Mixed Species Resources?

[BethEllerby]

Is there any sort of resource that can be found for documenting successes of mixed species combinations? A collaborative resource where collections can document which species have had success together would be great.

I'm looking at how to expand our current exhibits and currently have a very large aviary dedicated to 8 tiny lovebirds. I was hoping to find whether there are any successful mixes that could be made to utilise the space better, but I can't seem to find anything at all (any input on that would be great)! The EAZA document on Turacos has an incredible section where it documents mixed species successes and failures, and wondered whether similar exists elsewhere.

If it doesn't I would like to look at setting something up, if it sounds worthwhile to others?

 

[Mr Gharial]

Although not official, there is a very long thread discussing Mixed species exhibits in the Speculative zoo forum:

Mixed species exhibit ideas

Although partially speculative, there are also a lot of mentions of working mixed exhibits.

In terms of Lovebirds: a ground-dwelling species always works well. Wildlands has their lovebirds with Harlequin quails, Dvur Kalove with European thick-knee and ZOOM erlebniswert with Yellow-necked francolins.

They've also been held with multiple species of Weavers, ducks and turacos, also Superb starlings, Laughing doves, Lilac-breasted rollers, Green woodhoopoes, etc.

In some zoos they're held free-roaming in large tropical halls (Such as Zurich's Masaola-halle), along with a huge amount of other species

 

[Philipine eagle]

You can check the husbandry guidelines from f.e. eaza (EAZA Best Practice Guidelines), rares (HUSBANDRY GUIDELINES - RARES FOUNDATION), aza (Animal Care Manuals | Association of Zoos & Aquariums) and others.

These guidelines usually have a section on which other species the discussed species can be kept with.

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

Geared towards ungulates, but invaluable.

Mixed Species Resources — AZA Ungulates

 

[Mr Gharial]

There's also this one:

Mixed-species exhibits

Which includes a lot of lists of mixed habitats, although it doesn't specify whether or not they were successful and it does include some mixed that have since been discontinued or are generally risky

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

Geared towards ungulates, but invaluable.

Mixed Species Resources — AZA Ungulates

According to this document, Lovebirds (Black-Cheeked/Agapornis nigrigenis) & (Masked/Agapornis personatus) have been successfully mixed with Maxwell's Duikers & Gunther's Dik-dik, respectively.

The Black-cheeks and Duiker's were mixed at Bronx Zoo and successfully lived together for 10+ years. The duiker's even bred! (The lovebirds were not allowed to breed.)

The Masked and Dik-dik's were mixed at Kansas City Zoo and lived together with success for 17 years.

Other species included in the latter mix were: Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Brown-breasted Barbet, Crested Barbet, Common Bulbul, Fairy Bluebird, Golden-breasted Starling, Gold-breasted Waxbill, Hamerkop, Hottentot Teal, Lilac-breasted Roller, Marbled Teal, Orange Bishop, Pin-tailed Whydah, Purple Grenadier, Red-tailed Laughing Thrush, Superb Starling, Vulturine Guineafowl, White-backed Mousebird, White-cheeked Turaco, White-faced Whistling Duck, & White-headed Buffalo Weaver.

 

[Orycteropus]

There's also this one:

Mixed-species exhibits

Which includes a lot of lists of mixed habitats, although it doesn't specify whether or not they were successful and it does include some mixed that have since been discontinued or are generally risky

Thank you very much for the mention, and all feedback is constructive in improving these studies.

The main aim of these documents is to provide as complete a list as possible for the taxon concerned. Due to the nature of the list, of course, both historic and current combinations are included, as although a combination may no longer be exist, it may reflect very important experiences. Obviously, the list is always and continuously expandable.

The indication of the success of a particular combination is not always clear and, in order to make an objective judgement, the information is taken from the experts of the institution concerned. Since not all the institutions contacted provide information, it is not possible to make arbitrary assumptions about success/unsuccess.

These documents are the most detailed reference materials on the subject, as they summarise the literature on the subject plus always add new information to them when possible: always produced in collaboration with the zoo professionals and experts on the taxa concerned, with a strong emphasis on summarising experience and providing relevant photographic material. In the latter context, it is worth mentioning that on many occasions photographs taken by fellow forum members are included in these documents.

All the English version are available on ZooLex as well:

ZooLex Publications

 

[Jurek7]

Is there any sort of resource that can be found for documenting successes of mixed species combinations?

For real mixes is worth checking Zootierliste. They often add comments for zoos like 'vergesselschafted mit' 'or 'zusammen mit'. Some google translate and checking species names in Wikiepdia helps.

In a general way, if somebody would be interested in making such a resuourcein future, there are three things crucial which are usually omitted:
- Size of the aviary / exhibit,
- whether breeding was intended and / or successful,
- how long the mix exists(-ed)? I notice that unusual animal combinations are often discontinued after some time. Did they turn too difficult, or not?

 

[Sheather]

Is there any sort of resource that can be found for documenting successes of mixed species combinations? A collaborative resource where collections can document which species have had success together would be great.

I'm looking at how to expand our current exhibits and currently have a very large aviary dedicated to 8 tiny lovebirds. I was hoping to find whether there are any successful mixes that could be made to utilise the space better, but I can't seem to find anything at all (any input on that would be great)! The EAZA document on Turacos has an incredible section where it documents mixed species successes and failures, and wondered whether similar exists elsewhere.

If it doesn't I would like to look at setting something up, if it sounds worthwhile to others?

Lovebirds are aggressive parrots and one of the less likely to do well in mixed company, especially females, and several times more so in a setting where they are nesting. You may be safe with significantly larger birds, like pheasants, turacos could have their toes attacked but it's up to the individual temperaments. You would have more leeway with only males or a single bird among a flock of others (my current scenario.) Lovebirds can kill most other birds up to two or three times their size if they want to. Mammals (duiker etc) will not be threatened by lovebirds.

 

[GaryA]

I was going to say much the same thing. Lovebirds are in my own experience, extremely aggressive towards budgerigars for example, for no good reason other than that they can be.

I wouldn't trust them with any finches or pigeons as they are too docile, and the same with other smaller parrots.

I cannot imagine them targeting decent sized ground mammals or tortoises. If yours is purely a home set up, I would think fancy chickens and ducks, rabbits or tortoises would be fine.

Squirrels and chipmunks would be a bad idea as I think they would predate on each other's young.

I would be concerned that any larger tree bird would have a nesting box opening big enough for a male lovebird to enter and potentially disturb or even maim or kill any nesting bird/eggs/babies.

They are not well-named in many respects.