The currrent California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) recovery plan entails increasing the reproductive rate via replacement‐clutch manipulation of eggs. During the period from 1983 to 1985, 15 eggs were removed from wild nesting pairs for artificial incubation. The eggs were incubated at a dry bulb temperature of 36.4°C in modified forced‐air Lyon Electric incubators. The incubation humidity was adjusted for individual eggs based on weight loss data (water = weight), 25.6–30.0°C wet bulb (41.0–63.0% Relative Humidity (RH)). The chicks were hatched initially under forced‐air conditions of 36.1°C dry bulb, 31.1–01.7°C wet bulb (70.0–73.0% RH). In 1984, hatching parameters were changed to still‐air conditions, 36.1°C dry bulb (top of the egg), 35.0°C dry bulb (bottom of the egg), 31.1–31.7°C wet bulb (70.0‐73.0% RH). Tactile and auditory stimulation was utilized during the pip‐to‐hatch interval. From among 15 eggs collected, 13 hatched, and 12 condor chicks were raised successfully (hatchability: 86.7%; survivability: 92.3%).
Pesquet's parrots Psittrichas fulgidus are rare in avi‐cultural collections and successful breeding is uncommon and usually off‐exhibit. At San Diego Zoo, however, two pairs of P. fulgidus which were on‐exhibit have bred successfully. In the 1980s a pair of wild‐caught adults nested in a natural palm log in their enclosure and eight chicks hatched from 17 eggs which were artificially incubated. In 1997 two hand‐reared adults nested in an artificial nestbox laying seven eggs all of which were removed for artificial incubation and two of which hatched. The chicks from both pairs were hand‐reared owing to the lack of parent‐rearing success in the past. A review of breeding history since 1988 at San Diego Zoo is given and the methods used for artificial incubation and hand‐rearing are described.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.