Critically Endangered parakeets hatched at UK zoo13/10/2013 21:39:46 Three of the rarest parrots in the world have hatched at Chester Zoo.
October 2013. It's only the second time grey-breasted parakeets have ever been bred in a UK zoo - with both breeding successes being at Chester.
Just 250 birds left alive
"These little additions are very significant indeed," said Andy Woolham, Chester Zoo's team manager of parrots and penguins. "Chester is the only zoo that works with grey-breasted parakeets in the UK and we're absolutely thrilled that we've been able to breed them, not least because there is real concern about the long-term future of the species in the wild.
The diminutive grey-breasted parakeet (Latin name Pyrrhura griseipectus), which is listed by Birdlife International as being critically endangered, grow to around 22cm tall and reach just 50g in weight.
Mr Woolham added: "When our chicks first hatched they were the size of 50 pence pieces. For the first 11 weeks they remained in their nest box where they were well looked after by their parents until they started feeding themselves, just as they would in the wild. But now we've finally been able to get a closer look at them.
"We've also been able to take a tail feather from each of the chicks, which will now be sent off for DNA sexing. It's vitally important that we know their genders so that we can work out who to pair with who in the future. These birds are extremely important and hopefully both will one day go on to have chicks of their own."
The chicks hatched just six weeks after a new purpose-built breeding facility for rare parrots was opened at the zoo. The zoo also supports a project which is working to protect the species in the wild.
Chester Zoo has also achieved breeding successes with several other threatened parrot species, including Mount Apo lorikeet, Ecuadorian Amazon, hyacinth macaw and Philippine cockatoo.