A breeding history of the Collared lorikeet and Blue‐crowned lorikeet Phigys solitarius and Vini australis at San Diego Zoo and Assiniboine Park Zoo, Winnipeg

Abstract

The Collared lorikeet Phigys solitarius and the Blue‐crowned lorikeet Vini australis axe rare in captivity, probably as a result of the protection they receive in their native South Pacific countries. In 1991 San Diego Zoo and Assiniboine Park Zoo, Winnipeg, imported these two species. Ten Collared lorikeets were received from Fiji, of which 4.2 were kept at San Diego and 3.1 went to Assiniboine. All but two of the imported birds have produced offspring with a total of 32 hatches at San Diego and four at Assiniboine. Eight Blue‐crowned lorikeets were received from the Kingdom of Tonga with two pairs going to each institution and all but two of the imported birds producing offspring. As of February 1998, 75 chicks (68 at San Diego and seven at Assiniboine) have hatched. Husbandry techniques are summarized for both species.