Breeding the Rueppel's Parrot

Abstract



Editor's Note: 1be following article, written by Robert Nelson, was published in the Avicultural Bulletin, April '94. 1bis successful reproduction of the Rueppel 's Parrot has been submitted to the Avy Awards Committee for a U.S. first breeding. Anyone having knowledge of a previous successful breeding of the Rueppel's Parrot, please notify Dale R. Thompson, Chairperson of the Ary Awards Committee, through the AFA Home Office in Phoenix, Arizona. My Rueppel's Parrots were acquired in mid-year 1970. As newly imported adult birds, they were lovely, but quite shy. I was very pleased to get them, as the Poicephalus group holds a great deal of fascination for me. I find the Rueppel's Parrot particularly appealing with its lovely combination of grays, blues and yellows.

When the birds arrived, they were quarantined and eventually put into a holding pen in one of my basement birdrooms. It was here that courtship, in the form of the hen being fed by her mate, was observed in January 1971. A box was provided, which they entered almost immediately! Very encouraging, to say the least! However, to my knowledge, no eggs were produced until October 1972. At that time I found only the addled remains of what had been eggs in the nest. Nothing else transpired until July 1973 when I removed the birds to a small cage 18 x 24 x 48 inches. This cage was quite like the one in which my Senegal Parrots breed. A cockatiel nestbox was provided, and hung at an angle so they wouldn't pounce directly on the contents as they popped inside. This, I felt, was the cause of the addled eggs on the previous occasion. The nest was lined with 1/ 2" x 1" mesh wire to prevent destruction from within. Coarse sawdust was given for material.

In early October, some of the material was thrown out and I knew they were starting proceedings. Or at least I hoped they were! All the material I have read indicates no records of their having reared young in captivity. On October 28, 1973, the hen spent the night in the nest and on October 29, the first egg was observed. A quick peek on November 10 revealed four eggs in the nest. No further inspection was made.





PDF