EAZA Passeriformes
TAG Annual Report 2000
1.
Information on organization, structure and activities of the TAG
TAG Chairs:
Mr David Jeggo
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Les Augrès Manor
Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5BP
Channel Islands, UK
Mr Theo Pagel
Zoologischer Garten Köln AG
Riehler Straße 173
50735 Köln
Germany
TAG
members:
Steven Vansteenkiste (Antwerp); Joep Wensing (Arnhem);
Rudolf Reinhard (Berlin Zoo); Duncan Bolton (Bristol); Stefan Patzwahl
(Cambron-Casteau); Bengt Holst (Copenhagen); Roger Wilkinson
(Chester); David
Field (Dublin); Stefan Stadler (Frankfurt); Christiane
Böhm (Innsbruck);
Simon Tonge (Paignton); Catherine King
(Rotterdam); Günther Schleussner (Stuttgart); Dagmar Schratter (Vienna);
Martina Müller and Dieter Rinke (Walsrode)
TAG advisors:
Wolfgang Grummt (Berlin Tierpark); Roland Wirth (Munich);
Ulrich
Schürer (Wuppertal)
Current
EEPs:
Bali starling, Leucopsar
rothschildi
European
Studbooks (ESB): None
at the moment.
International
Studbooks:
None at the moment.
TAG
chairs
AZA: Martin Vince, Riverbanks
in
other regions: JMSP:
David Jeggo, Jersey
TAG meeting:
A meeting was held at Aalborg, September 2000
TAG surveys:
EEP TAG Survey 1995 (Fourth Series): Passeriformes Survey Part I
Pittas, Laughing-thrushes, Jays and Magpies.
EEP TAG Survey 1996 (Fifth Series): Passeriformes Survey Part II
Broadbills, Cotingas, Manakins, Tanagers and Starlings
EEP TAG Survey 1997 (Sixth Series): Passeriformes Survey Part III
Thrushes, White-eyes, Honey-eaters and Buntings
EEP TAG Survey 1998 (Seventh Series): Passeriformes Survey Part
IV
Bulbuls,
Sunbirds, Leafbirds, Orioles, Shrikes and Non-tropical finches.
EEP TAG Survey 1998 (Seventh Series): Recommended Species List
EEP TAG Survey 1999 (Eighth Series): Passeriformes Survey Part V
Cuckoo shrikes, Minivets, Babblers (excl: Laughing-thrushes),
Old World and Monarch flycatchers, Titmice, Flowerpeckers, New World orioles,
Waxbills, Weavers and Drongos
Publications:
Not specified
2. Information on
developments in 1998/1999
Threatened passerines
Despite there being over 500 species of passerines currently considered to be threatened,
very few of these are represented in captivity either in Zoos or in private aviculture.
The TAG however monitors the following
species:
1. Yellow-throated laughing thrush (Garrulax
galbanus simaoensis)
Theo Pagel, Cologne (this
species is recommended for a European studbook)
2. Mount Omei liocichla (Liocichlia omeiensis)
Theo Pagel, Cologne (this
species is recommended for a European studbook)
3. Yellow cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata)
open
4. Seven-coloured tanager (Tanager fastuosa)
London
5. Black-winged starling (Sturnus melanopterus)
Non-threatened passerines
The TAG also monitors certain non-threatened passerines
which are of interest to zoos, but in need of assessment of their husbandry
requirements and potential for low level management programmes. In some cases where it is
not clear which species should be targeted, groups as a whole will be investigated.
Family/sub-family:
Cotingidae (Cotingas)
Ulrich
Schürer, Wuppertal
Pipridae (Manakins)
Ulrich Schürer, Wuppertal
incl. Swallow-tailed manakin (Chiroxiphia caudata);
Blue-backed manakin (Chiroxiphia.pareola)
Steven
Vansteeenkiste, Antwerp
Pittidae (Pittas)
Dieter Rinke, Walsrode and Hans v.d. Sluis,
Alphen a/d Rijn
incl. Hooded pitta (Pitta sordida),
Joep Wensing, Arnhem
Nectariniidae (Sunbirds)
Open
incl. Purple-throated sunbird (Nectarinia
sperata)
Stefan Stadler, Frankfurt
and Variable sunbird (Nectarinia venusta),
Stefan Stadler, Frankfurt
Thraupinae (Tanagers)
Catherine King, Rotterdam
incl Golden tanager (Tanager
arthus),
Martina Müller, Walsrode,
and red-legged honeycreeper (Cyanerpers cyaneus)
Hanne Rasmussen, Copenhagen
Species:
Long-tailed broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae)
Stefan Stadler, Frankfurt, Martina Müller, Walsrode
Blue-faced honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis)
Stefan Stadler, Frankfurt
White-eared catbird (Ailuroedus buccoides)
Gunther Schhleussner, Stuttgart
Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) open
(Lesser green broadbill (Calptomena viridis) has
been dropped from consideration due to low numbers now being held and the assessment that
it is not easy to reproduce in captivity.)
