Puerto Rican Parrot Aviaries

Aviaries                                                                                                                                              

The first captive flock was established during the years of 1972-1973 in the Luquillo Mountains (administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service) to ensure survival of the species.  Due to the inherent danger of having only one captive breeding population in one site, the captive flock was co-located  in two aviaries.  The second captive group was established on April 30, 1993 when a group of parrots was transferred from the Luquillo Aviary to the Jose L. Vivaldi Memorial Aviary (administered by the PR Department of Natural and Environmental Resources) located in the Rio Abajo Commonwealth Forest.

FWS Aviary is moving to a new location

The Service provides optimal conditions for the successful breeding of Puerto Rican parrots in captivity. A new facility will soon be completed. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 18, 2005. Aviary operations will be relocated from a military installation in Luquillo to a new state-of-the-art facility in Rio Grande.

• Facts about the new aviary:
  Aviary will sit on 1.2 acre lot at El Yunque.
• The facility will include a primary building and some auxiliary buildings for a total of 5,200 square feet of usable space.
• The main elements are a nursery, a hospital, a hurricane shelter room, a kitchen and outdoor cages.
• Total cost is roughly $2.5 million. Congress provided $1.7 million and the remaining funds must come from other partners.
• The Service is working with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Parrot International and other organizations to raise the necessary funds.
• The new aviary will be a source of Puerto Rican parrots for a reintroduction of parrots into the Rio Abajo Forest in 2006 and subsequent releases in other parts of Puerto Rico.
  

Current location in Luquillo	New location in Rio Grande, construction 55% completed.

A Day in the Luquillo Aviary:

• Provide a daily balanced diet

• Administer veterinary care if needed

• Provide wild fruits

• Exercise for the parrots in flight cages (especially important for birds candidates for release)

• Provide yearly physical exams

• Daily monitoring to prevent aggressive behavior

• Protect captive birds in case of an atmospheric disturbance such as a tropical storm or hurricane

• Clean cages and surrounding areas

• Control rats and the west indian mongoose

• Place branches and twigs from a variety of wild vegetation in the cages

During the breeding season these activities are conducted:

• Inspections of nest cavities

• Monitor egg development

• Determine if artificial incubation and/or fostering is needed

• Monitor hatchlings

• Monitor fledglings

Rio Abajo Aviary or Jose L. Vivaldi Memorial Aviary

The Jose J. Vivaldi Memorial Aviary, better known as the Rio Abajo Aviary is managed by the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources under the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Bureau.  During 1989, 30 Hispaniolan parrots were transferred to this aviary in order to test the facilities against potential avian diseases, to test aspects of the aviary operational logistics, and to demonstrate the capabilities of the technicians.  On April 30, 1993 the first group of Puerto Rican parrots (PRP's) was transferred to the Rio Abajo Aviary.  Since 1993, the facility has been very successful in the annual production of fledgling birds. An interesting detail about the Rio Abajo Aviary is that it houses the oldest Puerto Rican parrot known in the program.  The parrot is named Rudy and he is 34 years old (born approximately in 1968).

Comments/Suggestions/Additional Information

Should you have any comments, suggestions, or require additional information please contact the following:

Luquillo Aviary
Jafet Velez-Valentin, Aviary Operations Coordinator
Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program
P.O. Box 1600
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico 00745
Phone: 787/887-8769 (Rio Grande Office)
Phone: 787/360-1615 (Luquillo Aviary)
Fax: 787/887-7512
E-mail: Jafet_Velez@fws.gov

Rio Abajo Aviary or Jose L. Vivaldi Memorial Aviary
Ricardo Valentín, Aviary Operations Coordinator
Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources
P.O. Box 439
Arecibo, Puerto Rico 00613-0439
Phone:  787/ 815-1462, 1428, 1517
Fax: 787/815-1509