Valuska Annie J, Leighty Katherine A, Ferrie Gina M, Nichols Valerie D, Tybor Cheryl L, Plassé Chelle, Bettinger Tamara L
Department of Education and Science, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Orlando, Florida, USA.
Zoo Biol. 2013 Mar;32(2):216-21. doi: 10.1002/zoo.21047. Epub 2012 Sep 12.
Mixed-species exhibits offer a variety of benefits but can be challenging to maintain due to difficulty in managing interspecific interactions. This is particularly true when little has been documented on the behavior of the species being mixed. This was the case when we attempted to house three species of turaco (family: Musophagidae) together with other species in a walk-through aviary. To learn more about the behavior of great blue turacos, violaceous turacos, and white-bellied gray go-away birds, we supplemented opportunistic keeper observations with systematic data collection on their behavior, location, distance from other birds, and visibility to visitors. Keepers reported high levels of aggression among turacos, usually initiated by a go-away bird or a violaceous turaco. Most aggression occurred during feedings or when pairs were defending nest sites. Attempts to reduce aggression by temporarily removing birds to holding areas and reintroducing them days later were ineffective. Systematic data collection revealed increased social behavior, including aggression, during breeding season in the violaceous turacos, as well as greater location fidelity. These behavioral cues may be useful in predicting breeding behavior in the future. Ultimately, we were only able to house three species of turaco together for a short time, and prohibitively high levels of conflict occurred when pairs were breeding. We conclude that mixing these three turaco species is challenging and may not be the most appropriate housing situation for them, particularly during breeding season. However, changes in turaco species composition, sex composition, or exhibit design may result in more compatible mixed-turaco species groups.
混种展览有诸多益处，但由于难以管理种间互动，维持起来颇具挑战。当关于混养物种的行为记录很少时，情况尤其如此。我们试图将三种蕉鹃（蕉鹃科）与其他物种一起安置在一个可穿行的鸟舍中时，就是这种情况。为了更多地了解大蓝蕉鹃、紫冠蕉鹃和白腹灰蕉鹃的行为，我们在饲养员的机会性观察基础上，补充了关于它们的行为、位置、与其他鸟类的距离以及对游客的可见性的系统数据收集。饲养员报告说，蕉鹃之间的攻击行为很频繁，通常由灰蕉鹃或紫冠蕉鹃发起。大多数攻击行为发生在喂食期间或成对鸟类保卫巢穴时。试图通过暂时将鸟类转移到饲养区，几天后再重新引入来减少攻击行为的做法没有效果。系统数据收集显示，紫冠蕉鹃在繁殖季节的社交行为增加，包括攻击行为，同时位置忠诚度也更高。这些行为线索可能有助于预测未来的繁殖行为。最终，我们只能将三种蕉鹃短暂地饲养在一起，而且在成对繁殖时发生了极高程度的冲突。我们得出结论，将这三种蕉鹃混养具有挑战性，可能对它们来说不是最合适的饲养方式，尤其是在繁殖季节。然而，蕉鹃物种组成、性别组成或展览设计的变化可能会产生更兼容的混种蕉鹃群体。
