noting. "Hadada paid little interest [towards] The succeeding days saw a routine that the chick was being left alone at their efforts and left several minutes of continuous incubation, one bird three-to-five-minute intervals several later." Shannon further noted the ibises relieving the other after several hours. times in the late afternoon. The lining their nest that evening. On 7 Both the male and the female arrived at evening of 23 June, the chick was left April, Paul witnessed the male lunging the nest with dried grass which was unattended by its parents all night and at a Superb Starling which had landed presented to the other bird before fledged the next morning. It was on the nest. Both male and female con­ duties were exchanged. This appears caught and banded on both legs. tinued adding twigs, and by 14 April to be a universal behavior among ibis­ Aviary keeper Scott McKnight record­ they had partially destroyed the es in general, both during nest con­ ed later that day that the juvenile for­ Hammerkop nest. struction and incubation (Matheu & del aged with its father, while the female Though 19 April the male Hadada Hoyo, 1992). Before either bird depart­ sat on the nest. Aviary keeper Susan continued to raid the remains for ed the nest site, billclattering and Congdon noted that the juvenile spent building materials. Late that day, a rain­ preening occurred between it-and its the night of 24 June in the nest with storm caused the female, who had newly incubating mate. one of its parents. been sitting all afternoon, to get off for While at large, the female could be On 27 June, Shannon noted the par­ 15 minutes, though she stayed in close as aggreSSive as her mate. On 11 May, ent birds "bill clattering together and

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HARI'S WEB SITE: • Smaller Consumer Sizes Also HAGEN. http://www.pubnix.net/ .... mhagen/ Available. each had part of the same stick in their ing with both its parents in a grassy ed that the female was in the nest in the bills and turned towards nest in uni­ section of the aviary. In spite of its hav­ morning, rearranging sticks. The adult son. They did not fly to nest." That ing been caught for banding the day it pair were both in the nest the next same day, Paul observed the male par­ fledged, and again, three days later, morning. On 15 July, Paul observed the ent in the nest, joined shortly by the when it was transported to the Park juvenile "begging from the male by hit­ female who "walked up into" it. They hospital for a physical exam (including ting its beak against his." However the immediately rattled their for blood and samples, and injec­ young bird proceeded to eat indepen­ about five seconds. About a minute tions), and fitted with a transponder dently. Four days later, Greg noted it later, they went through precopulatory chip, it shared its parents' lack of con­ "eating from food dish ravenously." behavior, followed by a mount, cern for close proximity of Disney's (Dishes prepared expressly for the "although actual copulation did not Animal Kingdom guests, allowing Hadadas and Hammerkops contained a appear to have occurred." That night, them to approach very closely while in mixture of commercial horse meat they roosted in a tree with their the company of the adults. based "carnivore" diet and fledged offspring. Successful copulations recom­ pellets, but they had access to plates While the juvenile was still being menced on 10 July, occurring in the prepared for all the other twenty-or-so parent-fed by 1 July, it was also forag- nest. On 13 July, 1998, Shannon record- species of African birds, including soaked "parrot" pellets and dead TABLE I. "pinky" mice.) About this time the Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) hatchings in zoos and bird parks through 1996. results from Zoogen analysis of a blood (Compiled from Records of Birds Bred in Captivity in the International Zoo Yearbook, Vol.'s 1·36 sample taken 27 June came back, estab­ (Zoological Society of London, 1960·1998)). lishing the juvenile was a male. Hatchings AggreSSion from a parent against Years hatched (Juvenile mortalities) this offspring was witnessed for the first time 23 July, when Paul recorded Europe that as it approached a feeding station, Vogelpark Walsrode, Germany 1974, 1978-79, 1982, 26(1) an adult "began lunging at youngster 1987, 1990-92, 1995 and keeping him from the feeder." After almost three minutes, the parent Zoologischer Garten Berlin, Germany 1988 8(8) moved and the juvenile was able to Tierpark Berlin, Germany 1990-91,1994-96 10(9) eat. That same day it was discovered there were two eggs in the nest. Zoo Duisburg, Germany 1992-93,1996 9(6) Parental aggression was also directed Stagsden Bird Gardens, UK 1992 4(3) against keepers. While it is customary to pull food dishes at the end of the day in the Pangani aviary, and not u.s. leave food over night, on 25 July, Chicago Zoological Park (Brookfield Zoo) 1978-81 19(11 ) Shannon recorded that since both par­ ents were eating as night fell, and were San Diego Wild Animal Park 1987-91 21(7) "very defensive of food bowl," it was Franklin Park Zoo, Boston 1988-91, 1993-94, 1996 45(28) not removed that evening. Despite the parental animosity dis­ Zoo Atlanta 1989-92,1994 20(6) played three days before, Shannon dis­ covered all three Hadadas on the nest, SeaWorld of Florida, Orlando 1991-92 17(5) the morning of 26 July. She noted the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo 1993 3(3) female appeared to be turning eggs. Because this breeding pair was Honolulu Zoo 1993-96 16(10) brother and sister, it was decided, for Oregon Zoo, Portland 1996 the time being, to produce no further offspring. Accordingly, the eggs were pulled 29 July, when it was discovered Asia there were three. They were replaced Tama Zoological Park, Tokyo, Japan 1987,1989-92,1994-96 29(20) with two "dummies." The female at once assumed her incubation duties, Osaka Municipal Tenoji Zoological Garden, 1996 2 Japan apparently not noticing the alteration in number and nature of her eggs. Africa For the next two months, these arti­ ficial eggs were tended with loving Johannesburg Zoological Gardens, 1992-93, 1996 6(3) care. The female turned them regularly.

