Abstract
Of the three hundred and thirty two species of psittacines, aviculturists have, over the years, expressed least interest in the nondescript Greater Vasa ( Coracopsis vasa vasa).
The Greater Vasa is indigenous to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands and introduced to Reunion and Mascarene Islands occasionally finds its way to the North American and European psittacine trade where it is met with scant appreciation.
Measuring 50 cm, the Greater Vasa, with its horn-grey bill, brown iris and brownish black to grey plumage, does not lend itself to the brilliant psittacine family.
In 1984, Lubee Foundation, Inc. grasped the opportunity and purchased a pair of Greater Vasas from the pet trade in California.
The Greater Vasas joined Lu bee's existing aviary that housed over 20 species of psittacines including common vasas. The Greater Vasas were housed in an aviary containing 24 inside cages and 24 outside cages with a cement wall dividing them. In the cement wall there is a PVC pipe with a diameter of six inches, this enables the birds access to both sides. All 48 cages measure 60" x 73 Y2" x 8 5". The Vas as' cage is situated between a pair of Military Macaws and a pair of Scarlet Macaws.
The diet at Lubee's aviary consisted of roasted peanuts, hulled oats, white millet, safflower, black oil sunflower, cracked corn, pigeon mix, buckwheat, flax, large choice pumpkin, whole sunflowers, red peppers and game bird mix. Also offered is a vegetable mix, consisting of apples, spinach, peas, broccoli, grapes, carrots, oranges, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, celery and plums. The produce vegetable mix is fed in the a.m. and the seed mix in the p.m.
A metal nest box was offered. The box, measuring 16" x 16" x 24", was hung on the outside front of the indoor cage with the hole at the front of the box 5 1 /2'' from the top of the cage, 46 inches off the ground. The box was lined with pine board and pine chip shavings were used as the nesting medium.
Being flighty and skittish, the Vasas' first use of the nest box was escape and hiding from daily keeper maintenance. However, in the male, cloaca! swelling was noticed. Also noted was the feather condition of the female; all the feathers were lost on her head.
The great moment of truth came when the female laid the first of two eggs. Unfortunately, this clutch was infertile. With fingers crossed, the breeding season of 1988 approached and onJune 28, 1988 the first of three eggs were laid. The second came on June 28, 1988 and the third on July 10, 1988.
All activities in that section of the aviary were suspended except for feeding. Not much of the Vasas was seen for the next 30 days. Incubation took approximately 30 days and on August I, 1988 a baby was observed. However, only one egg hatched. Egg one and two were infertile. Both parents nursed the baby to fledgling stage which took almost 10 weeks. On the 8th of October, the baby emerged out of the nest box.
The parents continued feeding the baby on a less regular scale for the next ten days during which the baby occasionally picked out of the feed dish soft bits and pieces of bananas and grapes. By the 20th of October the baby was eating on its own.
On December 12, 1990, Dr. Kollias of the University of Florida surgically sexed the young bird and found it to be an immature female.
Lubee Foundation, inc, is a nonprofit organization set up in Gainesville, Florida. Lubee's motto and aims are conservation through protective breeding of endangered species. Apart from the aviary, Lubee houses many species of hoofstock, primates and macro chiroptera. •