J. Delacour—Bird Breeding at Cleres



25



Crane. They grew very quickly, and at two months of age were

just as big as their mother. One cannot say yet what they will look

like. White-necked Cranes laid unfertile clutches; Crowned

Stanley’s, White Asiatic, and Manchurian Cranes did not lay,

although most of them live in pairs in very large paddocks by

themselves.


Waterfowl have done well, although I am afraid that many

eggs have been eaten by Cranes, Brush Turkeys, and other birds

which live at liberty. If accidents overcame to the broods of

Emperor and Ross’s Snow Geese, quite a few Ashy-headed,

Cereopsis, Magellan, Blue-winged, and Bar-headed Geese were

reared, and this year three Andean Geese. Sheldrakes have been

particularly successful; in the last two seasons over fifty Paradise,

South African, hybrid Rajah, Ruddy, and Common Sheldrakes

were bred. Ducks were bred in numbers, the rarest being Brazilian,

Green-winged, and Cinnamon Teal, Black-billed, Fulvous, and true

Red-billed ( autumnalis) Tree-ducks, and Madagascar White-eyes.


Game birds, at liberty in the park—Brush Turkeys, Black¬

shouldered Peafowl, Wild Turkeys, Silver Pheasants, and Jungle

Fowl—breed plentifully. Among others, we have bred some Manauls,

Blyth’s Tragopans (6), Rheinarte’s Argus (4), Gemani’s Palawan

(4), Bronze-tailed Polyplectrons, Blue Crossoptilons (25), Mikado,

Copper, Edward’s, Imperial, and White-crested Pheasants. One

hybrid Koklars (darwini x macroloplix) unfortunately died when

three months old.


One pair of Grey Polyplectrons has produced no fewer than

eighteen young ones in two seasons. Roulrouls were hatched, but not

reared. No rare Parakeets were reared ; only the different Love¬

birds; but a good many Pigeons were bred: Nicobar, chrysia,

Bronze-winged, Blue-headed Pigeons, Long-tailed, Jobis, amabilis,

Mourning, Talpacotis, Diamond, Senegal, and this year Galapagos

Doves. Although these w~ere provided with rocks and miniature

caves, they preferred to use small baskets fixed high up in trees.


Of the smaller birds, Madagascar Weavers bred regularly, and

two broods of Hooded Pittas were reared in a greenhouse, as I

have already recorded.



