British Birds Facing Extinction

[AdrianW1963]

British birds now facing extinction has gone up to NINE these are –

Kittiwake, Puffin, European Turtle Dove, Common Pochard, Slavonian Grebe, Balearic Shearwater, Long-tailed Duck, Velvet Scoter and Aquatic Warbler.

Kittiwake in danger of global extinction - BirdGuides

I wonder how many collections will try and help save these species from extinction by donating money and time to help save them.

My guess would be none as they aren’t attractive enough to get the British Public interested in them, which makes the whole zoo’s are for saving rare animal/bird/reptile and other species from extinction a basic joke end of rant.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Looking at the IUCN assessments, eight of these are classified as Vulnerable and the ninth (Balearic Shearwater) is classified as Critically Endangered. However, only two of these species have changed in classification since the last update:

Kittiwake has been upgraded from Least Concern to Vulnerable.
Velvet Scoter has been downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable.

Contrary to the cynical presumptions above, there are several captive collections in UK and Europe which are involved in captive breeding and other conservation projects relating to the European Turtle Dove; most notably Pensthorpe Conservation Trust in Norfolk, which is a founding member of the Operation Turtle Dove project.

 

[FBBird]

Looking at the IUCN assessments, eight of these are classified as Vulnerable and the ninth (Balearic Shearwater) is classified as Critically Endangered. However, only two of these species have changed in classification since the last update:

Kittiwake has been upgraded from Least Concern to Vulnerable.
Velvet Scoter has been downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable.

Contrary to the cynical presumptions above, there are several captive collections in UK and Europe which are involved in captive breeding and other conservation projects relating to the European Turtle Dove; most notably Pensthorpe Conservation Trust in Norfolk, which is a founding member of the Operation Turtle Dove project.

I bred five Turtledoves this year.

 

[SealPup]

Turbinares don't do well in captivity, so there will be no breeding stock of shearwaters. I'm sure apart from them and maybe the two shorebirds, all of them are doable.

Despite a few grebes having gone extinct or critically endangered, they are one of the neglected taxa in a way that gets my back up.

 

[Pertinax]

I bred five Turtledoves this year.

How many pairs do you have and are you involved in any release scheme with them or just keep them/ circulate them to other aviculturists?

 

[FBBird]

Turbinares don't do well in captivity, so there will be no breeding stock of shearwaters. I'm sure apart from them and maybe the two shorebirds, all of them are doable.

Despite a few grebes having gone extinct or critically endangered, they are one of the neglected taxa in a way that gets my back up.

Which shorebirds?
At least one shearwater species has laid in captivity, so never say never!

 

[FBBird]

How many pairs do you have and are you involved in any release scheme with them or just keep them/ circulate them to other aviculturists?

Usually hold two pairs. Not currently involved in any release scheme, although it's been discussed. Have to be very careful planning release of a summer migrant.

 

[Pertinax]

I still see them in summer at Martin Down, near Salisbury. Its now about the only location I know that is still fairly reliable.

 

[SealPup]

Which shorebirds?
At least one shearwater species has laid in captivity, so never say never!

I meant that the kittiwake and the puffin are Lari, which is a subclade of shorebirds. Shearwaters are not; they're closer to penguins. Though as a group of birds, all seabirds seem neglected compared to land birds and waterfowl. The most pelagic seabirds (like shearwaters and kittiwakes) surely pose difficulties because of their way of life, and the ones that seem to do best - like Inca terns and the eiders - are native of inshore marine habitats.

Besides breeding issues, the seabirds other than the waddling wogginses ought to make for good displays, as at Rotterdam, Torquay and Huachipa. The Dutches have a thing for gannets in their zoos: something most UK zoogoers won't have seen, but supposedly their habit of plunging can cause problems in displays. Maybe why at Artis they use a shallow pool, still. I can't help but notice the seabird groups which seem to include the easiest species, have freshwater relatives: pelicans, cormorants, terns, seagulls and mergin ducks.

 

[FBBird]

I meant that the kittiwake and the puffin are Lari, which is a subclade of shorebirds. Shearwaters are not; they're closer to penguins. Though as a group of birds, all seabirds seem neglected compared to land birds and waterfowl. The most pelagic seabirds (like shearwaters and kittiwakes) surely pose difficulties because of their way of life, and the ones that seem to do best - like Inca terns and the eiders - are native of inshore marine habitats.

Besides breeding issues, the seabirds other than the waddling wogginses ought to make for good displays, as at Rotterdam, Torquay and Huachipa.

I think of waders as shorebirds -- puffins are auks and kittiwakes are gulls. Both groups have proved amenable to captive propagation.

 

[SealPup]

I think of waders as shorebirds -- puffins are auks and kittiwakes are gulls. Both groups have proved amenable to captive propagation.

Gulls seem hit and miss: the grey gulls in London's Snowdon aviary died out, whereas the black-headed is easy to breed. Scavengers and insectivores might be easier than the pelagic fish eaters?

Auks, I read, were vulnerable to diseases? Either way these are not common zoo birds, though people find puffins extremely cute and appealing. Is there a single volume written on the captive care of seabirds, as there is on other avicultural groupings, like birds of prey, or softbills? Sure the AZA and others released manuals for specific groups such as penguins or shorebirds, but aviculture as a field showed so little interest, not a single volume on keeping ornamental seabirds seems to have ever been written in English.

(Either way auks and gulls are shorebirds. Or Charadriiformes.)
Phylogenetics of modern shorebirds (Charadriiformes) based on phenotypic evidence: analysis and discussion

 

[FBBird]

Gulls seem hit and miss: the grey gulls in London's Snowdon aviary died out, whereas the black-headed is easy to breed. Scavengers and insectivores might be easier than the pelagic fish eaters?

Auks, I read, were vulnerable to diseases? Either way these are not common zoo birds, though people find puffins extremely cute and appealing. Is there a single volume written on the captive care of seabirds, as there is on other avicultural groupings, like birds of prey, or softbills? Sure the AZA and others released manuals for specific groups such as penguins or shorebirds, but aviculture as a field showed so little interest, not a single volume on keeping ornamental seabirds seems to have ever been written in English.

(Either way auks and gulls are shorebirds. Or Charadriiformes.)
Phylogenetics of modern shorebirds (Charadriiformes) based on phenotypic evidence: analysis and discussion

I think the Snowdon aviary gulls were Grey-headed and Silver -- my impression is that breeding might have been stopped because of lack of interest from other collections. It's Paignton that breeds Grey Gulls. Several avicultural books on my shelves have a wader section. They are certainly becoming more widely kept. I have Oystercatchers.

 

[SealPup]

I think the Snowdon aviary gulls were Grey-headed and Silver -- my impression is that breeding might have been stopped because of lack of interest from other collections. It's Paignton that breeds Grey Gulls. Several avicultural books on my shelves have a wader section. They are certainly becoming more widely kept. I have Oystercatchers.

I like the waders: I prefer plovers for mixed aviary floors and not quail, knowing that quail will prey on babies fallen out the nest.

Oystercatchers are supposedly nest raiders, right? Again besides reading the AZA guide, all I know is from general books about softbills, like Vince's, or general aviculture. As you say there are chapters in books, but not the whole volumes dedicated as to waterfowl, gamebirds, hookbills etc.