Abstract
"Unique" is the one word that best characterizes the Hawk-headed Parrots. Their ve1y distinctive appearance and personality set them apart from all other psittacines. Measuring 14 inches long, this relatively small bird is remarkably beautiful. The first thing that captures your attention is the exquisite head and face. The forehead and crown are creamy white while the remainder of the facial area is colored in by tight and tiny dark brown feathers that contain a cream-colored streak down the center. The head and nape feathers are a rich
shade of red, tipped in cobalt blue that can be raised in a fan formation. This displayed fan frames the hawk-headed's face like an ornamental Indian headdress. These same brilliant red and blue feathers extend from breast to vent. The body, wings, and tail coverts are emerald green while the underside of the tail is black.
The genus Deryoptus contains two subspecies. D. a. accipitrinus is the nominate species more commonly known as the buff-crowned Hawkhead. This species can be found north of the Amazon River in northern Brazil, the Guianas, southern Venezuela and south-eastern Columbia. D. a. fuscifrons or Brazilian Hawk-head occurs south of the Amazon River in northeastern Brazil. This species is similar to the buff-crown except that the crown and forehead are darker brown with fainter white streaking.
In the wild, Hawk-heads travel in pairs or small groups and roost singly in trees. Due to their solitary nature, few Hawk-heads were ever imported. The buff-crown is the subspecies most commonly found in U.S. aviculture.
We purchased our pair from Fisher Island, a private residential development. The resort's curator of birds,
Anne-Marie Larzelere, obtained the pair from a local importer in the summer of 1988. Both birds were found to have minor bacterial infections by the resort's vet and were treated accordingly. Two months later the pair were placed into a 10 x 15 foot octagonal walk-in flight.
In the spring of 1989, the pair was given a 16 x 16 x 30 inch nest box. The following year they began to roost nightly in their box. Amazingly, this pair of Hawk-heads raised young during the 1991 and 1992 breeding season. Larzelere kept the first baby, a male, and paired him with a female she acquired from another breeder. In 1993, the juvenile pair was introduced into the courtyard where the other exotic birds are displayed. The mature pair again produced in 1993 but began breaking their eggs the following season. They also became increasingly aggressive towards their keepers, making nest box inspections and weekly cage maintenance nearly impossible.
In May of 1996, Larzelere approached me about the possibility of my purchasing the breeding pair. She felt it would be in the best interest of the birds to place them with a private breeder where they would be afforded more privacy and specialized attention.
I could hardly contain my excitement on the day my husband, Mike, and I were to pick up the Hawkheads. We were finally adding a breeding pair of this spectacular species to our collection.
Upon entering the courtyard I was greeted by an array of beauty and color. Peafowl roamed freely while the breeding birds were housed in large and lovely aviaries surrounded by lush landscaping. I immediately spotted the Hawk-heads and was taken aback by their beauty. They were perched high in their aviary preening one another.
As Larzelere directed us to the front of the cage, the female flew straight for her face. With her ruff fully displayed and eyes blazing, she began to shriek loudly. It was apparent that this female Hawk-head did not like her keeper. Larzelere told me that the bird would viciously attack her each time she entered the flight. Before entering, she would don full rain gear wearing a bird net over her head to avoid being
injured.
As the female hung on the side of the wire, I could see that her abdomen was noticeably swollen. Larzelere said she had observed the pair copulating just days before. I became very excited at the prospect of having baby Hawkheads so soon.
A cage measuring 4 x 5 x 8 feet was ready and waiting for them. This time they would be presented with a boot shaped box that could be easily altered should they continue to break their eggs. The pair was quickly netted and placed in a carrier. Because the female was so swollen, we decided to postpone the vet exam until after she laid her egg.
Once home, we immediately placed the pair into their new cage. The Hawk-head cage was located in a semi-private area planted with tropical fruit trees. Our hope was that by giving them more privacy they would settle down and successfully rear young.