AFA to Initiate Breeding Consortium for the Venezuelan Black-hooded Red Siskin

Abstract

At long last, the time as arrived! The Red Siskin Sub-comittee of the AFA Conservation Committee announces the formal implementation of the AFA Red Siskin Breeding Consortium.

As anyone who has read the AFA Watchbird magazine faithfully over the last several years knows, the idea of a long-term captive breeding program for the Venezuelan Black-hooded Red Siskin (herein called the Red Siskin) has been talked about for quite some time. Indeed, my interest in the project was initially cultured by Bob Berry, former Curator of Birds at the Houston Zoo, when he served as the AFA Conservation Committee chairman some three to four years ago.

While a great deal of thought was given to the idea of forming a structured program and several feature articles were drafted for Watchbird outlining the species' plight in the wild and its captive husbandry requirements, little hard action was taken until more recently.

Roughly two years ago, Jack ClintonEitniear, current chairman of the AFA Conservation Committee, and I discussed the feasibility of forming a Subcommittee of the AFA Conservation Committee, with the sole purpose of making the Red Siskin Consortium a reality. As you well know, most worthwhile endeavors require a lot of time and hard work. This has certainly been true for the formation of the Red Siskin Breeding Consortium.

After several years of hard work, editing, circulating and re-circulating the material, many pieces of correspondence and phone calls back and forth between Committee members, the permit office, etc., we have arrived at the following materials for the foundation of the consortium.

The format for the Breeding Consortium Agreement for Venezuelan Blackhooded Red Siskins (Carduelis cucullata) was developed using the Palm Cockatoo Breeding Consortium Agreement as a guideline (thanks to Ron Young, director, Mesker Park Zoo for providing that information). However, there are many factors quite different in the Red Siskin Consortium Agreement than were dealt with in the Palm Cockatoo Consortium. Thus the Red Siskin Agreement has been "custom tailored" to fit the needs of this particular species and its situation as relating to its wild and captive status, permit requirements, etc.

As you will see, in reading the Consortium Agreement and Application for Membership, we have been as detailed as possible in an attempt to "cover all the bases" and anticipate any problems we may encounter.

Because of this, the application process may appaer to be too long and cumbersome. However, please do not be put off by the appearance, as most of the questions are very straightforward and not at all difficult to answer. Also realize that the great majority of the applicants for membership will not be known to all (and perhaps none) of the Management Committee members. The application will be our only method of judging whether the applicants are qualified to receive birds.

Because of the prolific nature of the Red Siskin, it is likely that we will have more birds than holding spaces before all is said and done. So please, apply for membership if you are interested and have a good avicultural background.

You may be aware of the fact that one of the ongoing problems we have dealt with in initiating this program is the question of what permits are required to maintain Red Siskins in the U.S. The species is listed as Appendix I, "endangered;' by all of the pertinent regulatory agencies.

Because of the population of Red Siskins found on the island of Puerto Rico (a U.S. territory), it has been unclear whether the species is considered to be native (hence requiring U.S. Endangered Species permits) or non-native (hence requiring Captive Bred Wildlife [CBW] permits).

Because of the continuing confusion over the permit requirements, the Red Siskin Management Committee recommends that each applicant for membership shall acquire the proper permits by first writing to the Federal Wildlife Permit Office (FWPO) to ask which permit is necessary to possess Red Siskins and then apply for the identified permit. Please keep documentation of all of your correspondence with the FWPO.

I have been in contact with the FWPO very recently and feel that they are working earnestly toward resolving the problem and that a definitive statement on permit requirements is forthcoming.

Following are copies of the Breeding Consortium Agreement for Venezuelan Black-hooded Red Siskins (Carduelis cucullata) and the Red Siskin Breeding Consortium Application for Membership. For those interested in taking part in the - Consortium, please read the Agreement and Application for Membership closely.

The membership application forms are available by writing or calling: Ed Diebold, Curator of Birds, Milwaukee County Zoo; Chairman, AFA Red Siskin Sub-committee; 10001 W. Bluemound Rd.; Milwaukee, WI 53226. Or call (414) 771-3040.

Completed applications are to be returned to the address above. The completed applications will then be circulated to the other six members of the Management Committee for screening. Red Siskins will be sent to applicants as they become available according to the results of the screening by the Management Committee.

Although there are a few minor questions yet to be answered concerning the logistical operation of the Consortium, we feel that it is time to test what we have on paper.

With the continued hard work of the members of the Management Committee and the support and cooperation of the membership of the AFA and new Consortium members, we feel that this program will take valuable steps toward the longterm preservation of the Red Siskin both in captivity and in the wild.

Thanks to the following Management Committee members who have been on board from square one: Steve Amos, Glover, Vermont; Dr. Val Clear, Anderson, Indiana; Chris Eckart, Dallas, Texas; Chelle Plasse, Houston, Texas; and Linda Sun, Riverside, California. Also, welcome to our newest appointment, Kevin Gorman, Rochester, New York.