KSTR Wildlife Brief Rescue Center Report December 201

KSTR Wildlife Brief Rescue Center Report December 201

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
•  Results
•  Conclusions
Health
PE
Hematology
Fecal Analysis
Behavior
Foraging
Flight
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
Time
Activity
Fruit
Presentation Comments
9.00
FF Interest
papaya
platform
9.02
FF Interest
papaya
platform
Moving food with beak
9.05
No
Interest
9.10
Same-Sp
Preened Biggie’s head
feathers
Methods: Foraging Ability
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
•  100% Chopped
Food
•  Simple Foraging
Tests
•  75% Chopped
Food
•  Simple Foraging
Tests
•  75% Chopped
Food
•  Difficult Foraging
Tests
•  AM – 45 minutes (after feed, tours, etc)
•  PM – 45 minutes (before feed)
Foraging 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, (-), (+)
!
s
t
l
u
s
Re
Ellen Morrow 2014
Results: Health Evaluation
Physical Exam
•  Most birds
–  No significant findings, Good body condition
Species
Body Weight
Mean (g)
Body Condition Score
Mean (Scale 1-5)
Red Lored Parrots (n = 7)
381
3.21
Crimson
Parakeets
(n = 5)
•  Fronted
Feathers
trimmed
142
3
•  Dull feather condition
Orange•  Chinned
Parakeets
(n = 9)
61
Leg band
problems
•  Chronic healed wing fractures
3.67
Results: Health Evaluation
Hematology
Red Lored Parrots (n = 7)
Test
Packed Cell Volume (%)
Mean
45.9
Range
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)
Test
Packed Cell Volume (%)
Mean
49
Range
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)
Test
Packed Cell Volume (%)
Mean
50
Range
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:
Foraging Ability
Ranked (High to Low)
Total Time (mins)
Magnum
113#
‘FF Eat’
Roy
96#
Jagger
87#
Houdini
78#
Gilly
77#
Cuckoo
69#
Roger
69#
Uno
65#
Red
64#
Hulk
58#
Freckles
53#
Bossy
53#
Biggie
44#
•  Range: 39-113 mins
[out of 276 mins]
•  3 Weeks total Time
CAGE 1
Results:
Foraging Ability
Ranked (High to Low)
Total Time (mins)
Magnum
113#
‘FF Eat’
Roy
96#
Jagger
87#
Houdini
78#
Gilly
77#
Cuckoo
69#
Roger
69#
Uno
65#
Red
64#
Hulk
58#
Freckles
53#
Bossy
53#
Biggie
44#
•  Range: 39-113 mins
[out of 276 mins]
•  Green
–  Increased from Wk 2 – Wk 3
•  Red
–  Deceased from Wk 2 – Wk 3
CAGE 1
Results:
Foraging Ability
Ranked (High to Low)
Total Time (mins)
Magnum
113#
‘FF Eat’
Roy
96#
Jagger
87#
Houdini
78#
Gilly
77#
CuckooCuckoo!
Magnum!
RL 69#
Uno!
Wk 1
11# Roger 18#
69#
24#
Wk 2
34# Uno
17#
65#
18#
68#
34#
64#
23#
•  Range: 39-113 mins
[out of 276 mins]
•  Green
–  Increased from Wk 2 – Wk 3
Wk 3
•  Red
Total
–  Deceased from Wk 2 – Wk 3
CAGE 1
Red
113!
Hulk
Freckles
69!
58#
65!
53#
Bossy
53#
Biggie
44#
Results:
Foraging Ability
Ranked (High to Low)
Total Time (mins)
Magnum
113#
‘FF Eat’
Roy
96#
Jagger
87#
Houdini
78#
•  Range: 39-113 mins
[out of 276 mins]
Wk 1
Wk 2
•  Green
Wk 3
–  Increased from Wk 2 – Wk 3
Total
Gilly
Biggie!
Cuckoo
8#
Roger
13#
Uno
23#
Red
44!
–  Deceased from Wk 2 – Wk 3
Freckles
53#
Bossy
53#
Biggie
44#
•  Red
CAGE 1
Hulk
77#
Cheeks!
69#
15#
2#69#
65#
14#
64#
31!
58#
Results:
Foraging Ability
Ranked (High to Low)
Total Time (mins)
Magnum
113#
‘FF Eat’
Roy
96#
Jagger
87#
Houdini
78#
•  Range: 39-113 mins
Gilly
[out of 276 mins]
Jagger! Cuckoo
Gilly!
