William Horsfield is the owner of the Amazona, an endangered parrot breeding facility in Assagay, outside Durban, where he’s built a commercial niche that offers more than financial reward. Breeding endangered birds is a complex task. “I like unlocking the secrets of species with a reputation for being difficult to breed,” explains William. “My current challenge is hatching the unpredictable eggs of the Pesquet’s parrot from New Guinea, a large red and black bird that lives exclusively off fruit, nectar and pollen. They’re bred by only a handful of specialists.
The eggs don’t develop in the same way as other parrots’, and the embryos usually die during incubation.” William has perfected hand-raising protocols for the striking goliath black palm cockatoo, native to northern Australia and New Guinea, which only lays one egg. Hand-rearing the chick to independence can take up to nine months. However, thanks to William’s published information, the cockatoos are being raised successfully by several breeders in South Africa and abroad. “We’re now producing from second-generation captive-bred cockatoos in Africa, a noteworthy achievement,” he says.
A place for birds
William is a well-regarded expert n his field and presents papers at international avian conferences. “It’s a classic case of a hobby becoming a business,” he says. “grew up in Knysna and had an early association with birds, encouraged by my father and our neighbour. bred my first birds before was five.” He bought a 3ha smallholding in 1991 and developed a fully-functional breeding facility focused on rare and demanding species of parrots and toucans.
He breeds the South American hyacinth macaw, or “big blue” parrot, which has become endangered through illegal trade and habitat destruction. Gentle giants, young hyacinths sell for R150 000/pair. William also has a large collection of toucans, including the keel-billed toucan and the toco. Other species include amazons, macaws, caiques, golden conures, great bill parrots, Cape parrots and the rare hill mynah, which can mimic human speech. Nutrition, compatibility, a stimulating environment and physical health are critical to successful breeding. “Some species breed readily and fairly quickly, but to maintain success over years, husbandry is crucial,” says William. “Wild-caught African greys, for example, can breed in small, dark cages, but they soon become unfit and unhealthy.
“Thankfully, breeders using battery style aviaries (600mm x 600mm x 900mm) realise that allowing the pairs to fly and socialise in large 20m aviaries for three to four months dramatically improves results once they’re put back in the breeding cages.” All the aviaries and gardens at Amazona are landscaped with attention to the environment. “Birds with an elevated view of plants and natural foliage do better than those seeing nothing but steel and concrete,” says William. “A bird instinctively appreciates it’s natural environment.” Aviaries offer protection from the elements and pairs have species-specific nests for roosting and breeding. Toys made from wood, oyster shell and coconut shell are offered to combat boredom.
The cages are all fitted with mist sprayers to keep the birds cool in the heat of summer, and to maintain their plumage. A third of the aviary structures are under cover with the rest in the open. Large macaws and cockatoos are housed in conventional aviaries, while smaller species like toucans and hill mynahs are housed in suspended aviaries measuring 1,2m x 1,2m x 3,6m long, which William designs and builds. “With our hot, humid summer, the suspended aviaries offer bacteria and fungi less opportunity to multiply,” explains William.
“They’re a healthy alternative, allowing droppings and discarded food to fall out of reach of the birds.” Rodent control is also crucial to prevent disease. “We go to great lengths to protect the birds from pathogens,” says William. “On the rare occasions we introduce new birds into our collection we put them through extensive veterinary examinations, test for disease and quarantine them.” All birds are vet-checked by a specialist before they leave the facility and sold with a health guarantee.
A work in progress
William is currently building a state-of-the-art incubation and hand-rearing facility, hospital and quarantine rooms, as well as an infrared, high-definition observation system so he can see what’s happening in the aviaries and nests 24 hours a day. Emergency power and water systems kick in when interruptions occur. “We pride ourselves on running a highly professional parrot-breeding facility and never compromise on our birds’ wellbeing and health,” he says. “We work with small, highly sensitive creatures. Breeding birds is a balancing act of science and art.” Contact Amazona on (031) 768 1264, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.amazona.co.za. |fw
