Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mitel!sce!cognos!stewartw
From: stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Hyacinth Macaws
Message-ID: <8332@cognos.UUCP>
Date: 11 May 90 21:02:48 GMT
References: <34889@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU> <17800014@hpfibsp.HP.COM>
Reply-To: stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter)
Organization: Cognos Inc., Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 42

In article <17800014@hpfibsp.HP.COM> bsp@hpfibsp.HP.COM (Bruce Spence) writes:
>   Hyacinth macaws are a highly endangered species.  Responsible aviculturists
>will generally say that such species, and this one in particular, should only
>be kept as breeding pairs to aid in establishing the species and saving it
>from extinction.  Single pets, beside being ruinously expensive, deplete the
>available pool of individuals available for propogation of this wonderful
>species.  I would advise your friends to look into this aspect of their choice
>before making a purchase.

   Hopefully, I won't be branded an 'irresponsible aviculturalist' for
the following remarks.  I believe that you are in essence correct, but
there are many much more highly endangered birds than the hyacinthe.
The Hyacinthe is highly endangered IN THE WILD, but there have been
very good success in breeding them.  The going rate to purchase one
is starting to drop.  I would be far more concerned to see some of the
rarer cockatoos and amazons (St. Vincent's) in a pet home.

   What I would like to see being done is an effort to permit young
birds to be available at pets and then brought back at 4 years of age
in preparation for breeding.  I realize that the value of the birds
(in particular the decreasing value) would make such arrangements very
difficult, but most breeders do not have facilities to keep a macaw for
the 8 years that it may take to reach maturity.  Also, it is important
to note that $$$ paid by the pet marketplace provides the capital to
enable the private breeder to continue their efforts.

    I believe we both share the same concerns ... that is that the
gene pool for Hyacinthes and other endangered parrots should be
one that is constantly expanding.  I, however, feel that this can
be done better by cooperating with the needs of the pet market place,
rather than trying to distance ourselves from it.

   Stewart Winter




-- 
Stewart Winter                Cognos Incorporated   S-mail: P.O. Box 9707
VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830   FAX: (613) 738-0002           3755 Riverside Drive
UUCP: uunet!cognos!stewartw                                 Ottawa, Ontario
"The bird for the day is .... alexandrine parakeet."        CANADA  K1G 3Z4