Wk 1
Roger
38#
27#
•  Green
Uno
–  Increased from Wk
Wk 2 2
– Wk 3
Red
43#
47#
Hulk
•  Red
–  Deceased fromWk
Wk 23
– Wk 3
Freckles
6#
3#
Bossy
Total
87!
77!
Biggie
CAGE 1
77#
Roy! 69#
63#
33#
0#
96!
69#
65#
64#
58#
53#
53#
44#
Animal ID
Total Time
(mins)
Results:
Foraging Ability
‘FF Eat’
Olive!Throated!
69#
Orange!Fronted!Friend!
61#
Hi!Pair!Wonky!
45#
Olive!Throat!Friend!
42#
Lo!Pair!Normal!
29#
Hi!Pair!Normal!
25#
Termite!Guy!
12#
CAGE 2
•  Range: 5-69 mins
[out of 276 mins]
•  3 Weeks Total Time
Total Time
Animal ID
Week 3
Total Time
(mins)
Animal ID
Week 3 Time
(mins)
‘FF Eat’
Olive!Throated!
69#
Orange!Fronted!Friend!
61#
Hi!Pair!Wonky!
45#
Olive!Throat!Friend!
42#
Lo!Pair!Normal!
Orange Fronted Friend!
30#
Hi Pair Wonky!
21#
•  Range: 5-69 mins
Hi Pair
Normal!
[out
of 276 mins]21#
•  3 Weeks Total Time
Lo Pair Normal!
17#
29#
Olive Throat Friend!
15#
Hi!Pair!Normal!
25#
Olive Throated!
10#
Termite!Guy!
12#
Lo Pair Wonky!
9#
CAGE 2
CAGE 1
Results: Flight Ability
Species
Yellow Naped Amazon
Animal ID
Seen Flying Comments
Houdini
X
Mealy Amazon
Hulk
X
Red Lored Parrot
Roger
Red Lored Parrot
Roy
X
Red Lored Parrot
Gilly
X
Red Lored Parrot
Uno
X
Red Lored Parrot
Magnum
X
Red Lored Parrot
Biggie
X
Red Lored Parrot
Jagger
X
Very good
Fair (Tested)
Very good
CAGE 2
Results: Flight Ability
Species
Orange Fronted Parakeet
Animal ID
Seen Flying Comments
Pip Squeak
X
Good, but very
reluctant
White Crowned Parrot
Peachy
X
Fair, very reluctant
Brown Hooded Parrot
Buffy
X
Very good (Tested)
Olive Throated Parrot
Angel
X
Very good
Orange Chinned Parakeet
Olive Throat Friend
X
Very good
Orange Chinned Parakeet
Orange Front Friend
X
Fair
Orange Chinned Parakeet
Termite Guy
X
Very good
Results:
Social Behavior
‘SS +’
•  Range: 0-133 mins
[out of 276 mins]
CAGE 1
Animal
Total Time (mins)
Cheeks
133#
Freckles
113#
Uno
66#
Gilly
41#
Magnum
21#
Jagger
21#
Bossy
18#
Biggie
17#
Red
13#
Roger
10#
Roy
2#
Cuckoo
0#
Houdini
0#
Hulk
Results:
Social Behavior
‘DS +’
•  Range: 0-95 mins
[out of 276 mins]
CAGE 1
Animal
Total Time (mins)
Gilly
95#
Red
77#
Biggie
72#
Houdini
47#
Bossy
18#
Cuckoo
17#
Hulk
4#
Roger
4#
Roy
0#
Uno
0#
Magnum
0#
Jagger
0#
Cheeks
0#
Freckles
Results:
Social Behavior
‘PPL Int’
•  Range: 0-11
[out of 276 mins]
•  Did not interact with
birds intentionally
•  May be possible future
test?
CAGE 1
Animal
Total Time (mins)
Jagger
11#
Mealy
7#
Uno
6#
Cuckoo
4#
Roy
3#
Cheeks
3#
Roger
1#
Houdini
0#
Gilly
0#
Magnum
0#
Biggie
0#
Bossy
0#
Red
0#
Freckles
Results:
Social Behavior
Vocalizations
Animal
Frequency
Yellow Naped Amazon “Houdini”
11#
Mealy Amazon “Hulk”
7#
Red Lored Parrot “Roy”
4#
Red Lored Parrot “Roger”
3#
Red Lored Parrot “Jagger”
CAGE 1
1#
Animal ID
Total Time
(mins)
Lo!Pair!Normal!
