Starlings in captivity

vogelcommando

vogelcommando

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Starlings : a well-known group of 118 species which have all in it. A load of little-known species, some of which have never been kept in captivity, several rare species for which breeding-programms have been set-up, a large number of briljant-coloured species, a large number of hardy species which are easy to keep in captivity, a species which was well-known as a pet which could spreak ( Hill myna ), a species kept and bred in almost every collection ( superb starling ), several species which have become pests outside their native distribution ( Common starling, Common myna ) and so on.
By looking through my photos I started to count the number of species which I took care for and came to 32 species ( if there is intrest I can make a list of them ).
I also had a look at Zootierliste and discovered that a lot of species are not kept ( anymore ) in European zoos and that other species are kept at only a small number of collections - some even only at one collection !
Because Zootierliste only deals with Europe I would be very intrested to learn how starlings are doing in captivity out-side Europe - I guess esp. in Asia there must be a large number of species being kept.
Would also be intresting to know how this bird-family is doing in America.
Any information is welcome !
 
I'm surprised you didn't mention the Bali mynah specifically. It's a great example of both the power of ex situ conservation, and the stupidity of trying to release birds back into their native range before the causes of their endangerment are adequately addressed. Despite being constantly on the verge of extinction in the wild even with constant reintroductions, they're ubiquituous in US zoos and seem to be in Europe as well. The superb starling and hill mynah are just as ubiquitous in US zoos as they are in Europe.

Miami has black-collared mynah as well as a specialized starling aviary. Sadly, I missed the starling aviary last time I was there, so it will be first in my list for next time. The black-collared mynah and hill mynah are both kept in the main Wings of Asia aviary; the Bali mynah was too aggressive and moved to the starling aviary.
 
Thank you very much for this info Zygodactyl ! Bali myna was one of the species I ment with "rare species for which there is a breeding-programm". I agree with you that the cause of their threat should be solved but in the meantime I think its however a good move to release new birds into the wild : as long as there are "wild' birds, the area in which they are found is in need to be protected - as soon as the last bird is gone there is no need anymore to protect the area - at least not in the eyes of farmers - land-developmenters and so on...
 
The problem is that with Bali mynahs, the biggest threat is capture for the illegal pet trade. I'm skeptical that the constant stream of reintroduced birds is contributing anything to the birds' long-term survival.

Having seen how dramatically they've failed for species ranging from the heath hen to the Spix's macaw to the Kaui o'o, I tend to be bearish of the long-term viability of in situ conservation efforts whenever the primary threats haven't been dealt with.
 
For the Bali starling there is an introduced population on Nusa Penida island off Bali itself, which I believe is not part of the original natural range. I am not sure what the current status is, but they have definitely bred successfully. Last count was 100+ birds - has anyone an update?
 
Zoovolunteer said:
For the Bali starling there is an introduced population on Nusa Penida island off Bali itself, which I believe is not part of the original natural range. I am not sure what the current status is, but they have definitely bred successfully. Last count was 100+ birds - has anyone an update?
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I saw one on Nusa Lembongan in July. I had no idea this population existed and I'd missed them in Bali National Park (didn't want to pay for the boat). It was like seeing a ghost; I was almost shaking when I rushed to the beach to tell my sister about it. I only read about the reintroduction programme later that evening. I saw mine in the trees over a temple; apparently they release them in 'sacred' sites because the community is more invested then.
 
List of Starling-species I've taken care for :
1 ) Amethyst starling
2 ) Ashy glossy starling
3 ) Bali mynah
4 ) Asian glossy starling
5 ) Bank mynah
6 ) Black-collared starling
7 ) Brahminy starling
8 ) Grey-headed starling
9 ) Coleto
10 ) Common mynah
11 ) Common starling
12 ) Crested mynah
13 ) Hill mynah ( several subspecies )
14 ) Emerald starling
15 ) Golden-breasted mynah ( Robertson's subspecies )
16 ) Golden-breasted starling
17 ) Golden-crested mynah
18 ) Greater blue-eared glossy starling
19 ) Jungle mynah
20 ) Long-tailed glossy starling
21 ) Malabar starling
22 ) Purple glossy starling
23 ) Red-winged starling
24 ) Rosy starling
25 ) Scissor-billed starling
26 ) Splendid glossy starling
27 ) Sulawesi mynah
28 ) Superb starling
29 ) Wattled starling
30 ) White-necked mynah
31 ) White-shouldered starling
32 ) Yellow-faced mynah
( well possible that I've taken care for some more - esp. the blue/green glossy starling species - but then unable to ID them to species level ).
 
Two starlings urgently need captive breeding: Enggano hill myna, Gracula (religiosa) enganensis and Nias hill myna, Gracula (religiosa) robusta.

Both are distinctive forms of hill myna endemic to small islets in Indonesia and both have been in a few years almost completely wiped out by domestic bird trade. Which earlier wiped out Bali mynah, Sumatran short-tailed magpie and several laughingthrushes.

There is urgent need to locate some cage birds before they die out in private hands and start organized captive breeding plan. Both islets are unprotected and practically un-protectable against bird poachers. Hill myanhs breed well in good conditions.

A good task for zoo community!
 
