Hand-Rearing of Three Lesser Flamingo Chicks (Phoeniconaias minor)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Like many other colonial nesting waterbirds, all six flamingo species are considered of conservation concern because of their dependence on a limited number of wetlands, particularly for breeding. Population decreases of some species have been linked to changes in the ecosystem. Specifically, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) population is declining and near threatened. The ability to hand-rear nestlings of this endangered species and return them to the wild is, therefore, an important aspect of the conservation of the lesser flamingo and of flamingos in general. Hand-rearing of abandoned chicks is recommended as a conservation tool to limit mortality and to bolster the population at specific colonies. When adults are not able to rear chicks, chicks must be offered a diet that allows them to maintain adequate growth and development. Successful hand-rearing is based on a formula that meets the nutritional needs of the chicks as they develop. The aim of this study is to describe the diet composition, dietary intake, feeding protocols, and growth index of three lesser flamingo chicks hand-reared with the diet described in the paper to share important data useful for the conservation of the populations in the wild. All the aforementioned parameters were recorded daily, from hatching to 2 months of age. ABSTRACT: There are few published studies regarding lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) reproduction, crop milk composition, and hand-rearing under human care. Between the end of June and the beginning of August of 2017, three eggs were laid in a group of 29 lesser flamingos kept under human care. Two eggs and one chick were abandoned by the parents, and three chicks were hand-reared. This report describes diet composition, dietary intake, feeding protocols, and growth index, from the first day to 60 days after hatching, for three lesser flamingo chicks.