Aluminum Leg Bands First PROMPT SERVICE • HIGH QUALITY ORDER 1981 BANDS Captive Breeding Coded Parakeet Closed Bands. Regular Initial Type Bands, not coded, in choice of colors, open or closed. Plastic Family Identification Band s oi the for keets or canary, choice of colors . Leg Band Cutters. Bird Claw Scissors. SEND SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED EN V ELOPE FOR COMPLETE PRICE LIST. Emerald Toucan RED BIRD by Jerry Jennings PRODUCTS, INC. Woodland Hills, Ca . 2786 Fruitridge Road P.O. Box 20004 (Dept. A.F .A.) Sacramento, CA. 95820 C.L.O. nestling and conditioning food for budgies. canaries. finc hes. CANARY FORTIFIER WITH EGG BUDGIE FORTIFIER WITH EGG GREENSTUFF . dried g reens BEFKIN - with insects UNIVERSAL FOOD - ric h in fruits FEED & SEED CENTER 4549-1 S1. Augustine Rd. Jac ksonv ille. Fla. 32207 T elephone (904) 731-4422 Young emerald at nest entrance. Q II ii ii IC I L iC:JC3ClCl:c:J Per sons living ou tside th e southeast or n o t near our d ealers can call or write for more informa­ tion . We will s hip anywhere. Introduction tipped in yellow. Sexes are in­ Toucanets, along with toucans and distinguishable except for beak length, the aracaris, belong to the New World family female's being shorter. Ramphastidae, which is comprised of six In captivity the emerald green color genera and forty-one species. fades to a bluish green unless the birds are Walnut Acres As the term implies, the toucanet is a color fed with a carotinoid base food ad­ smaller version of the toucan, and may ditive as is commonly done with flam­ Aviaries often appear not to be related at all. Cer­ ingoes, scarlet ibis and red factor canaries. .. Special Interest Breeding tainly the emerald toucanet fits here, for it Grass Parrakeets, and Rosel/as is one of the smallest of the Ramphistids, Range Australian Grass Finches whose bill more closely resembles that of a The Emerald toucanet has a limited Birds aviary raised outdoors. large barbet rather than the flamboyant distribution as Ramphastids go. It ranges FOR SALE: All species of blade of the more closely related toco from southeastern Mexico (state of Vera Australian Grassfinches and toucan - a fellow family member. Cruz) to northern Nicaragua. It inhabits many va ri eties of African and the humid mountain forests of the Asian Finches, Rosel las, Kakarikis, and Grass Parrakeets. Description highlands and locally the wooded The emerald toucanet (Aulacho1yn­ foothills . When not breeding the emerald chus prasinus) is almost entirely emerald is found in small flocks in the forest green with the following exceptions: canopy foraging for fruit and berries. throat light greenish white, tips of tail They nest in hollow trees during March to feathers, underside of tail and vent reddish April laying two white eggs. brown, legs and feet gray, eye ring and iris Los Ang eles, CA.90025 black , upper mandible of beak Captive Environment Visitors by predominantly yellow with central portion A large 16' x 16' x 9' flight was prepared Appointment Only brown, lower mandible maroon brown as a potential breeding facility for one pair 22 Ol "'c incubation and brooding of the young. c c On May 27, 1978 the faint sounds of --,Q) ~ young nestlings could be heard. Since it is --,Q) not exactly known when incubation >­ D began, no definite incubation period was "'0 determined, however, it is somewhere be­ 0 .c (L tween two to three weeks . On June 15th nestling sounds ceased. An inspection of the nest was made by lay­ ing the log on the ground and gently tilting the bottom skyward until the contents roll­ ed to the entrance hole (the only access to the log). Two babies appeared alive and well. Both young had developed pinfeathers, though one was significantly larger than the other. On July 2, 1978 the first youngster ap­ peared at the nest entrance, but did not Emerald toucanet. Male left, female nght. fledge until July 3rd. Once the first youngster left the nest, the second youngster appeared at the nest entrance, fledging the following day. Breeding During the first few days out of the nest, of emerald toucanets. The rear wall of the Into the above flight was placed a single the young toucanets were very flighty and flight as well as the adjoining four feet of pair of emerald toucanets obtained in uncoordinated. At the slightest distur­ both walls and roof were constructed of 1976. In the spring of I 977 the birds twice bance they would fly into the wire through plywood, forming a solid shelter against attempted to rear young, but were unsuc­ which their beaks would protrude, causing wind and rain. The remainder of the flight