THE AVICULTURAL MAGAZINE Vol.112, No.3, includes:

BREEDING THE BLACK-THROATED LAUGHINGTHRUSH Garrulax affinus by Nigel Hewston
The two eggs in the first clutch were found to be clear. There was a second clutch from which two chicks hatched after an incubation period of 14-15 days. One chick died later but the other fledged after having been in the nest for 20-21 days. There is a photo of it at 32 days old. It was the first time that this species has been bred in the UK. Nigel would like to hear from anyone else who keeps this laughingthrush.

AVICULTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE ECHO PARAKEET PROGRAMME ON MAURITIUS by Roger Wilkinson
Through a combination of the release of captive-bred birds and active management of the wild population, by April 2006 the number of Echo Parakeets ( Psittacula eques ) in the wild had increased to 300-320. This is an account of the conservation programme run by the Mauritius Wildlife Conservation Foundation and the National Parks and Conservation Service. It highlights the support from Chester Zoo and other organisations, through staff involvement and financial support. Photos show a pair in the wild, a female at a nest hole, chicks aged one and four-days old and a male lifting the lid of a pole-mounted food hopper.

BREEDING THE ELEGANT CRESTED TINAMOU Eudromia e. elegans by Bryan Andrews
A table lists 11 eggs, with the date each egg was set in the incubator, the date each egg hatched, the weight of each egg and the outcome. One egg was infertile, two chicks died and the others were hand-reared, including two which had slight 'angel wing', which was easily corrected by using micropore tape on the wing for seven days. Colour photos show the bright green eggs, a crested chick and juvenile birds.

BREEDING THE WHITE-HEADED MOUSEBIRD Colius leucocephalus by Bryan Andrews
After the commotion caused by a Sparrowhawk ( Accipiter nisus ) in 2005, which resulted in the loss of the young, in 2006 all six mousebirds were moved to a densely planted aviary. One pair nested in a canary-type nest pan and another pair made a beautifully woven nest. All the adult group took part in feeding the four young. This species had never previously been bred in the UK. Colour photos show two adult females sitting on the same nest, chicks and eggs in a nest and a juvenile whose tail is only two-thirds grown.

BREEDING THE BLACK-CAPPED SOCIAL WEAVER Pseudonigrita cabanisi by Martin Davies
It was not until Martin provided his group of six birds with two hanging baskets stuffed with hay, that they started to fashion tunnels in the hay and construct individual nests in it. One pair in particular became very territorial and on his return from a two week holiday, he could hear chicks in the nest. Two young emerged on July 14th. Later there was a further three young, but they were lost in a heavy rainstorm. There is are colour photos of the nest and an adult pair of Black-capped Social Weavers. It was the first time this species has been bred in the UK.

TOO RARE TO COLLECT
THE DISCOVERY OF A NEW SPECIES OF LIOCICHLA
A report on the discovery of the Bugun Liocichla ( Liocichla bugunorum ) in a remote part of north-eastern India, with a colour photo of this new species.

AL WABRA WILDLIFE PRESERVATION, QATAR: WORKING WITH TURACOS Musophagidae spp. by Simon Bruslund Jensen
Results of a study into the current status of the little known Prince Ruspoli's Turaco ( Tauraco ruspoli ) in Ethiopia and the simultaneous development of captive management strategies for turacos using the Violet Turaco ( Musophaga violacea ) as a model. The study showed that the habitat of Prince Ruspoli's Turaco is shrinking at an alarming rate. It also confirmed the occurrence of hybrids between it and the White-cheeked species ( T. leucotis ). There are colour photos of Prince Ruspoli's Turaco and its habitat, also colour photos of the Violet Turaco, including of a five-day old chick. Twenty-two young were hatched of which 13 were parent-reared and nine were hand-reared. There are full details on breeding this turaco, a diet sheet and a graph showing the a verage weight gain of three chicks from day one to day 26.

BOOK REVIEW. International Zoo Yearbook Volume 40.

NEWS & VIEWS. There are items on the breeding of a Lear's Macaw ( Anodorhynchus leari ) at Al Wabra (with a photo of the chick aged 34 days), the Sulawesi Tarictic Hornbill ( Penelopides exarhatus sandfordi ) at Whipsnade, three Toco Toucans ( Ramphastos toco ) at London Zoo, a Lesser Bird of Paradise ( Paradisaea minor ) at Toledo Zoo and the breeding of the Green Aracari ( Pterglossus virdis ), Ivory-billed Aracari ( P. flavirostris ) and Crimson-rumped Toucanet ( Aulacorhynchus haematopygus ) at Dallas World Aquarium.