Being born in captivity complicates the rescue of an endangered parrot

March 17 () –

Starting life in captivity can change the shape of the wings of birdshindering their chances of surviving migratory flights when released into the wild.

This has been demonstrated by new research from the Australian National University (ANU). Its author, Dr. Dejan Stojanovic, said that while captive breeding is an important conservation tool, it can cause various physical changes in animals, including the shape of their wings.

One of the bird species examined was the orange-bellied parrot, critically endangered.

Orange-bellied parrots are subject to one of the largest and longest-running breeding programs of any Australian species. To avoid extinction, its wild population is supplemented by the annual release of juveniles from captivity.

“We have previously shown that captivity can change the shape of the orange-bellied parrot’s wings, which we suspect could hinder their migration flights,” said Dr Stojanovic. it’s a statement.

“But this new study reveals the first direct evidence that altered wing shapes in captivity reduce migration success after release into the wild.

Although all juvenile orange-bellied parrots have a low migration survival rate, captive-bred birds with altered wing shapes had a 2.7 times lower survival rate than those with an ideal “wild type” wing.

The study also found evidence of altered wing shapes in four other captive bird species, suggesting that these changes may be more common in captivity than previously thought.

“This is likely just the tip of an iceberg of subtle physical changes in the bodies of captive-bred animals that, while easily overlooked, have a big impact after releasesaid Dr. Stojanovic.

“We should be aware of this and find ways to mitigate the effects of captivity if we want to give our breeding programs the best chance of supporting wild populations“.

It is not yet known why the flight feathers of birds are so changeable, or if this is due to genetics or the captive environment.

“There are also other unanswered questions: can birds with captive wingforms revert to optimal wild form? Could flight training help? These questions need to be answered so we can discover how to raise animals suitable for life in the wild”said Dr. Stojanovic.

“This could become especially important as the global extinction crisis forces more species into captive breeding programs.”

The research has been published in Ecology Letters.