26 January/February 2001 TABLE II. December, including sticks purloined from the Hammerkops. A summary of eggs laid by the pair of Hadada Ibises exhibited in the Pangani Aviary at Disney's Animal Kingdom over the period 27 January, 1998 ·11 October, 1999. The morning of 22 January 1999, a Clutches are discussed in further detail in the text of this article. team of keepers removed the entire nest, still containing the wooden eggs. Estimated date first egg laid Clutch size Disposition of eggs It was found to weigh three and one­ third pounds (1.376kg), and "saved for 27 April. 1998 3 One broken 16 May, One hatched 20 May, future reference." Susan recorded the One died during pipping 20 May. breeding pair became "very aggressive 24 July. 1998 3 All pulled 25 July. Replaced with and hostile" during this procedure. "dummies" until 10 October. Subsequently, Aviary Keeper Jeff Ignaut noted that all three ibises were 23 October, 1998 3 All pulled 25 October. Replaced with "dummies" until 22 January. "very vocal" and spent the rest of the day in "many different trees within the 25 February, 1999 3 All pulled 27 February. Replaced with aviary." "dummies" until 14 April. On 25 January, Shannon recorded 27 April, 1999 2 Both pulled and nest destroyed 28 April. that at the site of their confiscated nest, the pair "were bill clattering and 10 May, 1999 3 One pulled and nest destroyed 10 May. attempting to nest build", but "the sticks One laid off perch and broken 11 May. One laid off perch and broken 16 May. kept falling from the fork in the tree". At 8:00 the next morning, Susan observed 23 May, 1999 3 All pulled and nest destroyed 3 June. the breeder male in a twenty minute,

16 June. 1999 3 All pulled (to incubator where hatched ultimately successful attempt to position 9,10 & 12 July). Replaced with a "large stick". By 29 January, the pair "dummies" until 20 September. was defending their nest. Shannon observed copulation on the ground, the The adult pair continuously added soft vocal." There was more noise the fol­ next day. On 3 February, the ibises sys­ nesting materials, primarily grasses, but lowing morning, as they industriously tematically destroyed an abandoned availing themselves of "wood wool" rebuilt their nest. The male startled Hammerkop nest. The by now standard whenever Ladybugs were released in guests by grazing their heads as he routine of copulations and perpetual the aviary as control. The male reg­ flew over them, weighted down with addition of nest materials followed. ularly relieved his mate at incubating. sticks. Nest-building and bill-clattering I became initiated in Hadada nest And the young male continued to join appear repeatedly in the aviary records inspections 18 February, shortly after his parents on the nest in the morning. over the next two weeks. my arrival at Disney's Animal Kingdom. By 1 October, 1998, it was decided On 25 October, the nest was Things had already gotten off to a testy that the breeding pair should have inspected and found to contain three start at 7:30 that morning, when I something else to do, so the "dum­ eggs, which were removed to be edu­ attempted to place the dish full of mies" were removed and the nest's top cational materials, and replaced with flamingo food and diet in layer of sticks disposed of. They "dummies." Aviary Keeper Ron Fry its stand in a tree, while balancing responded with "a lot of billing and reports that in less than half an hour, somewhat precariously on a wooden precopulatory behavior" in a tree the the female was back to incubating, and fence. This maneuver was rendered next day, and unsuccessful mounting the male to bill clattering. Nest materi­ more difficult than usual by the male in the nest, the day after. als continued to be added well into snapping at my hands. Fifteen minutes On 9 October, Paul wrote he observed them "adding [a] stick to the "Quality Leg Ballds With A Worldwide Reputatio/l!" once and future nest." The next morn­ ing, Paul recorded that all three PARROT BANDS' COCKATIEL BANDS' BANDS' BANDS Since Hadadas were extremely vocal, and "at CANARY BANDS' FINCH BANDS' STAINLESS STEEL FEEDING NEEDLES 1978 one point both adults were in their ALL SIZES PLASTIC BANDS' FEEDING SYRINGES' CLAW SCISSORS BAND CUTTERS' PIPETTES' NETS nest calling with their bills touching and pointing." About 2:30 that afternoon Susan "New" witnessed a very noisy two minute Stainless Steel Send self addressed stamped long copulation in the nest, after which Parrot Bands envelope for brochure! the male flew off, "vocalizing loudly." Shannon observed a copulation, again L & M Bird Leg Bands P.o. Box 2943 • San Bernardino, CA 92406 Dept: AF '.",,1 rB"] in the nest, around 8:00 A.M. on 11 Phone: (909) 882-4649 • Fax (909) 882-5231 October. She noted both were "very Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) • E-mail: [email protected]