A Recommended species list has also been established. As part of their institutional
collection planning, European zoos are encouraged to include species from this list in
preference to others and to devote more attention to them, working towards lowering
mortality rates and improving breeding success. With increased focus, the aim is to
establish viable low level management programmes for these species, negating the need for
continuous importation from the wild of these or similar species to sustain zoo passerine
collections. Many of these species will also form the basis of model programmes developing
husbandry protocols for future threatened species programmes.
The
recommended species list is as follows:
White-headed bulbul, Hypsipetes leucocephalus
Red-whiskered bulbul, Pycnonotus jocosus
Golden-fronted leafbird, Chloropsis aurifrons
Fairy bluebird, Irena puella
White-rumped sharma, Copsychus malabaricus
Orange-headed thrush, Zoothera citrina
Snowy-headed robin chat, Cossypha niveicapilla
White-crowned robin-chat Cossypha
albicapilla
Bearded reedling, Panurus biarmicus
Black-throated laughing thrush, Garrulax
chinensis
Red-winged laughing thrush, Garrulax formosus
White-crested laughing thrush, Garrulax
leucolophus
Red-tailed laughing thrush, Garrulax milnei
Pekin robin, Leiothrix lutea
Silver-eared mesia Leiothrix argentauris
Oriental white-eye, Zosterops palpebrosus
Pope cardinal, Paroaria dominicarna
Silver-beaked tanager, Ramphocelus carbo
Java sparrow, Padda oryzivora
Gouldian finch Chloebia gouldiae
White-headed buffalo-weaver, Dinemellia dinemella
White-billed buffalo-weaver, Bubalornis albirostris
Village weaver, Ploceus cucullatus
Sociable weaver, Philetairus socius
Madagascar fody, Foudia madagascariensis
Philippine glossy starling, Alponis panayensis
Hill myna, Gracula religiosa
Superb glossy starling, Spreo superbus
Violet-backed starling, Cinnyricinclus
leucogaster
Sulawesi myna, Basilornis celebensis
Golden-breasted starling, Cosmopsarus regius
Grosbeak starling, Scissirostrum dubium
Emerald starling, Lamprotornis iris
Azure-winged magpie, Cyanopica cyana
Pileated jay, Cyanocorax chrysops
White-tailed jay, Cyanocorax mystacalis
Blue magpie, Urocissa erythrorhyncha
Raven, Corvus corax
Confiscations
Antwerp Zoo continues to handle and coordinate a number
of confiscated. The species involved include Pileated finch, Coryphospingus pileatus, Ultramarine grossbeak, Cyanocompsa cyanea,
Red-cowled (or pope) cardinal, Paroaria domonicaria,
Brazilian tanager Ramphocelus bresilius, and
Blue-backed manakin Chiroxiphia pareola. Progress
of these species will be closely monitored by Steven Vansteenkiste.
Birds of Paradise
The TAG is formulating a policy on the keeping of birds of paradise. Included in this will
be the need to adhere closely to the successful husbandry techniques which are being
established in North America.
In view of the scarcity and specialist needs of birds of paradise, European institutions
working with them are recommended to be part of the International Bird of Paradise TAG
Chester, Koln and Walsrode now all hold pairs of birds
of paradise. Two species, Greater Paradiseae apoda
and Red Paradiseae rubra, laid eggs at Walsrode
during 2000.
Husbandry
guidelines
Husbandry guidelines for the Bali starling (Leucopsar
rothschildi) have been produced by Theo Pagel and laughing-thrushes (Garrulax spp.) by Dave Coles.
At the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust husbandry research on the Montserrat Orioles
continues , six were successfully reared during the year.
The situation in the wild for this species and its status is still being closed
monitored on Montserrat.
3. TAG Goals for 2001
- Conduct Passeriformes Survey VI,
repeating, Pitidae (Pittas), Nectareniidae
(Sunbirds) and
Thraupinae (Tanagers).
- Continue to establish the species which zoos plan
to keep in the future.
- Continue to access those species for which low
level management programmes might be
appropriate.
- Encourage research on the ethology and biology of
selected species.
- Encourage research on the morbility and mortality
of selected species.
- Encourage research on the nutrition
of selected species
- Assimilate the husbandry guidelines for Bali
starlings with the SSP guidelines and expand
these to the
Sturnidae in general (Theo Pagel).
- Produced husbandry
guidelines for other species of Passerine.
- Investigate the potential for establishing an ESB or EEP for the Black-winged
starling (Stunus melanopterus)
which
may now be Critically Endangered.
- Establish European studbooks
for the yellow-throated laughing thrush and Mount Omei liochichla.
- Continue to develop a collection planning strategy for European institutions with the aim of having the first
version produced during the year.
- Form interest
working groups on certain Passerine families, including
Cotingidae (Cotingas), Pipridae
(Monakins), Pitidae (Pittas), Nectarincidae (Sunbirds) and Thraupinae (Tanagers)
with a view to holding a
series of workshops to establish
recommended guidelines for their maintenance and breeding in
captivity and assess their suitability for inclusion in zoological collections. Commencing with Pittas and
Tanagers in 2001.
- Develop assistance and support for in situ
programmes for threatened
passerines.