Red Wattled Lapwings Added to the Diet in an Effort to Con Trol This Situation

Home , Lapwing

13.5" maintaining a 90 OF tempera ture. In 1987 the chicks were started on a diet of gamebird starter offered both dry and moistened, chopped spinach, white mealworms and hard boiled egg. Yeast was sprinkled over these foods which was presented in shallow dishes. Water, with a vitamin supplement and an antibiotic were offered in a standard chick waterer. Chicks were initially stimulated to eat and drink with a red spoon, but were eating on their own by the end of their first day. Moistened starter is dis continued at five days. The lapwings will usually lose weight up to the third day and then gain between nine and ten percent of their weight per day. Fledging is at about 30 days of age. As the birds grow they are moved to a larger brooder (22.5" x 48" x 16") that is divided into two halves. By two weeks of age the birds are trans The Red-wattled Lapwing is a member oftheplovergroup ofbirds. They do well in ferred to a flight cage in the brooder mixed exhibit aviaries. They have been quiteprolific at the Miami Metrozoo. measuring 4' x 8'7" x 7'9" with a pool. The water depth in the pool can be varied from a few inches to two feet and has a gradual slope from the front. Development of the chicks in 1987 Artificial Incubation and Hand;fearing of was normal except that four birds from the second clutch incurred a metabolic feather problem. Zinc was Red Wattled Lapwings added to the diet in an effort to con trol this situation. Subsequent molts by Ron Johnson, Curator of Birds in those birds did not show the prob Miami Metrozoo, Florida lem, but it again showed up in 1988 in a few individuals. In 1989 we changed the diet to the following: one part ground horsemeat and two In 1987, the staff at Miami Metro table top incubator. The eggs were parts smelt (bones and head removed) zoo artificially incubated six Red incubated at 99.5 OF and started in a blending the two together. Combine wattled Lapwing (Vaneiius indicus) medium humidity at 82 OF wet bulb. 1/4 cup shrimpmeal, 1/4 cup dog eggs representing two clutches from Experience has shown that a higher food, 1/4 cup trout chow (blend it the same pair. Five of the six eggs humidity is required, therefore eggs into a meal); then add 1/4 cup game were hatched and successfully reared, are incubated in a wetter incubator bird starter, and a pinch of oyster shell which was a captive first breeding for (90 °F wet bulb). All eggs are weighed powder. The grain mix is added to this species in the United States. Since three times per week and graphed to fish/meat mixture so that it crumbles. then, a total of 23 lapwings have been lose 15 % of initial weight. It should Hard-boiled egg and mealworms are raised. be noted that because of the shape of placed on top of this diet. The water Red-wattled Lapwing eggs average the lapwing eggs, the fresh weight is supplemented with Nekton-S and 42.7 x 30.85 mm in size (26 eggs) and formula (W = Kw x LB) with the Nekton-Bio. This new diet is higher in are light brown colored, splotched standard weight coefficient does not animal proteins and trace elements. with a darker brown. The eggs are work. * Fresh weights of the lapwing Ten lapwings were raised in 1989 typically oval shaped, round on one egg will be needed in order to calcu with the new diet and no feather end and pointed on the other. We do late the proper kw factor. Twenty problems have occurred. not have any fresh weights on these three of 26 lapwing eggs have Red-wattled Lapwings, like many in eggs as the adults were allowed to hatched and two eggs were inadver the plover group, have proven to be complete a clutch before the eggs tently broken during incubation. The prolific and easy birds to rear. They were pulled for incubation. The incubation period is 29 days and the exhibit well, getting along with other clutch varied between three and four average hatching weight is 14.7 species in a free-flight enclosure. eggs. grams. * Hoyt, Donald F., 1979. Practical methods of All eggs were incubated in a The lapwing chicks are started in a estimating volume and fresh weight of bird Humidaire model #20 self-turning metal brooder measuring 12.5" x eggs. Auk 96: pp. 73-77.• 4 December / January 1990 ou Care tor irds, Choose Mardel. Acomplete selection of products for complete bird care.

