Breeding of rare birds flying high

Shobana Kesava, Straits Times 15 Nov 08;

UP TO five rare Bali Mynahs could be flown from Singapore to the Indonesian island of their origin early next year.

This will be the largest number of the critically endangered birds to be bred and sent to Bali by the Jurong BirdPark since its programme to reintroduce them into the wild began in 1990.

Three were successfully bred and sent there in 1994.

Unlike the dark plumage of mynahs common in Singapore, Bali Mynahs are a striking white with a cobalt blue band across their eyes.

Their numbers have been decimated by illegal trapping and urbanisation, which have reduced their natural habitat.

The curator of the BirdPark, Dr Minerva Nuqul, said Bali Mynahs have found it harder than other Asian species to adapt to captivity and do not multiply as readily.

'We're on the right track because they are reproducing. If we cannot match the natural environment or the mix of insects and plants they look for in their natural range, they won't breed,' she said.

She was speaking ahead of her presentation at the second Aviary Congress Singapore.

About 45 avian specialists, mainly from Europe and the Asia-Pacific, have converged at the BirdPark to share success stories on breeding rare and wild birds in captivity.

The three-day congress ends today.

The Singapore spotlight is on its success with the crowned pigeon, a native of Papua New Guinea, whose fan of fine feathers on its head distinguishes it from other species.

The blue-grey pigeon, also the largest of the world's species, is threatened in the wild by poachers and hunters. Its success in captivity at the BirdPark is due to a combination of factors: the tropical climate, plenty of foliage and the right diet.

Other successes include the international award-winning work with the rare southern oriental pied hornbill, which has doubled in number on Pulau Ubin to 20 birds since work began in 2004.