Evaluation of Health & Behavior of Birds of the Order Psittaciformes in a Rehabilitation Facility in Costa Rica Andrea Aplasca College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University | Class of 2017
Outline • Introduction & Background • Objectives & Hypotheses • Methods Health PE Hematology Fecal Analysis • Results Behavior Foraging Flight • Conclusions Social
Introduction & Background • Order Psittaciformes – 3 Superfamilies: • Psittacoidea, Cacatuoidea, Strigopoidea • 350+ species • Threatened or Endangered: 95
Major Threats • Habitat Loss • Poaching and pet trade • 1990-1994 ~2 million parrots moved internationally
Confiscated animals Rehabilitation Facilities • A lot of unknowns! • History • Location of origin • Prior movements • Disease exposure Stress, Transport, Dense Multi-species Groups ! Increased Risk of Disease
Why study parrots? • Improve welfare and rehabilitation of individual birds • Ensure safety of wild populations upon release • Increase general knowledge about each species • Individual animal health = Marker for population health
Objectives 1. Develop and implement disease surveillance program for birds in facility 2. Evaluate behavior to identify animals suitable for release into the wild
Hypotheses 1. Parrots in a rehabilitation facility exhibit higher prevalence of hemoparasites than free ranging birds in the neotropics 2. Animals with higher parasite loads (type and quantity) exhibit more clinical signs associated with decreased body condition or other signs of disease
Methods: Location • Kids Saving the Rainforest – Costa Rica, Pacific coast – 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization – ~ 7km from Manuel Antonio National Park
Methods: Species • Enclosure 1 – 7 Red Lored Parrots – 5 Crimson Fronted Parakeets – 1 Yellow Naped Amazon ( Vulnerable ) – 1 Mealy Amazon ( Near Threatened )
Methods: Species • Enclosure 2 – 9 Orange Chinned Parakeets • 2 reside within closed cage – 1 White Crowned Parrot – 1 Brown Hooded Parrot – 1 Olive Throated Parakeet – 1 Orange Fronted Parakeet (currently in clinic)
Methods: Species • Clinic Animals – 1 White Crowned Parrot – 1 Scarlet Macaw
Methods: Health Evaluation • Physical Exam
Methods: Health Evaluation • Venipuncture • Jugular vein, basilic vein • 25 or 27 gauge needle • 1 cc heparinized syringes • Heparinized blood tubes • Complete Blood Count • WBC Count – Estimated & Leukopet • Packed Cell Volume • Total Solids
Methods: Health Evaluation • Fecal Analysis – Direct – Float (passive) • Sodium nitrate solution (SG ~ 1.25-1.27) – Float (centrifugation) *Gold Standard* • Sheather’s sugar solution (SG ~ 1.27) – Gram’s Stain
Methods: Behavior 1. Foraging Ability 2. Flying Ability 3. Social Behavior
Methods: Foraging Ability • Ethogram – No Int – CF: Int, Play, Eat – FF: Int, Play, Eat Ti Time me Ac Activity Fr Fruit Pr Presen esenta tati tion on Commen Comments ts 9.00 FF - papaya platform Interest 9.02 FF - papaya platform Moving food with beak Interest 9.05 No Interest 9.10 Same-Sp Preened Biggie’s head feathers
Methods: Foraging Ability Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 • 100% Chopped • 75% Chopped • 75% Chopped Food Food Food • Simple Foraging • Simple Foraging • Difficult Foraging Tests Tests Tests • AM – 45 minutes (after feed, tours, etc) • PM – 45 minutes (before feed)
Foraging D Devices – Bell – Basket – Table – Burrito – Leaves – Boxes
Methods: Flight Ability • Flight Cage (White hawk cage) • Incidental Observations • Tested within Enclosure
Methods: Social Behavior • Ethogram – Vocal: Natural, Human, Other – PPL – Same Sp: N, (-), (+) – Diff Sp: N, (-), (+)
Results! Elm en Morrow 2014
Results: Health Evaluation Physical Exam • Most birds – No significant findings, Good body condition Sp Spec ecies es Body W Weight ht Body C Condition S Score Mean ( (g) Mean ( (Scale 1 1-5) Red Lored Parrots (n = 7) 381 3.21 Crimson Fronted Parakeets (n = 5) 142 3 • Feathers trimmed • Dull feather condition Orange Chinned Parakeets (n = 9) 61 3.67 • Leg band problems • Chronic healed wing fractures
Results: Health Evaluation Hematology Red Lored Parrots (n = 7) Te Test Me Mean an Range Rang Packed Cell Volume (%) 45.9 40-51 Total Solids (g/dL) 3.51 2.7-4.1 Total White Blood Cells / uL 6099 2449-10230
Results: Health Evaluation Hematology Crimson Fronted Parakeets (n = 5) Te Test Me Mean an Range Rang Packed Cell Volume (%) 49 42-52 Total Solids (g/dL) 3.44 3.1-3.8 Total White Blood Cells / uL 5659 3649-7040
Results: Health Evaluation Hematology Orange Chinned Parakeets (n = 9) Te Test Me Mean an Range Rang Packed Cell Volume (%) 50 46-53 Total Solids (g/dL) 3.64 2.9-4.1 Total White Blood Cells / uL 4866 2654-9865
Results: Health Evaluation Fecal Analysis • Direct • 0/29 = 0 % • Float (passive) • 1/29 = 3.4 % • Float (centrifugation) • 5/29 = 17.2 % • Mites • Gram’s stain • 22/29 = 75.9 % • Yeast
Results: Health Evaluation Specific Cases Red Lored Parrots Roger - Fecal analysis – 1 pinworm ova Magnum, Biggie, Gilly Few yeast with budding Example: Candida albicans ?