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Iiil Mardel L=.J Laboratories, Inc. 1958 Brandon Court Glendale Heights, IL 60139 (708) 351-0606 Mardel when you care for pets@ It\U1C09 ~... to +.~ AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE ~ 'h~ : Dedicated to conservation of bird wildlife through encouragement of ~ ~~ rn;, ~ captive breeding programs, scientific research, and education of the general public. ....0+ ~ A\j:(.~~ 1989·1990 OFFICERS PHYLLIS MARTIN, president (813) 837-4555 DAVIS KOFFRON, 1st Vice President (602) 268-9237 CHUCK SAFFELL, 2nd Vice President (813) 722-0997 VICKI FLETCHER, Chief Financial Officer (206) 841-2705 LAURELLA DESBOROUGH, Executive Secretal}'(415) 372-6174 LEGAL COUNSEL VICE PRESIDENT ACTING LEGISLATIVE VICE PRESIDENT Dan McCormic, c/o P.O. Box 56218, Phoenix, P;z 85079-6218 Ruth Hanessian (301) 424-7387 MEMBER NATIONAL &INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS American Cockatiel Society, Inc.• American Budgerigar Society, Inc.• International Dove Society • National Finch & Softbill Society • National Parrot Association National Cockatiel Society • International Softbill Society • Southeastern Aviculturists Association • Avicultural Society of America Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors • African Love Bird Society • Avicultural Council of Southern Africa

MEMBER CLUBS Northeastern Region MARYLAND FLORIDA (SOUTH) MICHIGAN LOUISIANA Slate coordinator: Slate coordinator: Slate coordinator: State coordinator: Paul Gildersleeve, regional v. p. Roddy Gabel (301) 585-9647 Tom Ireland (407) 968-4214 Mike Underwood (517) 349-3438 (516) 922-1169 Baltimore Bird Fanciers, Inc. Aviary & Cage Bird Society of Great Lakes Avicultural Society Gulf South Bird Club,lnc. CONNECTICUT Maryland Cage Bird Society, Inc. South Florida Lansing Caged Bird Club Bird Club of Manatee Mid-Michigan Bird Club MISSOURI Slate coordi nator: NEW JERSEY State coordinator: Gustave Seehorst (203) 745-3697 Gold Coast Exotic Bird Club, Inc. MotorCity Bird Breeders,lnc. Slate coordinator: Patty Lambert (314) 962-8186 Connecticut Association for Greater Brandon Avian Society Town & Country Feathered Friends Vicki lister (609) 597-1664 Gateway Parrot Club AViculture,lnc. Miami Parrot ClUb, Inc. 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State coordinator: IOWA WEST VIRGINIA Society (503) 324-2473 Martin LeTourneau (603) 679-1716 State coordinator: Slate coordinalor: Smoky Mountain Cage Bird Society Randy Karg (712) 542-4190 ALASKA Birds of aFeather AviculturaJ Society Palty Knoblauch (304) 725-5601 Triad Exotic Bird Club New Hampshire AviculturaJ Society Mid-America Cage Bird Society Slate coordinator: Jim Bauman (907) 34-0623 00 NEW YORK PUERTO RICO MINNESOTA Slate coonlinator: Slate coordinator: IDAHO Slate coordinator: Southeastern Region 0 Barbara Heck (518) 766-2778 Slate coordinator: Broome County Bird Club Willord Pace, regional vice pres. 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Jacksonville Avicullural Society, Inc. (419) 639-3673 June Hallon (206) 722-5863 Jack Clinton·Eitniear, regional v. p. Jeri Wright, legislative liaison Dallas Johnson, regional vice pres. Ocala Cage Bird Society, Inc. (512) 828-5306 (301) 540-6198 Panhandle Aviculture Society ILLINOIS (206) 838-9802 Polk County Avicullural Society Slate coonlinator: ARKANSAS Avicultural Society of Puget Sound Bonnie Doane (312) 223-2117 DELAWARE Sunshine State Cage Bird Slate coordinator: Cascade Canary Breeders State coordinalor: Society, Inc. lIIini Bird Fanciers Association Nancy Selz (302) 798-8625 West FloridaAvian Society,lnc. INDIANA Greater Spokane Avicultural Society KANSAS South Sound Exotic Bird Society DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Slate coonlinator: State coordinator: Washington BUdgerigar Society, inc. State coordinator: Nicole Vander Heyden, DVM Hal Prester(316) 788-4505" Thomas Marshall (703) 759-5978 (317) 786-1826 Kansas Avicullural Society, Inc. Indiana Bird Fanciers

6 December / January 1990