itizing Watch Dig bird Parrots in Southeast Asian Public Collections Aviculture has greatly evolved during the past 50 years, from keeping a collection of colorful birds to operating captive breeding programs to sustain trade and establish a viable captive population for threatened species. Many bird families are now fairly well represented in captivity, but parrots have a special place. Story and photography by Pierre de Chabannes AFA Watchbird 21 Previous page, a Blue and Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna). Above, a bizarre version of a Black Lory, maybe Chalcopsitta atra insignis. hat makes parrots so attractive colorful species to be found there and the Southeast Asia, the Philippines and the four to both professional breeders, big areas of unexplored forests, both inland main Islands of western Indonesia, namely Wbirdwatchers and zoo visitors is and insular, that could provide the discov- Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali, along with a combination of many factors, including erer with many new bird varieties like it did their satellite islands. Here, the forests are their bright colors, their conspicuousness, recently in Papua New Guinea. mostly to be qualifi ed as tropical wet rain- their powerful voice coupled with complex Th e diversity and distribution of parrots forests with a much more humid climate behaviour that allows them to be spotted in this region follows a pattern described throughout the year and less important sea- easily in the fi eld and, most important of all, by Alfred Russel Wallace in the 19th Cen- sonal variations. their ability to interact with humans and tury with the clear separation from the Finally, Wallacea is really a transitional even “learn” new kinds of behaviours from Asian and the Australian zoogeographical zone which has characteristics of both Asian them. zones by the transitional area known today and Australian zoogeographical areas. It fea- Today, many species of parrots, includ- as Wallacea, which has the Wallace’s line as tures both humid rainforests and dry mon- ing macaws, cockatoos, parakeets, lories, western boundary and the Lydekker’s line as soon forests and, according to the location, amazons and more are showcased and oft en eastern limit. can show stronger or less marked seasonal bred in zoological institutions all around Th e Australian zoogeographical zone climatic variations. Th e area extends from the world, even in third world countries. As encompasses all Australia and its satel- Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara archipelago in many zoo directors would state, a modern lite islands, along with a few archipela- Indonesia to the Moluccas. zoological collection wouldn’t be complete gos like Solomon Islands, Micronesia, but Fauna distribution is clearly following without a few big parrots species which will also includes New Guinea. Here the tropi- this separation pattern and is particularly always be popular for most visitors. cal rainforests are mostly monsoon forests striking for birds, even on a family basis. Southeast Asia has been and still remains and the general climate is drier during most Some bird families such as Paradiseidae are a dream destination for any bird enthusiast parts of the year. Th e Asian zoogeographi- present in the Australian region and only because of the huge variety of unusual and cal zone is here represented by mainland one species extends to the far-east side of 22 Volume XXXVII • Number 1 • 2010 An Obi Violet-necked Lory (Eos squamata obiensis) at Kuala Lumpur Bird Park Wallacea. On the opposite side, leafbirds and Psittaculirostris), the Tiger Parrots (Psit- Southeast Asian zoos are, of course, and fairy blue birds are typical Asian species tacella) and some more conspicuous species, showcasing parrots in their collection and and are not represented in both Wallacea particularly the Eclectus Parrots and the sometimes obtain good results in breed- and Australian zoogeographical zones. King Parrots (Alisterus). ing. Unfortunately, most of the parks from Parrots are more complex as they’re rep- Th e Hanging Parrots (Loriculus) are the Malaysia to Indonesia are not well known resented in all three zoogeographical zones, only variety to inhabit all three zones with as very few reports are available on their but they generally follow this separation a range going from mainland Asia to New activity. pattern concerning the geographical repar- Guinea. Th e unusual and elusive Racket- was lucky to spend some time in Malay- tition of highly distinctive species group. All tailed Parrots (Prioniturus) are featured sia, Singapore and on Java, which allowed cockatoos and lories are basically restricted both in the Asian zone and in Wallacea. Ime to visit most of the important zoos to Wallacea and Australian region, with the Th e Asian zoogeographical area