Abstract
During the 1996 breeding season at Lora Parque, around 800 psittacines of some 150 different species and sub-species were successfully reared to independance in the bird collection, which is entirely under the ownership of the Lora Parque Foundation.
This figure represents one of the most successful seasons that the collection has ever seen and among the total were some very signifcant species which are described below.
Lories and Lorikeets
Over 100 birds of 29 taxa from the Loriidae family were reared in 1996, which included four raxa reproducing for the first rime in the collection. Two sub-species of the familiar Rainbow Lorikeet ( Trichoglossus haematodus) bred for the first rime -the Blue-headed Lorikeet (Trichoglossus baematadus caerulieceps) and the Messena's Lorikeet ( Trichoolossus haematodus massena).
The Bernstein's Lory ( Cbalcopsitta atra bernsteini) which is the least commonly seen sub-species of the Black Lory was another first rime breeding in the collection, as was the Red and Blue Lory (Eos histrio) from which seven chicks were reared and is viewed as being one of the most important species to have bred in 1996.
Two other taxa within the Loriidae family deserve ro be menrioned-rhe rearing of five Mount Apo Lorikeets ( Tricboglossus johnstoniae) and five Mitchell's Lorikeets (Trichoglossus baematodus mitcbellii), both of which, as with the Red and Blue Lory, are of great conservation concern.
Other notable species included the Rajah Lory (Chalcopsitta a. insignis), Cardinal Lory ( Chalcopsiaa cardinalis), Forsten's Lorikeet (Trichoglossus h. forsteni), Weber's Lorikeet ( Tricboglossus b. weberi), Stresemann's Lorikeet ( Tricboglossus h. stresemannti, Sealybreasted Lorikeet ( Tricboglossus cblorolepidotus), Josephine's Lorikeet ( Cbarmosyna josefinae) and Red-spotted Lorikeet (Charmosyna rubrontata).
Cockatoos
54 Cockatoos of 13 different taxa were reared to independence which included two Gang-gang Cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum), 10 Moluccan Cockatoos (Cacatua moluccensis, 11 Major Mitchell's Cockatoos (Cacatua leadbeateri), eight Slenderbilled Cockatoos ( Cacatua tenuirostris), four Ducorps Cockatoos ( Cacatua durcorpsii) and a single chick each of Red-vented Cockatoo (Cacatua baematuropygia) and Citron-crested Cockatoo ( Cacatua s. citrinocristata). Our breeding pair of Black Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) did hatch two chicks in 1996 but neither of these was reared.
Asian/ Australasian Parrots
Asian species to have bred included a first time breeding of the Bluerumped Parrot (Psittinus cyanurus) and our first Salvadori Fig Parrot (Psittaculirostris saluadori) to he parent reared. This species has previously been hand reared in the collection but this was the first successful attempt by the parent birds. Two sub-species of the Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) bred again, as did the Philippine Bluenaped Parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis) which is now becoming increasingly endangered in the wild.
Many of our Asian and Australasian parakeets have been disturbed by changes....