the afa WATCHBIRD 27 later, while he was still engaged in eat­ nest. Susan records that the pair of severe. On 26 April, 1999, Shannon ing, an attempt was made to inspect the Ibises were "very vocal and caused a reported the breeding pair "relentless­ nest with a mirror on a pole. In sec­ huge commotion, attracting guest ly pursuing" their offspring through the onds, he was standing next to his still attention." That same day, Susan also southern portion of the aviary. The tightly sitting mate, vigorously seizing reported that the adult male flew down female stabbed at him with her beak the pole in his beak. Eventually, the to where the aviary pool is very shal­ wherever he perched. This pursuit was female did rise to her feet, but no eggs low and planted with rice grass, and of about eight minutes duration. were seen. "began jabbing" at his offspring. Susan That same day, Greg Bockheim Early in the morning of 27 February, notes: "The juvenile flew away very caught the young bird and transferred before guests began to arrive, Susan, low and flew into a guest on the him to the zoo hospital, in preparation Bill, and myself converged on the nest bridge. All seemed unharmed." for his journey to Oakland. The fol­ with a ladder and nets. As soon as the As it happens, the juvenile should lowing/day, he was placed next door ladder was placed in front of the Tipu already have been on its way to to his companion for the trip - the Tree, the female sounded her alarm California. Arrangements to send him female, hatched in Boston in 1994, and the male responded and flew to the Oakland Zoo had been finalized whom it had proved impossible to over. Because I was waving a net, he early in 1999, and a pre-shipment fecal ever maintain with the Atlanta siblings. did not actually land on the nest this sample was collected 22 February. It With one thing and another, they were time, but instead menaced Bill (who was not anticipated there would be not sent out until 17 June, 1999. No discovered three eggs), from the any difficulty extricating this bird from animosity was observed between this branches above. The female did not the 6,600 square foot aviary. He had prospective pair while they were get off the nest until all three eggs become quite the brat. housed side-by-side awaiting ship­ were taken. Both birds yelled during On 30 December 1998, Susan dis­ ment. Nina Goodwin, Lead Keeper/ the removal. Promptly after three covered him "sitting on one of the Registrar, and Christy Martin, Keeper at wooden "dummies" were placed in bridge posts striking at guests at 9:00 the Oakland Zoo, inform me they have the nest, the female returned and A.M." and "had to move him out of the been "very compatible from the day yelled some more, this time holding way." On 17 January, 1999, Shannon they got here" and have created no her wings out from her body. Her observed him "stabbing at guests while problems with the African Pied Crow, mate yelled with her. resting on a pole along the guest the Lilac-breasted Rollers, the Red­ On 3 March, I observed the male bridge." She had to "physically move" billed Hornbills, or the Cattle Egret crouched low beside the incubating him. with whom they share an aviary at the female. For about three minutes both Somewhat more endearingly, while zoo's new African expansion. As of birds rapidly opened and shut their Shannon was throwing out giant meal­ Mid-October, 1999, the female was beaks, sometimes together, sometimes worms on 24January, she felt him tug­ starting a nest. in opposite directions. There were no ging at the back of her jacket. When [Numerous attempts at nesting vocalizations. During this time, the she turned around, he did not move occurred during the following months male maintained "an attitude." One until she started to walk away. with the pair just occasionally losing day, while removing old diets for dis­ Be that as it may, it was entirely interest] posal, I respectfully waited several another matter when it came time to And that about sums it up. The minutes for him to finish eating from actually transfer this bird. On 4 March, Hadada Ibis is an imposing bird, often the aforementioned dish above the he was escorted towards the open the first to be noticed by zoo visitors fence. Even though he was perched doors of the Pangani "Research amidst smaller and less bold, if more several feet away when I reached for Station," a visitor's center, featuring a colorful cagemates. Aside from raids the dish, he silently leaned forward colony of naked mole rats on other birds' nests for materials to with his beak open, presenting quite a (Heterocephalus glaber), which also build their own, they are fairly satisfac­ gargoyle-like aspect. serves as the front safety entrance for tory community birds. They have On 14 March, I witnessed an inter­ the aviary. When he was six feet from never actually injured members of esting confrontation between father and the doorway, a Hammerkop swooped another species at Disney Animal son. Both were on a large fallen branch. down and startled him into a tree. Kingdom, and it pleases me to men­ The young bird had the feathers of its Thereafter, he was cautious towards tion that successful breedings of forehead extended, and repeatedly any attempts to corral him into a con­ Hammerkops, Black Crakes (more directed sudden upward beak thrusts fined space. Several subsequent near­ than a dozen), African Jacanas, African towards the old male, who never raised successes only compounded his suspi­ Gray Parrots, Whitecheaded and Blue­ its head feathers at all. The younger bird cions. He now maintained a distance of naped Mousebirds, Bearded Barbets, eventually flew off. several yards between himself and any Magpie Shrikes, Brimstone Canaries, Our guests were treated to a couple aviary keepers. and Taveta Weavers (more than fifty) of interesting performances. On 16 Meantime, through the remainder of have occurred in the in the presence of March, the adult male Hadada chased March and into April, parental attacks the ibises in the Pangani Forest Aviary. a Hammerkop from the vicinity of the continued and grew increasingly Since 1993, it has been illegal to'

