Breeding the Hispaniolan Conure

Abstract

The Hispaniolan Conure (Araginga cbloroptera) is a noisy, green conure from the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic) and formerly Mona Island. While it lives in all habitats, most are found in the mountains. The plumage is overall green with red outermost underwing coverts, bend of wing, and edge of forewing. The greater underwing coverts are green marked with red, and some birds have a few red feathers on their heads. The underside of the tail and flight feathers is olive yellow. The Hispaniolan Conure also has a creamy white, naked periophthalmic ring, a yellow iris, and brownish legs.

As an avid collector of conures, having 30 species, I jumped at the chance to acquire a pair of Hispaniolan Conures. I was able to get them n the fall of 1989 from Tony Silva, refore he became curator of Loro Parque in Spain. Their ages are unknown to me. After receipt, they J were quarantined in a holding cage  for three months before being moved ! to permanent quarters.

 Since the climate in Georgia is relatively mild, my birds are kept in open barns. The barns are of pole construction with a ten foot tall shed-type tin roof. The sides are covered with 1 /2 inch hardware cloth, to keep out predators, and the north side is also covered with plastic, to cut down on wind. The individual cages are hung from the rafters. They measure 4' tall x 2' wide x 6' long. The cages are made from 1" x 1" 14-gauge, galvanized steel screen. The seams and door hinges are fastened with "]" clips. This makes a very sturdy cage which requires no additional supporting structure. The bottom of the suspended cages is also wire, which helps with sanitation. The cages have hardwood branches (usually dogwood, which is quite indestructable) across the cages for perches. Obviously the barns are unheated. On the rare times that the temperature gets below 20 degrees (three to five times a year), I use Mr. Heaters. These radiant gas heaters are set up several feet from the cages so that each heater will warm the air in three cages.

All of my adult conures get fresh food and water each day. On even days of the month, they get 9 oz. of K.T. Safflower Select, four monkey biscuits, and an assortment of fruits and vegetables. These include apples, oranges, kale, cabbage, collards, corn, and whatever else is in season. On odd days they get one to two slices of whole wheat bread, along with the monkey biscuits, fruits and vegetables. I give extra food to birds with nestlings. The adults are kept on this diet year round.

My Hispaniolan Conures are kept in a barn that includes 40 other birds: conures, macaws, and lories. I do have another male Hispaniolan Conure which is housed in a separate barn, 40 feet away. He is out of sight but is within hearing range.

In mid-January, I gave the pair a 12" x 12" x 24" plywood nest box with pine shavings for nesting material. Wild Hispaniolan Conures use old woodpecker holes. During the breeding season, there are only two caretakers. No extra traffic is allowed in the barns, and the birds are never handled. No prophylactic methods or special breeding housings are used. I check the nest boxes each Monday and Friday. The weather during the breeding season was mild - highs in the 70s and lows in the 30s. No courtship displays were observed. The nest box was not used until the female was ready to lay. The female swells up in the liver and kidney area three weeks after breeding. The first time, I called my vet, Dr. Bran Ritchie, and he advised me not to move them because they were acting normal. The first egg was laid the next day, March 3, 1990. Both birds took part in brooding. Three eggs were laid but all proved to be infertile when they were candled two weeks later. A second clutch of three eggs was laid April 2 through 6, within ten days of the female swelling. They hatched on April 27 and 29 (approx. 25 days). The largest was pulled at three days, and the other at 12 days. A third clutch of three eggs was laid in early July with two fertile eggs. The infertile egg was measured. It is off-white and of the "short oval" form and measures 1.15" x .95" (29.2 lmm x 24.13mm).

After hatching, the nestings were housed in a human baby incubator at a temperature of 85 degrees. They were hand fed every four hours with a l 2cc syringe. Their diet consisted of 50% Zu-Preern (primate dry animal food), 2 5 % Topper (hand feeding formula) and 25% Gerber oatmeal mixed with water. When they started climbing out of their bowls, they were moved to a cage with a perch. Weaning was accomplished July 16, 1990 .•

 

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