Captive Breeding and Hand Rearing the Green-winged Macaw at Jurong Birdpark, Singapore

Abstract

The Green-winged Macaw (Ara cbloroptera) is, next to the Hyacinth Macaw, the largest parrot. In comparison co the latter, it is about l O cm ( 4 inches) smaller in body size, but its powerful build, massive head and large, powerful beak leave a lasting impression. Although the Greenwinged Macaw should be the aristocrat of the macaws, it has never really succeeded. In contrast to the Scarlet, which is often confused with the Green-winged, the latter has a facial patch with rows of tiny red feathers. Its red feathers are also more crimson, and, of course, there is no yellow on the wings, simply blue and green. This magnificent bird unfortunately takes a back seat to the Scarlet and the Blue and Gold Macaws in its popularity as a pet.

Its habitat is in close proximity with the Scarlet, being a bird of virgin topped lowland forests and edges, mainly occupying bio-type up to an altitude of 450 meters.

In the wild, the breeding season is from November co December, in the south, and from February to March in the north. The general age of the breeding pairs is never less than six or seven years. There are even cases of birds breeding at 12 to 15 years of age. Hollow tree trunks and holes in damaged palms very high above the ground serve as nesting places. As many as three eggs are laid in each clutch, each egg measuring about 50 x 30 mm (2 inches x 1.25 inches) in size. Incubation by the female takes about 28 days. Rearing of the young takes some 90 co 100 days. After leaving the nest, the young chicks remain with the parents for a long time.

Breeding History and Conditions

The park has a wide collection of macaws, but of these only the Greenwinged and the Scarlet have been bred with success. Before mid-1990, some of the macaws in the park were housed in a display aviary measuring 48 x 23 x 12 feet, with a glass panel for better viewing. Since then, the breeding pairs have been transferred to special breeding aviaries.

The display aviary was home to about 18 macaws. Some of the previous breeding and the one discussed took place in this aviary. Perches from a rambutan tree (Nephelium) were set up and, to satisfy the macaws's desire for gnawing, additional acacia branches were provided. Nest boxes of various sizes and shapes were also provided. These included tree trunks, vertical and horizontal boxes and even cylindrical concrete pipes. The nest material provided for the nest boxes was sawdust and for the pipes it was saw-dust with mud.

Jurong Birdpark's first ever breeding of the Green-wings was back in September 1985. This was about seven years after acquiring the birds. Exact dates were not recorded. As for the following years, there was no breeding.

In November 1987, 2 eggs were laid and hatched successfully. Unfortunately, in February 1988, the young were eaten by a snake which had entered the aviary through a damaged drainage pipe. The snake was caught and the pipe repaired. After this most unfortunate incident, the pair did not re-nest and stopped breeding for that year. However, in February 1989, the pair nested again. Three eggs were laid but there was no record of the hatching. The eggs were infertile.

In April 1990, the only pair that had nested went into breeding again. As there was no direct visual observation on the actual egg laying, we had to estimate the date of laying from the date the chicks hatched. The pair had chosen the pipe to nest in and this was no surprise as they had always used the pipe whenever they nested. The pipe measured 40" high and 15" in diameter with an entrance hole of 6". Incubation was solely by the female although the male was seen feeding the female during this period. The macaws were very aggressive and protective. The eggs hatched on the 18th, 19th and 20th of May.

The pair was allowed to raise the young for the first two weeks and when the youngest chick was 9 days of age, all three were pulled out to be hand-raised at the Park's Breeding and Research Centre's (BRC) nursery. The reasons for doing so were because we did not want to lose the nestlings, the aviary was to be renovated and suitable macaws of breeding age were to be housed in off-exhibit breeding aviaries for further breeding.