SMR News 5: “Trials and tribulations…”

Well it seems hard times abound and not just for financial institutions, IMF indebted countries and Joe the plumber!! Not all goes smoothly for the Seychelles magpie robin in paradise either. Well I suppose if it was easy they wouldn’t be endangered…

So in the tried and tested formula, I’ll start with the good news and let it deteriorate from there…

• The fledgling from T3 is well and prospering and continues to harass its parents for food.


• The pullus from territory 4 (that I reported on as egg in Bird Bulletin 7) fledged on the 13th of October – yes it was a little further advanced than we had appreciated!


• On the 24th of October Catherina also observed the female of territory 1 entering a natural cavity in a Casuarina tree suggesting that breeding activity has recommenced there.

SMR TERRITORY MAP AS OF END OF OCTOBER 2008

CLICK ON THIS IMAGE TO ENLARGE.

On the 14th of October however Catherina noted that the new fledgling from T4 was having some difficulties. She captured it to examine it and found that the skin on one wing appeared old and shrivelled and that the feathers there were falling out and breaking (see photos in sidebar). The area was also attracting flies and as we all know there is no fooling them! So Catherina took the bird into captivity and treated the skin with terramycin spray whilst seeking advice from veterinary specialists overseas – via Rachel Bristol of Nature Seychelles.

The primary concern initially of course was that the longer the bird was away from its parents the more likely they would reject it when it was returned. To counter this Catherina returned it frequently, in a small carrying aviary to its territory so that the parents could see and interact with their offspring. Feedback from the vets however ultimately resulted in the recommendation that the bird should be kept in captivity and hand reared. So Catherina has set up a small aviary on her veranda to facilitate the hourly feeding her new dependent requires. To date the bird appears otherwise healthy, but this development is less than encouraging. Of the 4 chicks the island has produced so far the first was lost to a likely Myna bird attack whilst still a nestling, the third appeared to have a physical deformity of its legs and died within a couple of days of fledging and now this the fourth is manifesting other problems. The second fledgling continues to prosper.

Of course, as I have previously stated, juvenile mortality in SMRs is known to be high and it is for that reason we do not count a bird as part of the population until it has reached full independence. Nevertheless it is to be hoped that average success will ultimately exceed 1 in 4 particularly at this crucial formative stage of the new colony where a rapid increase in numbers is so desirable for the future resilience of the population.
Keep checking back for news on our captive chick and the population in general.