15–20 pairs (A. Owen personal communication). The species was also rediscovered
at four sites in neighboring Myanmar where there were 10–12 pairs at one site,
although none of these sites are officially protected. While there may be possibilities
for habitat restoration or to establish additional populations, in the long-term the
immediate concern is to improve productivity and to use “surplus” birds derived
from clutch and brood manipulations, to establish managed and or captive popula-
tions. Captive pittas of other species readily lay repeat clutches and there is every
likelihood that Gurney’s Pitta would also do so. The clutch size is usually 3–4, but
nest predation is frequent and nest success low, with brood size at fledging usually
being one or sometimes two (Lambert and Woodcock 1996). With a high level of
natural egg and chick mortality, this productivity would be improved by close
guarding and the application of clutch and brood manipulations.
Released animals can be managed at liberty and this offers opportunities for
re-establishing species that may otherwise be difficult to reintroduce. The Spix
Macaw Cyanopsitta spixiiis now extinct in the wild, but there are about 70 birds
in captivity. It has been proposed to release captive bred birds but this may prove
difficult, because large parrots may rely to some extent on cultural transmission
of information across generations, and with no wild birds left such learning will
not be possible. Intensive management of released birds, with close guarding and
provision of food, nest-sites and predator control may help their survival and
breeding success. It is likely that the high level of management that would be
necessary to establish Spix Macaws at liberty could be reduced as successive
generations become more self sufficient.
Management of released birds also allows the possibility of maintaining popula-
tions in areas that would normally be unsuitable or marginal. This approach has
resulted in the establishment of populations of formerly critically endangered
species (Pink Pigeon, Hawaiian Goose) or species extinct in the wild (Kakapo). It
opens up possibilities for the management at liberty of species that have critically
endangered wild populations but have thriving captive populations (Northern Bald
Ibis and the Bali Mynah Leucopsar rothschildi). Managed reintroduced populations
of Bali Mynah and Northern Bald Ibis would provide data that could help in
understanding the needs of the wild birds and increase the public profile of these
species. In the long-term, having free-living birds with a low level of management
would be more desirable than having the species existing only in captivity.
Applied population management offers potent possibilities for the restoration
of most species of endangered birds, but is time consuming and may be expensive.
Acknowledgements
I thank the staff of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation for help with this chapter in
particular Kirsty Swinnerton, Jason Mallam, Steve Cranwell, Tom Bodie, and
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