parrotLife_Printers-3 (Page 1) - Rolf C. Hagen Inc.

4
Evolution of of Aviculture
AFA, San Francisco, California, August 2004
I was privileged to attend this year’s 30 th anniversary AFA (American Federation of
Aviculture) conference early August 2004. I will try to summarize the highlights of the
presentations that I had the chance to attend. Unfortunately 2-3 speakers were presenting
simultaneously in the different conference rooms & due to the extremely interesting
content of each presentation, choosing which to attend was often a dilemma.
Susie Kasielke,
the curator of
birds at the Los
Angeles Zoo
focused on problems the aviculturist might
encounter in the incubation process and some
of the solutions to resolve these problems.
She shared her extensive experience, and
emphasized the essentials required to properly
monitor the developmental stages of incubation.
Egg weight loss must be monitored and
managed, a quality scale, several incubators are
preferable and reliable thermometers and
hydrometers. Partial parental care should also
be considered when possible. We must distinguish
between fertility and hatchability! New
advancements now use radiographic images to
assess development during incubation. There is
a decrease in the percentage of embryonic
mortality in the middle stages of incubation with
new advancements in aviculture, whereas 70 %
of eggs used to die during this phase which was
attributed to poor nutrition, and infection !
On the
wild side
conservation efforts
and field studies
were presented by several renowned
biologists such as Dr. Brightsmith who
has since 1999 been the director of
research of the Tambopata Macaw
Project at the Tambopata Research
Center in Peru. Extensive research is
now being conducted to study the
seasonal patterns of the clay licks
used in Peru by various species such
as the macaws, amazons and pionus
species. These species instinctively
rely on geophagy (eating of clay) at
variable times of the day, through seasonal
patterns. Analysis of the clay
(at various locations where the birds
mostly compete in comparison to
where the clay is ignored) is now
revealing surprising data. Evidence
that the mineral contents, once
thought to be sought out for, is not
adequately present in the clay to
justify all the hard work needed to fly
onto the clay lick and compete for
their share. Absorption of dietary
toxins in the wild and the instinctive
need for a natural detoxifier is a more
plausible reason. Definitely the CEC
(amount of + charge) found in the clay
needed to neutralize and bind to the
toxins is present at variable levels, but
a more significant analysis has shown
that the levels of salt (sodium) are
found in greater proportion where the
clay is most fought for. Despite these
complicated analysis, observations
and deductions, they have still to
understand why and what coincides
with the seasonal pattern, nesting and
fledgling season, and where the birds
disappear to off season.
Brian Speer DVM, one
the most well known avian
veterinarians in California
spoke on the evolution and advancements in avian
veterinary medicine. We traveled to the past when
budgies were first kept as companions in the 1600’s,
to Robert Stroud- The bird man of Alcatraz, who was
the first to publish the Digest of Diseases of Birds,
from his jail cell! Despite it’s somewhat voodoo
techniques, his observations were good and led to
the specialization of veterinarians in the avian
patient. The AAV (Association of Avian Veterinarians)
was founded only in 1980, and despite this short
time, remarkable advancements have been made.
Brian Spear also presented a talk on corrective surgical
techniques for beak deformities. These new
relatively non-invasive surgical techniques can correct
malocclusions and prognotism in chicks and
adults alike, despite their degree of severity. Early
detection of beak deformities by constantly monitoring
the chicks in our nurseries is recommended.
Greg Matuzak,
a conservation biologist
shared the obstacles and success of the field
research program he designed & implemented for the
Scarlet Macaw Project in Curu, Costa Rica. The first
release in 1999, followed by continuous monitoring
of active nests, supplemental feeding program, and
research for the availability of wild food sources has
consumed the team for the past 5 years. "The supplemental
feeding program has been instrumental in
allowing researchers to monitor the established flock
in Curu". They are now awaiting the release of the
second group of macaws, from the captive breeding
center Amigos de Los Aves Program. Emphasis was
made on the collaboration of aviculture, wildlife and
conservation to develop important conservation tools
together for the endangered species restoration programs.