Results: Health Evaluation Specific Cases Crimson Fronted Parakeets • Cheeks & Freckles (aka Sirol & Loris) – Moderate yeast + Budding • Cuckoo
Results: Health Evaluation Specific Cases Orange Chinned Parakeets • All had yeast • Hi Pair Normal Wing – 1 mite • Caged 1 – 1 ova, Hyphae, Few yeast • Caged 2 – 1 large larva, Few yeast • Olive Throated Friend + Orange Fronted Friend • 1 larva
Results: Health Evaluation Specific Cases • Cherry – No specific findings on lab tests
Results: Behavioral Data • Total Time Observed: – 6,624 mins = 110.4 hrs • Total Time per Animal: – 276 mins = 4.6 hrs
Results: Ranked ( (High t h to L Low) Total T Time ( (mi mins) ) Foraging Ability Magnum 113# Roy ‘FF Eat’ 96# Jagger 87# Houdini 78# • Range: 39-113 mins Gilly 77# [out of 276 mins] Cuckoo 69# Roger 69# • 3 Weeks total Time Uno 65# Red 64# Hulk 58# Freckles 53# Bossy 53# Biggie CAGE 1 44# Cheeks 31#
Results: Ranked ( (High t h to L Low) Total T Time ( (mi mins) ) Foraging Ability Magnum 113# Roy ‘FF Eat’ 96# Jagger 87# Houdini 78# • Range: 39-113 mins Gilly 77# [out of 276 mins] Cuckoo 69# Roger 69# • Green Uno 65# – Increased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Red 64# Hulk 58# • Red – Deceased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Freckles 53# Bossy 53# Biggie CAGE 1 44# Cheeks 31#
Results: Ranked ( (High t h to L Low) Total T Time ( (mi mins) ) Foraging Ability Magnum 113# Roy ‘FF Eat’ 96# Jagger 87# Houdini 78# • Range: 39-113 mins Gilly 77# [out of 276 mins] Magnum ! oo ! Uno ! Magnum Cu Cuckoo RL U Cuckoo 69# Wk 1 Roger 11 # 18 # 24 # 69# • Green Uno Wk 2 65# 34 # 17 # 18 # – Increased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Red Wk 3 64# 68 # 34 # 23 # Hulk 58# • Red Total 113 ! 69 ! 65 ! – Deceased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Freckles 53# Bossy 53# Biggie CAGE 1 44# Cheeks 31#
Results: Ranked ( (High t h to L Low) Total T Time ( (mi mins) ) Foraging Ability Magnum 113# Roy ‘FF Eat’ 96# Jagger 87# Houdini 78# • Range: 39-113 mins Gilly 77# ggie ! heeks ! Biggi Bi Che [out of 276 mins] Cuckoo 69# Wk 1 8 # 15 # Roger 69# Wk 2 13 # 2 # • Green Uno 65# Wk 3 23 # 14 # – Increased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Red 64# Total 44 ! 31 ! Hulk 58# • Red – Deceased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Freckles 53# Bossy 53# Biggie CAGE 1 44# Cheeks 31#
Results: Ranked ( (High t h to L Low) Total T Time ( (mi mins) ) Foraging Ability Magnum 113# Roy ‘FF Eat’ 96# Jagger 87# Houdini 78# • Range: 39-113 mins Gilly 77# [out of 276 mins] Jagger ! Gilly ! Roy ! Jag Gi Ro Cuckoo 69# Wk 1 Roger 69# 38 # 27 # 63 # • Green Uno 65# Wk 2 – Increased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Red 64# 43 # 47 # 33 # Hulk 58# • Red Wk 3 – Deceased from Wk 2 – Wk 3 Freckles 53# 6 # 3 # 0 # Bossy 53# Total 87 ! 77 ! 96 ! Biggie CAGE 1 44# Cheeks 31#
Results: Foraging Ability An Animal I ID Total T Time (mi mins) ) ‘FF Eat’ Olive!Throated! 69# • Range: 5-69 mins Orange!Fronted!Friend! 61# [out of 276 mins] Hi!Pair!Wonky! 45# • 3 Weeks Total Time Olive!Throat!Friend! 42# Lo!Pair!Normal! 29# Hi!Pair!Normal! 25# Termite!Guy! 12# CAGE 2 Lo!Pair!Wonky! 12#
Total Time Week 3 An Animal I ID Total T Time An Animal I ID Week 3 3 T Time (mi mins) ) (mi mins) ) ‘FF Eat’ Olive!Throated! 69# Orange Fronted Friend ! 30# • Range: 5-69 mins Orange!Fronted!Friend! 61# Hi Pair Normal ! 21# [out of 276 mins] Hi!Pair!Wonky! 45# Hi Pair Wonky ! 21# • 3 Weeks Total Time Olive!Throat!Friend! 42# Lo Pair Normal ! 17# Lo!Pair!Normal! 29# Olive Throat Friend ! 15# Hi!Pair!Normal! 25# Olive Throated ! 10# Termite!Guy! 12# CAGE 2 Lo Pair Wonky ! 9# Lo!Pair!Wonky! 12#
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