Gruiformes in AZA institutions- past, present, and future

Robert Webster

Curator of Birds

The Toledo Zoo

This presentation…

• …is a summary of Gruiformes populations in North American ISIS institutions 1986-2007

• Program species are stressed as are some that could be (esp among smaller taxa)

Buttonquail

• These are the perky pocket-sized members of this amazingly diverse order of birds

• They are not Coturnix of the Galliformes

• (It is possible a high percentage of “Turnix” listed in ISIS may not belong to the Gruiformes at all)

Buttonquail

Buttonquail

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35

1986

1987

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Black-breasted Buttonquail

Madagascan Buttonquail

Yellow -legged Buttonquail

Buttonquail

• AZA populations have been ephemeral in past, despite breeding

• Current pop of Madagascan Buttonquail has few founders, but species is perfect to fill ground niche in smaller exhibits and is not aggressive to others.

Buttonquail

• At Toledo, our males have raised their children well. Our first hen could be left with youngsters, but subsequent hens could not (as in wild.)

• Females are larger, more brightly colored

Buttonquail

• Small exhibits fine (though have worked in larger spaces too)

• Not particularly shy birds • Chicks are the size of a

nickel (or barkchip)…so must use caution around

• Breeding life of 3-5 years, but birds have lived to be 8 yrs old

• Potentially explosive breeders, but to keep this species going, we need more institutions willing to house

Stanley & Demoiselle Cranes

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60

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120

140

160

1986

1987

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2007

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Stanley Crane

Demoiselle Crane

Stanley (or Blue) Crane

• • Studbook in need of PMP

• 2007 pop of 51 birds– lowest it has been in at least 21 years

• Few zoos breeding• Vulnerable in wild

Demoiselle Crane

• PMP-to-be?• 2007 population of 72

birds half of 1990 total• Smallest crane – can

mix where others cannot

• Very little breeding last five years

• Least Concern in wild

Wattled & Whooping Cranes

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10

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30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1986

1987

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Wattled Crane

Whooping Crane

Whooping Crane

• One of THE conservation stories of this group / of North American fauna

• Zoo pop – last three years – higher than it has ever been; even with releases

• Endangered in wild

Wattled Crane

• Active SSP …looking for additional space for these large, powerful cranes

• 2007 pop of 57 birds is 21-year low, but only ~20 birds off all-time high

• Vulnerable in wild

Sarus Crane

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60

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120

140

1986

1987

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Eastern Sarus Crane

Indian Sarus Crane (nom sub)

Sarus Crane (no subsp)

Sarus Crane

• PMP• AZA pop has been

stable last few years at around 40 birds, but this is a 1/3 of 1991 population

• Vulnerable in wild

Sandhill Cranes

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1986

1987

1988

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als Greater Sandhill Crane

Mississippi Sandhill Crane

Florida Sandhill Crane

Lesser Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane (no subsp)

Sandhill Crane

• The common crane for North American exhibits

• Total AZA pop of 295 birds including 99 Florida & 64 Mississippi

• Least Concern in wild as species, but Mississippi subspecies is listed as Endangered

Red-crowned & White-naped Cranes

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50

60

70

80

90

100

1986

1987

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Manchurian Crane

White-naped Crane

White-naped Crane

• Active SSP looking for space to grow population

• AZA pop of 58 birds is 21-year low for this species (~30 birds off early ’90’s high)

• Vulnerable in the wild

Red-crowned (or Manchurian) Crane

• Active SSP• AZA pop (of 80 birds)

is largest it has been in 20 years

• Endangered in wild

Siberian, Black-necked, & Hooded Cranes

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50

1986

1987

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Siberian Crane

Black-necked Crane

Hooded Crane

Siberian, Black-necked, & Hooded Cranes

Hooded, Siberian, & Black-necked Crane

Hooded Crane• PMP• AZA pop (of 21 birds)

is ½ of late ’90’s pop• Vulnerable in wild

Siberian Crane• Current AZA pop of

19 birds• Critically Endangered

in wild

Black-necked Crane• Current AZA pop of

11 birds• Vulnerable in wild

Crowned Cranes

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1986

1987

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West African Crow ned Crane

East African Crow ned Crane

West African (or Black) Crowned Crane

• PMP • Fairly stable AZA pop

of ~100 birds for last 20+ years

• Subspecies in the mix• Near Threatened in

the wild

East African (or Grey) Crowned Crane

• Most numerous crane in AZA institutions (with 302 birds in 2007)

