Propagation of PasserinesBreeding plan at Riverbanks

Zoo & GardenMelissa Reynolds, Christine Talleda,

Lindsay Walker

Bird Conservation Center

Outside Aviaries

Birdhouse

Three Keys to Breeding Success

Breeding Success

Aviary Design Diet

Nest Building

• Corners caging– Clean without entering– Easy to sanitize– Rear access hallways– Safety corridor to

prevent bird escapes• Skylights and windows

– Natural light cycles• Irrigation

Aviary Design

Aviary Design• Visual barriers

– Hanging planters– Fake plants– Shade cloth/corex

Aviary Design• Perching

– Natural– Varied in size– Textured

• Fledgling Perching– Low and staggered– Potted plants on aviary

floor

Nesting Material/Nest Boxes

Example Materials• Twine/Sisal • Pine straw/hay• Grasses• Sticks• Bamboo leaves• Palm fibers• Spanish moss

Nest Boxes

Hanging Planters

•Maintenance Diet•Foundation for Healthy Birds

•Pellets, fruits and insects

•4 Stages of Chick Rearing• Nesting• Incubation• Hatch• Fledge

Facets of Nutrition

Pelleted Maintenance• Red Apple Jungle

– Marion Zoological

• Tropical Bits– Marion Zoological

• Soaked Dog Food– Hills Science Diet

•Variety of Fruit Chopped -Bananas-Apples-Grapes-Tomatoes-Oranges-Cucumbers-Romaine Lettuce

All Good Sources of Moisture! Mix it up!

Fruit Maintenance

Protein• Egg, (hard boiled)• Wax worms• Mealworms• Crickets• Soaked Science Diet

Chick Raising Diets•Nesting

•Time of plenty•Incubation

•Live bugs•Hatch to Fledge

•Live bugs, calcium•Transition to a more adult diet

Atoxoplasmosis– Atoxoplasmosis: a unicellular parasite found

in the wild.• Affects chicks of certain passerines such as

mynahs, fairy bluebirds, starlings, etc.• Results in death at fledgling age.• Does not impact adult passerines.

– What we do to prevent Atoxoplasmosis:• Toltrazuril, Given as only water source.• Offered 3 days before hatch until 7 days after

fledge.

Three Keys to Breeding Success

Breeding SuccessAviary Design Diet

Nest Building

•Nest boxes available

•Multiple nesting material options

•Easy cleaning, low disturbance to birds

•Natural light

•Variety of perching

•Visual barriers

•Live bugs!

•Calcium

•Mix it up!

•Atoxoplasmosis medications

Any Questions?• Melissa Reynolds

– meisenreich@riverbanks.org• Lindsay Walker

– Lwalker@riverbanks.org• Christine Talleda

– Ctalleda@riverbanks.org