gruiformes in aza institutions- past, present, and future
DESCRIPTION
Gruiformes in AZA institutions- past, present, and future. Robert Webster Curator of Birds The Toledo Zoo. This presentation…. …is a summary of Gruiformes populations in North American ISIS institutions 1986-2007 - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Gruiformes in AZA institutions- past, present, and future
Robert Webster
Curator of Birds
The Toledo Zoo
This presentation…
• …is a summary of Gruiformes populations in North American ISIS institutions 1986-2007
• Program species are stressed as are some that could be (esp among smaller taxa)
Buttonquail
• These are the perky pocket-sized members of this amazingly diverse order of birds
• They are not Coturnix of the Galliformes
• (It is possible a high percentage of “Turnix” listed in ISIS may not belong to the Gruiformes at all)
Buttonquail
Buttonquail
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
nu
mb
er o
f in
div
idu
als
Black-breasted Buttonquail
Madagascan Buttonquail
Yellow -legged Buttonquail
Buttonquail
• AZA populations have been ephemeral in past, despite breeding
• Current pop of Madagascan Buttonquail has few founders, but species is perfect to fill ground niche in smaller exhibits and is not aggressive to others.
Buttonquail
• At Toledo, our males have raised their children well. Our first hen could be left with youngsters, but subsequent hens could not (as in wild.)
• Females are larger, more brightly colored
Buttonquail
• Small exhibits fine (though have worked in larger spaces too)
• Not particularly shy birds • Chicks are the size of a
nickel (or barkchip)…so must use caution around
• Breeding life of 3-5 years, but birds have lived to be 8 yrs old
• Potentially explosive breeders, but to keep this species going, we need more institutions willing to house
Stanley & Demoiselle Cranes
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
YEAR
NU
MB
ER
OF
IND
IVID
UA
LS
Stanley Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Stanley (or Blue) Crane
• • Studbook in need of PMP
• 2007 pop of 51 birds– lowest it has been in at least 21 years
• Few zoos breeding• Vulnerable in wild
Demoiselle Crane
• PMP-to-be?• 2007 population of 72
birds half of 1990 total• Smallest crane – can
mix where others cannot
• Very little breeding last five years
• Least Concern in wild
Wattled & Whooping Cranes
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
nu
mb
er o
f in
div
idu
als
Wattled Crane
Whooping Crane
Whooping Crane
• One of THE conservation stories of this group / of North American fauna
• Zoo pop – last three years – higher than it has ever been; even with releases
• Endangered in wild
Wattled Crane
• Active SSP …looking for additional space for these large, powerful cranes
• 2007 pop of 57 birds is 21-year low, but only ~20 birds off all-time high
• Vulnerable in wild
Sarus Crane
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als
Eastern Sarus Crane
Indian Sarus Crane (nom sub)
Sarus Crane (no subsp)
Sarus Crane
• PMP• AZA pop has been
stable last few years at around 40 birds, but this is a 1/3 of 1991 population
• Vulnerable in wild
Sandhill Cranes
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als Greater Sandhill Crane
Mississippi Sandhill Crane
Florida Sandhill Crane
Lesser Sandhill Crane
Sandhill Crane (no subsp)
Sandhill Crane
• The common crane for North American exhibits
• Total AZA pop of 295 birds including 99 Florida & 64 Mississippi
• Least Concern in wild as species, but Mississippi subspecies is listed as Endangered
Red-crowned & White-naped Cranes
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als
Manchurian Crane
White-naped Crane
White-naped Crane
• Active SSP looking for space to grow population
• AZA pop of 58 birds is 21-year low for this species (~30 birds off early ’90’s high)
• Vulnerable in the wild
Red-crowned (or Manchurian) Crane
• Active SSP• AZA pop (of 80 birds)
is largest it has been in 20 years
• Endangered in wild
Siberian, Black-necked, & Hooded Cranes
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als
Siberian Crane
Black-necked Crane
Hooded Crane
Siberian, Black-necked, & Hooded Cranes
Hooded, Siberian, & Black-necked Crane
