Aug. 15,
2018
Bird
House keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are celebrating the hatching of
two indigo bunting chicks—a first for the Zoo and the North American population
in human care. The female indigo bunting laid four eggs in an off-exhibit area
between July 15 and July 20. The first chick hatched July 27, but it died later
that day. The second and third chicks hatched July 29 and July 31,
respectively, and are thriving. A fourth chick did not hatch. The
surviving chicks fledged Aug. 8 and will remain off exhibit while the Bird
House is undergoing renovations; the building is expected to reopen in 2021.
“Cracking
the code of breeding North American migratory songbirds in human care while
they are still common is vital for future conservation efforts,” said Sara
Hallager, curator of the Bird House. “I am extremely proud of our team and
this success. Breeding these native birds will provide a deeper understanding
of their biology, reproduction and behavior and will greatly contribute
to in situ conservation efforts.”
The
chicks’ parents are wild-caught and arrived at the Zoo in May 2016. By looking
at the color of the birds’ plumage, keepers estimated that they are at least 2 years
old. Animal care staff have been closely monitoring the chicks via a
closed-circuit cam to allow the parents to bond with and care for their chicks.
Keepers continue to provide the birds with a nutritious diet of pellets, fruit,
hardboiled eggs, insects and greens. Indigo buntings often have multiple
clutches during a season, and animal care staff report that the female is
already preparing for a second clutch of eggs.
Native to
North America, indigo buntings are considered “least concern”
by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Their range is
expansive; during breeding season, these migratory birds can be found across
the United States—from Texas to Florida, and in all states north toward Canada.
In winter, they migrate south and reside in the Caribbean, Central America and
the northern tip of South America. In recent years, wild indigo bunting
populations have been decreasing due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
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