News / Bristol Zoo Project
Bristol Zoo Project successfully breeds threatened bird species
Bristol Zoo Project has successfully bred two of the world’s most threatened species of bird, safeguarding the future of their species.
The zoo’s bird keepers have overseeing the hatching of a Socorro dove, a bird that is extinct in the wild, and an endangered male Visayan ataractic hornbill chick.
Along with other endangered birds such as the Mindanao bleeding-heart dove and a Sumatran song thrush, the hornbills were moved to Bristol Zoo Project after the closure of Bristol Zoo to allow keepers to focus their efforts on species’ that were most in need of conservation.
is needed now More than ever
The male hornbill chick hatched just last month and is expected to fledge over the next few weeks. Its mother is currently dependant on the father, who brings protein-rich food to his family while they are sealed in her nest box.
The Hornbill chick will gain its feathers over the next week or so – photo: Bristol Zoological Society
The Socorro dove chick, whose gender is yet to be determined, hatched just a few days after, and is the first offspring for the zoo’s pair of Socorro doves, who also moved to the Bristol Zoo Project earlier this year.
Bristol Zoological Society, the charity that owns and runs Bristol Zoo Project, has bred Socorro doves for over 20 years.
The species, which is now extinct in the wild, was originally native to Socorro Island off of the west coast of Mexico. It hasn’t been sighted in the wild since 1972.
Socorro doves, as well as other extinct birds, were moved to Bristol Zoo Project following the closure of Bristol Zoo – photo: Bristol Zoological Society
Curator of Birds at Bristol Zoo Project, Trevor Franks, said: “It’s fantastic to be celebrating another successful breeding season with the arrival of these chicks at Bristol Zoo Project.”
“It’s the first time we have bred Visayan tarictic hornbills here, which is a major achievement and takes us one step closer to redefining the role of zoos in the 21st Century.”
He went on to say: “We are proud to be long-standing breeders of threatened bird species… We hope to breed more birds from the individuals we brought across from our Clifton site.”
The male hornbill has a white breast, whereas females are completely black – photo: Bristol Zoological Society
The fledglings, which already have their adult colours, live inside Bristol Zoo Project’s garden aviaries. Visitors will be able to see them over the summer holidays once they become more independent and learn how to fly.
All photos: Bristol Zoological Society
Read next:
- ‘The Bristol Zoo scheme will be a showcase development for a long time to come’
- Meet the Bristol Zoo birds being moved to the Wild Place
- New murals tell conservation story of zoo
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