188#
Hi!Pair!Normal!
186#
Lo!Pair!Wonky!
175#
Hi!Pair!Wonky!
132#
Orange!Fronted!Friend!
10#
White!Crown!
0#
CAGE 2 Brown!Hood!
0#
Results:
Social Behavior
‘SS +’
•  Range: 0-188 mins
[out of 276 mins]
Animal ID
Total Time
(mins)
Results:
Social Behavior
Olive!Throat!
111#
‘DS +’
Olive!Throated!Friend!
110#
Termite!Guy!
28#
Orange!Fronted!Friend!
16#
White!Crowned!
15#
Brown!Hooded!
CAGE 2
12#
•  Range: 0-111 mins
[out of 276 mins]
Animal ID
Total Time
(mins)
Results:
Social Behavior
Brown!Hood!
14#
‘PPL Int’
Org!F!Friend!
6#
Hi!Pair!Non>Wonky!
2#
Hi!Pair!Wonky!
2#
Lo!Pair!Non>Wonky!
1#
White!Crown!
0#
Olive!Throat!
0#
OT!Friend!
0#
CAGE 2
Termite!Guy!
0#
•  Range: 0-14 mins
[out of 276 mins]
General Conclusions
•  Baseline study to identify potential
individuals for release
•  Majority of animals appear clinically healthy
General Conclusions
•  Good candidates for soft release
–  Good foragers during Week 3
–  Strong flying ability
–  Positive social behaviors with same species
–  Low interest in people
–  Clinically healthy
CAGE 1
Candidates for soft release:
Report Card!
Animal ID
Wk 3
Forager
Good Flyer
SS +
Low PPL
Int
Health Check
Uno
X
X
X
X
Magnum
X
X
X
X
Yeast +
Budding
Biggie
X
X
Poor
X
Yeast +
Budding
Red
X
X
Fair
X
Bossy
X
X
Fair
X
Freckles
X
X
X
X
CAGE 2
Candidates for soft release:
Report Card!
Animal ID
Wk 3
Forager
Good Flyer
SS +
Low PPL
Int
Health Check
Hi Pair
Normal
X
X
X
X
1 Mite, Yeast
+ Budding
Hi Pair
Wonky
X
X
X
X
Hi Yeast +
Budding
Olive T
Friend
X
X
Poor
X
Occ Yeast +
Budding
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
Hypotheses
1.  Parrots in a rehabilitation facility exhibit
d
e
t
r
o
p
p
higher
prevalence
of
hemoparasites
than
u
S
t
o
N
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
Hypotheses
1.  Parrots in a rehabilitation facility exhibit
d
e
t
r
o
p
p
higher
prevalence
of
hemoparasites
than
u
S
t
o
N
free ranging birds in the neotropics
2.  Animals with higher parasite loads (type
e
v
i
s
u
l
c
n
o
C
and
quantity)
exhibit more clinical signs
t
o
N
associated with decreased body condition
or other signs of disease
Challenges: Health Evaluation
•  High stress physical exams
•  Sick bird may have “normal” blood
values
–  What are the “normal” values??
•  Fecal parasites – shed intermittently
–  Pooled samples?
•  Gram’s stain – very delicate process
•  No viral testing
Challenges: Behavior
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
A LOT of animals!
~4.5 hrs per animal – Enough?
Many observers – Inherent subjectivity
Social structure affects behavior
Less active during bad weather
Additional Work
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Examine effect of weather on behavior
Is behavior different in AM vs. PM?
Is behavior related to clinical findings?
Definitive parasite IDs
Soft release of identified birds
Thank You!
•  Project Development
–  Dr. Maria Pia Martin
–  Dr. Noha Abou-Madi
–  Dr. Robert P. Moore
–  Mandy Kain
•  Project Support
–  Cornell University
College of Veterinary
Medicine
Thank You!
•  Army of Volunteers for
hours & hours of:
–  Observations,
Observations,
Observations
–  Keeping an eye on Hulk
while wrangling parrots
–  Luring tiny parakeets into
sunflower-filled cages
Appendix
Species Information
•  Red Lored Parrots (Amazona autumnaiis)
–  Pairs, groups, large flocks
–  Life span 80 yrs
–  Least concern
•  Crimson Fronted Parakeet (Psittacara finschi)
–  Single of mixed species groups
–  Least concern, forest edges, maybe increasing
•  Orange Chinned Parakeets
–  Large groups up to 50 birds
–  Small groups/pairs during breeding