Breeding and Hand Rearing the Hawk-headed Parrots

Abstract

Although Hawk-headed Parrots (Deroptyus accipitrinus) are one of the most striking and appealing members of the parrot family, very few individuals have kept and successfully bred them. It was reported that, in the U.S., only two men have bred them while in the United Kingdom three people have been successful (Low, 1988).

The Hawk-headed Parrot is the only member of the genus Deroptyus. They are distributed from northern Brazil to southeastern Columbia, northeastern Peru and the Guianas. They are usually sighted in pairs or small groups. They have been known to feed on guavas, Inga fruits, seeds, nuts, berries and possibly buds (Forshaw, 1989). They are one of the most beautiful parrots. Their uniqueness can be seen in the nape and hindneck feathers which are dark red and broadly edged with blue. These feathers are erected to frame the head like a majestic crown.

From September 1988 to February 1990, we monitored the activity of a pair of Hawk-headed Parrots at the Breeding and Research Centre (BRC). During that period, the female laid nine eggs; eight eggs hatched and five chicks survived. The nestlings were hand reared and data on their development were recorded.

History

The pair of Hawk-headed Parrots was housed in an aviary measuring 3 x 1.5 x 2.3 meters. The aviary's front portion is sheltered from the rain. The back has a weathering area so birds could get access to sunlight or rainfall when they desire. Due to the aggressive and nervous nature of these birds, a pair of Vosmaeri Eclectus Parrots housed in an adjacent aviary had to be moved out when the Hawk-headed Parrot attempted to bite off the Vosmaeri Eclectus Parrot's toes. A 30.5 X 30.5 X 76.2 centimeters high nest box with a 1 O cm diameter entrance was fixed on the upper half of the aviary door for easier inspection. The n est b o x was elevated from the ground approximately two meters. Wood shavings were provided as nesting material.

The basic diet consists of fruits (apple, papaya, banana) and long beans in the morning, and dry food (Science Diet pellets and sunflower seed mix) in the afternoon. Guava was introduced on January 3, 1989, and was soon declared by the pair as their favorite. Banana is the least consumed food item. The water is supplemented with Vitamisol every day. Nekton MSA is added to the food when the female is incubating and brooding her young.

First Successful Hatching

Mating was first observed on April 3, 1989, when the pair did a lateral copulation. On the next day, copulation was again observed and mounting of the female by the male was done this time. The first egg was laid on May 12, 1989. The female was not sitting on the egg so we decided to foster it to an incubating Nanday Conure. This particular egg turned out to be infertile. A second and third egg were subsequently laid on May 14 an May 18. They commenced incubating and the two eggs hatched after 26 and 28 days. The female laid a clutch of three eggs with three to four days interval.

When the chicks hatched, the parents were given an extra serving of fruits in the afternoon. The female spent most of the time brooding her two chicks while the male was seen guarding the entrance hole with the crest feathers erect. The male was very supportive of the female during feeding time. The nest was checked once a day to monitor the progress of the chicks.