Page 562 - Hand rearing birds second

562 Hand-Rearing Birds

Figure 36.7 Guam Kingfisher puppet in a box brooder. Source: photo © Zoological Society of San Diego.

Figure 36.8 Guam Kingfisher at -30 days being hand-fed by a puppet. Source: photo © Zoological Society
of San Diego.

Preparation for Introduction to Captive Flock

If there is more than one chick in a clutch, they are raised in the same brooder, but in a separate
nest cup to avoid siblicide. They are permitted to fledge together and continue to be housed together
after that. Chicks that hatch without siblings may be housed either next door to older chicks of the
same species or a closely related species if available.
A hand puppet has been used to rear the Guam Kingfisher as a precaution against imprinting on
humans (Figure 36.8). “Ghost‐rearing” may be used in the absence of a puppet, where the keepers
cover their body with a sheet and wear a sock over their hand while feeding. These species have not
seemed to be especially susceptible to maladjusted behaviors associated with imprinting.