28 January/February 2001 Acknowledgements This could not have been written without Disney's Animal Kingdom's wonderfully effi­ cient computerized Daily Report System, maintained by DAK Data Manager Sue DuBois, and Registrar Lynn McDuffie. I am of course grateful to all members of the Pangani Aviary team, duly noted in this text, who thus conSigned their observations to posterity. I am also very grateful to Allen Rost, Regi~trar at the Jacksonville Zoo, Forrest Penny, General Curator at Jacksonville, Mary Noell, Registrar at Zoo Atlanta, Nina GoodWin, Lead Keeper/ Registrar at the Oakland Zoo, Christy Martin, Keeper at Oakland Zoo, and Chelle Plasse, Aviary Manager at DAK, for providing me with information.

References BROUWER, K., H. SHIFTER & M.L. JONES (994) Longevity and breeding records of ibises and A Disney's Animal Kingdom Hadada Ibis in the nest constructed high in a Tipu Tree. () in captivity. International Zoo Yearbook. 33:94- commercially import Hadadas to the visitors experience in the future will be 102. U.S., following the implementation of descended from ones already in this HANCOCK, j.A., j.A. KUSHLAN & M. P. KAHL (992) Storks, ibises and spoonbills of the Wild Act, which country. So, while management of the the world. Academic Press (Harcourt affects all species on any CITES U.S. zoo population will largely entail Brace jovanovich) Appendix. This bird appears secure curtailing the attempts of these perpet­ INTERNATIONAL SPECIES INFORMATION SYS­ TEM (999) ISIS abstracts, birds, 30 across its vast range, and its CITES list­ ually fecund creatures of the Equator june, 1999. ing is due only to the government of to propagate, at the same time careful MATHEU, E. & j. del HOYO (992) Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Ghana, in 1976, placing practically all attention will have to be given to Spoonbills). IN del HOYO, ]., A. of its native birds on Appendix III exactly which pair will be allowed to ELLIOIT & J. SARGETAL (992) (which only regulates specimens reproduce, and when. The rewards Handbook of birds of the world. Vol. I, Lynx Edicioins. departing the country that requested will be one more degree of represen­ ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON 0976- this listing). None the less, it is likely tation of the rich diversity displayed by 1998) Records of birds bred in captiv­ that any Hadada Ibises American zoo the world's birds. ity 1978-1996. International Zoo Yearbook 20-36. ~

Hancock, et al., (1992) suggest that the white crecent below the rye of the Hadada Ibis serves as a recogni­ tion featu.re between individuals