From the Nias hill mynah I know they have been imported into Europe but have no knowledge if it ever has bred here, from the Enggano hill mynah I don't know if it has ever been imported into Europe but in many (sub) species of Hill mynahs it's difficult to tell the different subspecies/races/species apart so maybe they are there but nobody recognize them...
But as you said, some collections should take these (sub) species under teir wings and start some kind of programm ( both in-situ and ex-situ ) to save them !
 
Doesn't Europe currently ban all wild bird imports even for zoos? And doesn't the US likewise ban live bird imports from countries that haven't eradicated bird flu, even for zoos? I brought up the tooth-billed pigeon, and one of the employees at the Miami Zoo said that bird flu had recently blocked them from importing from some country in Southeast Asia (I forget if it was Indonesia, Cambodia, or Vietnam).

Indonesia unfortunately has a lot of endemic birds that could use captive breeding populations and not a lot of places with the resources to establish such programs where they'd be legal to import. With the restrictions Australia and New Zealand place on new organisms, it would seem like your best hope is probably Singapore or Canada.
 
EU doesn´t ban all bird imports. Current regulation makes it only tought and costly. Licensed zoos may import birds from reliable and legal source, and must use licensed quarantine.
 
Zygodactyl said:
How much more expensive? I know Walsrode has let a ton of their species die out in captivity since the ban.
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You know ?!? I know still several people working at Walsrode from the time I worked there myself and they surtainly don't "let a ton of their species die out in captivity" ! I'm sure species have died out - which can happen in every collection by old age of the specimens, deseases or accidents, they have moved species to other collections ( not always public ones but that doesn't mean that the species has died out in captivity ) and they always have a large collection behind the scenes - in many cases to give these birds better breeding-circumstances.
 
Someone else here mentioned in the Madagascar thread that the ban was the reason that they no longer have vangas, cuckoo-rollers and ground rollers, since they didn't have the genetic diversity to maintain those species.
 
Jana said:
EU doesn´t ban all bird imports. Current regulation makes it only tought and costly. Licensed zoos may import birds from reliable and legal source, and must use licensed quarantine.
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But they *do* ban all wild-caught bird imports, which is the point Zygodactyl was making

Zygodactyl said:
Someone else here mentioned in the Madagascar thread that the ban was the reason that they no longer have vangas, cuckoo-rollers and ground rollers, since they didn't have the genetic diversity to maintain those species.
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Worth making the point that they only recently ceased to keep ground-rollers - shortly before my June 2016 visit - and still do keep a single cuckoo-roller and vanga apiece.
.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
But they *do* ban all wild-caught bird imports, which is the point Zygodactyl was making.
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this is one of those things which is repeated on here a lot (such as by yourself) which reinforces it as a "truth" to members like Zygodactyl. There is a lot of this on Zoochat. "The point" he was making came straight from a post you made saying birds have died out in zoos (specifially Walsrode, which he further interpreted as "a ton of their species" have died out) because it is impossible to import more.

As Jana said, the EU ban on wild-caught bird imports is for commercial purposes - zoos can and always have been (since the ban came into force a decade ago) been able to import wild-caught birds. It is far easier for them to import captive-bred birds but they can still import wild-caught birds. The legislation specifically allows this.
 
Chlidonias said:
As Jana said, the EU ban on wild-caught bird imports is for commercial purposes - zoos can and always have been (since the ban came into force a decade ago) been able to import wild-caught birds. It is far easier for them to import captive-bred birds but they can still import wild-caught birds. The legislation specifically allows this.
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Not according to the information regarding the ban released by the EU Commision, as found at the following link:

European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - New rules for captive bird imports to protect animal health in the EU and improve the welfare of imported birds

To quote the most pertinent section of the above-linked report:

Given the high risk of infection from wild birds, only birds bred in captivity and in approved breeding establishments will be allowed to enter the EU. Controls in the exporting country will have to prove the absence of avian influenza and Newcastle disease, and birds destined for the EU may not be vaccinated against avian flu. All imported birds will have to be individually identifiable through a leg-ring or microchip.
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The use of the term "only birds bred in captivity" is pretty cut and dried, I feel.

The only reference to tighter quarantine facilities which Jana mentioned pertains specifically to captive-bred individuals, as follows:

A minimum 30 day quarantine period in an officially approved centre will be required for all imported captive birds. Tighter controls will apply with regard to the movement of the birds from the border inspection post to the quarantine facility. The imported birds will only be released from quarantine following a veterinary inspection, and the Regulation lays down detailed provisions in case disease should be identified in the quarantine facility.
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Having trouble finding the full text of the regulation, but as the above is an official publication by the EU Commission it is surely accurate and does not misinterpret the scope of the regulation?
 
Just found an intresting note about a starling-species which is kept in only a very small number of European public collections ( 8 ) the Crested myna ( Acridotheres cristatellus ).
Around 1900 some birds of this species escaped/ were released ( ? ) around Vancouver and founded a feral population ( I've seen mentioned a population-size of 20.000 birds at the beginning of the 1970-ties ).
Are there ( Canadian ) ZooChatters who know more about this feral population - history and current status and are these birds kept in captivity in Canada - both public and privat ?
 
Very interesting; I would also be very intrigued to learn whether or not the Canadian population in the wild is extant! One of the nicer members of the genus knocking around in European collections, in my opinion.
 
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