Hooded Crane• PMP• AZA pop (of 21 birds)
is ½ of late ’90’s pop• Vulnerable in wild
Siberian Crane• Current AZA pop of
19 birds• Critically Endangered
in wild
Black-necked Crane• Current AZA pop of
11 birds• Vulnerable in wild
Crowned Cranes
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als
West African Crow ned Crane
East African Crow ned Crane
West African (or Black) Crowned Crane
• PMP • Fairly stable AZA pop
of ~100 birds for last 20+ years
• Subspecies in the mix• Near Threatened in
the wild
East African (or Grey) Crowned Crane
• Most numerous crane in AZA institutions (with 302 birds in 2007)
• Breeds regularly at a number of zoos
• Least Concern in wild – but known to be declining in several regions
Exotic Rails I
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als White-breasted Waterhen
Grey-necked Wood Rail
Red-and-w hite Crake
Purple Sw amphen
Banded Rail
Exotic Rails
• Historically, a difficult group to manage
• Mix well … usually. Some individuals can raid others’ nests & potential nocturnal activity of some species could wreck havoc with exhibit mates
• Some species can breed explosively & chicks have been difficult to place … thus need for committed managers/holders
Exotic Rails – patterns repeating?
• Red-and-white Crake had pop of ~50 birds 20 years ago & crashed dramatically, despite breeding well
• Banded Rail has exploded in last three years to 79 birds
• What’s next…?
Exotic Rails- the persevering ones
• Grey-necked Wood Rail & Purple Swamphen have managed to maintain populations of 15-60 birds for last 21 years
• Both are partially diurnal & very vocal
• Potential program species?
Exotic Rails II
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f b
ird
s
Black Crake
Guam Rail
Exotic Rails – those that are managed or soon shall be
Black Crake• PMP to be?• Current pop of 69 birds not
far off all-time high• Climb everywhere & very
vocal
Guam Rail• Active SSP with release
component
US Rails
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als American Coot
Common Gallinule
Haw aiian Gallinule
Sora
Purple Gallinule
US Rails
• Aside from excellent Light-footed Clapper Rail raise & release project, little work done with native rails… despite rather large populations in recent past of some species & the fact that most species have bred in captivity
• Ambassadors for declining wetlands• Sora American Coot Purple Gallinule
Bustards
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als
Black Korhaan
White-bellied Bustard
Buff-crested Bustard
Kori Bustard
Bustards
Bustards
Kori Bustard • Active SSP• Current AZA pop: 60 birds• Numerous conservation projects
Buff-crested Bustard• Active PMP• AZA pop (37 birds) at all time high – due to imports &
breeding
White-bellied Bustard• DERP at this time• Current AZA pop: 22 birds (21-year high)
Trumpeter, Sunbittern, & Seriema – 3 PMPs
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
year
# o
f in
div
idu
als
Common Trumpeter
Sunbittern
Red-legged Seriema
Common (or Grey-winged) Trumpeter
• PMP to be• Current AZA pop of
51 birds• Need more
institutions breeding birds
Red-legged Seriema
• Active PMP• AZA pop at a 20+
year high of 53 birds
Sunbittern
• PMP• AZA pop more than doubled (to current 104 birds) since
1986• Mixes well with just about anything – tough enough to
defend own nest, but not predatory toward others’
The future…
• As has been seen, AZA’s work with Gruiformes runs the gamut of success… from programs for reintroduction to the wild (Guam Rail)… to populations that bred well and yet still disappeared (Red-and-White Crake.) We have relatively new programs taking their species to new levels of breeding success (Red-legged Seriema, Kori Bustard), while some of the oldest bird programs of all, for most of the cranes, are struggling to find space to grow their populations.
The future…
• The diversity of Gruiformes is astounding …from the tiny Madagascan Buttonquail to the titanic Kori Bustard, from the high-speed dashes of the Black Crake to the graceful dances of the White-naped Crane, from the dazzling visuals of the Sunbittern to the dazzling audios of the Red-legged Seriema… surely there is room in your institution for (more) members of this outstanding order of birds!