Why is the Common kingfisher so rare in zoos

[ZooNews2024]

Where would they be sourced from? As I understand it the majority of birds like grebes you see in captivity at present are captive bred vs wild caught. To establish a viable breeding population of captive Kingfishers wouldn't they have to be all caught from the wild?

As FPBird said - they ALL have to be 'caught' from the wild in the first place...
And yes I think it was being said that automatically captive animals have a worse quality of life than wild ones. I dont agree, and would argue that in most cases the opposite is true.

 

[ZooNews2024]

There are none now so they'd have to be built up by trapping wild birds.

This is NOT true

 

[Lafone]

This is NOT true

You will notice that earlier in the thread Lintworm already helpfully mentioned that there were birds in private hands, which I was not aware of.

I am still of the view however that there is no real reason to add them to a collection vs other animals.

You also suggested I said animals in captivity were worse off than animals in zoos. I did not. When shouting to correct, please check who you are shouting at.

 

[GiratinaIsGod]

Wouldn't they reach such high speeds in a large aviary that they fly themselves to death in the aviary boundaries, like African pygmy falcons do? I can't find anything on it, but the common kingfisher aviaries I have seen tended to be quite small.

I never heated about that. Is that only with pygmy falcons (which I only saw in the smal aviary in Walsrode) or all falcons

 

[Prochilodus246]

I would be interested to know who has had experience in hand raising kingfisher chicks

I feel as though @vogelcommando is the most likely of Zoochatters to have raised kingfisher chicks. Possibly during his time at Walsrode?

 

[ZooNews2024]

You also suggested I said animals in captivity were worse off than animals in zoos. I did not.

Actually, I didnt for one moment suggest it was you. As you obviously cant be bothered to read further back, I'll quote it again - It was OkapiJohn I'm sorry for bringing unpopular opinions.
Why not keep kingfishers? Well, just because you can it doesn't mean you should. If you don't have substantial positive motives to keep a species, why to keep it in the first place? Let's remember that keeping animals captive is an ethical dilemma. We are just here discussing the destiny of those individuals that would be kept captive like if there was no cost for the individual.

 

[ZooNews2024]

I never heated about that. Is that only with pygmy falcons (which I only saw in the smal aviary in Walsrode) or all falcons

It is not just Pygmy Falcons. Many Falcon spp have historically been bred in 'seclusion aviaries' , wholly closed with openable viewing slots like a bird-hide - to prevent them from damaging themselves on the wire netting. If you check the photo galleries, many bird spp from a wide range of families routinely kept in zoos will be seen to have damaged heads and missing feathers where they have hit the wire.
Even if it is even a kingfisher issue, (rather than a simple un-informed assumption), it is not restricted to this spp.

 

[Lafone]

As FPBird said - they ALL have to be 'caught' from the wild in the first place...
And yes I think it was being said that automatically captive animals have a worse quality of life than wild ones. I dont agree, and would argue that in most cases the opposite is true.

This is the post you made. You quoted me and made a statement. Perhaps quote the person you are referring to.

As for not being 'bothered' to read further back, the caps and general insinuation, I'll simply mention that disagreement with you is not lazy, not due to lack of comprehension, not due to lack of understanding and indeed not due to a deficit in intelligence, it is just disagreement.

 

[lintworm]

Even if it is even a kingfisher issue, (rather than a simple un-informed assumption), it is not restricted to this spp.

I never said it was a kingfisher issue or that I assume it to be so, please reread my post, I just asked it as a question as I could imagine this to be the case. But if you know it all so well, why don't you just explain it, instead of acting angry towards anybody who doesn't hold your views/knows less than you.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

To stop a mounting argument before it gets too intense:

@Lafone if you look at the last paragraph of the post which was originally quoted, it ends with the word "measures" - I would tend to suggest that @ZooNews2024 accidentally included it when cutting the post down to the segment he wanted to quote, and didn't notice he'd done so (bearing in mind you didn't originally clarify what the inaccuracy of quotation was and merely accused him of adding words).

I'll mop the conversation up now, but retain this post until I know both parties have seen it

 

[gerome]

The species has atleast a lot potential for a intressething exhibit, or can be mixed in with already exsisting aviarys

 

[Jurek7]

Nobody mentioned the main reason - common kingfishers are simply very time-consuming too keep. They need a daily supply of live small fish. A small number of hobbyists and zoos who provide a large aviary with a small pool and constant supply of fish keep kingfishers, generally rescued ones.

Most zoos, however, are satisfied with equally colorful seed-eating birds, for example blue domestic morphs of small parrots.

However, wild common kingfishers visit many of zoos in Europe which have streams or lakes on their grounds, at least occasionally.

 

[Oki1]

but it might still be intressething to show

 

[OkapiJohn]

I would rather press zoos to organise paid birdwatching trips to those who ever have the interest to get out there and discover more about native fauna than forcing the captivity of a species that does not really benefits from it.
A bird that is difficult to observe in the wild will not be much easier to see in captivity and it will be just as neglected as it is in the wild (for casual observers).
For embassadors of fresh water habitats in zoos you have much better candidates: otters, beavers, herons, ducks, pond turtles, fish, among others.
I think that still remains to be found a convincing argument to "force" the captivity of this species.

 

[Dr. Wolverine]

I know my local zoo Ueno Zoo has them, as well as a couple other places in Japan. Furthermore, common kingfishers are pretty common throughout Japan, though they are very shy and easily spooked.