• Breeds regularly at a number of zoos

• Least Concern in wild – but known to be declining in several regions

Exotic Rails I

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1986

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als White-breasted Waterhen

Grey-necked Wood Rail

Red-and-w hite Crake

Purple Sw amphen

Banded Rail

Exotic Rails

• Historically, a difficult group to manage

• Mix well … usually. Some individuals can raid others’ nests & potential nocturnal activity of some species could wreck havoc with exhibit mates

• Some species can breed explosively & chicks have been difficult to place … thus need for committed managers/holders

Exotic Rails – patterns repeating?

• Red-and-white Crake had pop of ~50 birds 20 years ago & crashed dramatically, despite breeding well

• Banded Rail has exploded in last three years to 79 birds

• What’s next…?

Exotic Rails- the persevering ones

• Grey-necked Wood Rail & Purple Swamphen have managed to maintain populations of 15-60 birds for last 21 years

• Both are partially diurnal & very vocal

• Potential program species?

Exotic Rails II

0

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50

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80

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100

1986

1987

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Black Crake

Guam Rail

Exotic Rails – those that are managed or soon shall be

Black Crake• PMP to be?• Current pop of 69 birds not

far off all-time high• Climb everywhere & very

vocal

Guam Rail• Active SSP with release

component

US Rails

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80

1986

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als American Coot

Common Gallinule

Haw aiian Gallinule

Sora

Purple Gallinule

US Rails

• Aside from excellent Light-footed Clapper Rail raise & release project, little work done with native rails… despite rather large populations in recent past of some species & the fact that most species have bred in captivity

• Ambassadors for declining wetlands• Sora American Coot Purple Gallinule

Bustards

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Black Korhaan

White-bellied Bustard

Buff-crested Bustard

Kori Bustard

Bustards

Bustards

Kori Bustard • Active SSP• Current AZA pop: 60 birds• Numerous conservation projects

Buff-crested Bustard• Active PMP• AZA pop (37 birds) at all time high – due to imports &

breeding

White-bellied Bustard• DERP at this time• Current AZA pop: 22 birds (21-year high)

Trumpeter, Sunbittern, & Seriema – 3 PMPs

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Common Trumpeter

Sunbittern

Red-legged Seriema

Common (or Grey-winged) Trumpeter

• PMP to be• Current AZA pop of

51 birds• Need more

institutions breeding birds

Red-legged Seriema

• Active PMP• AZA pop at a 20+

year high of 53 birds

Sunbittern

• PMP• AZA pop more than doubled (to current 104 birds) since

1986• Mixes well with just about anything – tough enough to

defend own nest, but not predatory toward others’

The future…

• As has been seen, AZA’s work with Gruiformes runs the gamut of success… from programs for reintroduction to the wild (Guam Rail)… to populations that bred well and yet still disappeared (Red-and-White Crake.) We have relatively new programs taking their species to new levels of breeding success (Red-legged Seriema, Kori Bustard), while some of the oldest bird programs of all, for most of the cranes, are struggling to find space to grow their populations.

The future…

• The diversity of Gruiformes is astounding …from the tiny Madagascan Buttonquail to the titanic Kori Bustard, from the high-speed dashes of the Black Crake to the graceful dances of the White-naped Crane, from the dazzling visuals of the Sunbittern to the dazzling audios of the Red-legged Seriema… surely there is room in your institution for (more) members of this outstanding order of birds!