is home and bird parks featured there and get a fairly exception of one subspecies of the Rainbow to a less impressive number of parrots with accurate vision of aviculture in this part of Lorikeet which is also present on Bali, the only three genus represented in Malayan the world. Sharing my thoughts and giving Mount-Apo Lory (Trichoglossus johnsto- peninsula, namely the Ring-necked Para- you insights on Southeast Asia’s bird collec- niae) and the critically endangered Philip- keets (Psittacula), the unique Blue-rumped tions (from Malaysia to Java) are the main pines Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia) Parrot (Psittinus cyanurus) and two species focuses of this article. in the Philippines archipelago. Th e big- of Hanging Parrots. More parrots variet- Currently, the biggest captive bird col- gest diversity of parrots is to be found in ies inhabit islands and archipelagos in the lection in our target area is in Singapore’s the Australian zoogeographical area with Asian zone, such as members of the genus Jurong Bird Park. Th is institution houses some highly representative birds such as the Tanygnathus and six species of Racket-tailed more than 400 species of birds in beauti- odd Pesquet’s Parrot (Psittrichas fulgidus), Parrots in Philippines. A further two Hang- fully landscaped exhibits, sometimes aviar- many small species like the pygmy parrots ing Parrots species are living in the Philip- ies, sometimes huge greenhouses, including (Micropsitta), the Fig Parrots (Cyclopsitta pines and on the Island of Java. one of the biggest walk-in aviaries ever built. AFA Watchbird 23 The parrot collection comprises more than group of Noble Macaws (Diopsittaca nobilis there; among them the Cuban Amazon 50 species, most of which are on exhibit in an nobilis), some Yellow-collared Macaws (Ara (Amazona leucocephala), a White-fronted area called “Parrot paradise.” It’s quite tricky auricollis) and, until 2007, a pair of the now Amazon (Amazona albifrons) living with a to establish an accurate list of species shown very rare Red-bellied Macaw (Orthopsittaca Panama Yellow-fronted Amazon (Amazona per aviary as many birds were moved from manillata). ochrocephala panamensis), a group of Bodi- one visit to another. The two biggest aviar- The visit goes on with a colony of Monk nus’ Amazons (Amazona festiva bodini), ies are home to most macaw species kept in Parakeets (Myopsitta monachus) and a row some endangered Green-cheeked Ama- Jurong Bird Park, including two of the most of cages showcasing more South American zons (Amazona viridigenalis), a group of important birds for the institution, namely parrots. Among them, we can find Blue- Red-lored Amazons (Amazona autumna- the Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hya- headed Conures (Aratinga acuticauda), lis autumnalis), some Blue-fronted Ama- cinthinus) and the critically endangered Crimson-fronted Conures (Aratinga fin- zons (Amazona aestiva aestiva), a group of Blue-throated Macaw (Ara glaucogularis) schii), a flock of Sun Conures (Aratinga sol- Orange-winged Amazons (Amazona ama- which are both the only specimens of these stitiallis), Jandaya Conures (Aratinga jan- zonica), Mealy Amazons (Amazona farinosa species kept anywhere in mainland South- daya), Gold-capped Conures (Aratinga farinosa) and three beautiful Yellow-headed east Asia. They both cohabitate with Green- auricapilla), Nanday Conures (Nandayus Amazons (Amazona oratrix oratrix) with winged Macaws (Ara chloropterus), Scar- nenday), a big breeding group of Patago- one individual said to be belonging to Tres let Macaws (Ara macao macao), a flock of nian Conures (Cyanoliseus patagonus Marias subspecies (Amazona oratrix tres- Blue and Yellow Macaws (Ara ararauna), a patagonus), Black-headed Caiques (Pionites mariae) but that remains doubtful. pair of Military Macaws (Ara militaris) of melanocephala), Yellow-thighed Caiques Next on line are some African parrot spe- unknown subspecies, one lone specimen of (Pionites leucogaster xanthomeria), the com- cies kept in similar conditions, the two sub- Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys) and mon White-crowned Parrot (Pionus seni- species of African Grey Parrots, namely the some Blue-headed Parrots (Pionus men- lis), a small group of Hawk-headed Parrots common Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus struus). Smaller macaws are nearby and live (Deroptyus accipitrinus accipitrinus) and the erithacus) and the Timneh Parrot (Psitta- together in a smaller aviary. There are some rarely seen Dusky Parrot (Pionus fuscus). cus erithacus timneh) being shown together Chestnut-fronted Macaws (Ara severa), a Many Amazon species are also kept and the last aviary housing a pair of Brown- 24 Volume XXXVII • Number 1 • 2010 necked Parrots (Poicephalus fuscicollis fusci- collis) together with a group of Senegal Par-