cessful a reported in a previous issue of beak damage and ultimately breaking off walls and roof were constructed of Y2 " x Watch bird. the beak tips in both birds. The e tips, for­ Y2" me h welded wire stretched over l n early May 1978 the pair was once tunately, regrew and resumed their normal frames of redwood 2 x 4's. The flight was again ob erved actively excavating the log appearance within six months. It was near­ completely open on the inside allowing nesting cavity. By mid-May the birds were ly a month after fledging before the clum­ unlimited access between helter and incubating eggs, though they would usual­ sy, panic flying behavior ceased. screen area. No other heat or weather ly leave the nest at the sound of ap­ In late fall 1978, the youngsters were precautions were taken. proaching visitors. The hen did most of the observed harassing their mother and were In the open portion of the flight in one corner a multi-forked branch was hung, which became the night roost for the pair. Young emerald emerging In the she Iter a perch of 3/i" dowel was from nest for the first time. suspended six feet from the ground. In one corner of the shelter a six foot long palm log of undetermined species was erected. This log had previously been hollowed out to a depth of two to three feet Female at nest entrance. and was donated by Dale Thompson in 1977. It had previously housed woodpeckers and crimson- rumped toucanets. Near the opposite side of the shelter, away from the nest log a feeding tation was provided. This station consisted of a platform two feet from the ground and was ecured to a small post. By placing a mild insecticide such as Malathion dust around the post, anrs were deterred from dining on the fruit offered the toucanets. The flight was devoid of any vegetation except for bermuda grass and spontaneous weeds growing on the ground. Subsequent experiences with planted flights for Ram­ phastids has taught that they will playfully pluck all leaves off whatever plants are provided, unless the plants are hardy, fast growing, outnumber the birds significant­ ly, and the birds weary of the pastime. 23 removed. Unfortunately, the mother suf­ fered an injury, the results of which caused her demise several months later. Within a few months after fledging it was possible to determine the sex of the two offspring, based upon beak length, as a male and a female. In early spring 1979 the 78 hatch female was paired with her father, and the 78 hatch male with an imported hen. Unfor­ tunately, the latter pair were not provided a nest log in 1979. The father I daughter com bi nation proved fruitful in late summer 1979. Upon my return from the A.F.A. Convention in Miami, I discovered familiar peeping sounds coming from the nest. Up to that time there had been no apparent indica­ tions of nesting activity as the adults were never observed entering or leaving the nest. Withjn three weeks of this discovery, two young left the nest . These second generation young were equally as flighty as their mother had been Young emerald at feeding dish. on fledging the previous year and repeated the beak damage outline earlier. Again, the two young proved to be a male and a female. Diet It had been previously been thought that several weeks after the nestlings had Basic diet for emerald toucanet , as toucans in general would not rear young hatched. with all toucans, consists of a variety of without the offering of live food. In fact, Conclusion diced fruit including apples, pear , no known successful breeding had occur­ As the 1980 breeding season gets under­ bananas, grapes, papayas, canteloupe, red without li ve food included in the diet. way, two pair of Emerald toucanets are and berries. Citrus fruit is deliberately The failure of the first breeding attempt by bu ily excavating their nest logs. Both avoided due to the high acidity. Gaines the emeralds in 1977 and the subsequent pairs are compri ed of one captive reared dog meal and mynah pellets are served dry success in 1978 upported that notion. and one wild caught bird. A third pair, and may be offered in a feeder much like However, no li ve food was offered the both members of which were wild caught sunflower eed is offered to psittacine Emeralds during the econd generation (one had been a pet for several years prior birds. breeding until the nest wa di scovered to it acquisition) will be set up for the 1980 season. It appears emerald toucanets are destined to become established in captivi­ Emerald toucanet family. ty, as they are apparently quite prolific. Findings I ) Emerald toucanets can be sexed by variation in beak size.