Causes of bird losses recorded in a captive-bred wild bird flock between 2011 and 2015

portuguesEste estudo discute as causas de morte de aves registradas em um pequeno criadouro de umas poucas especies de aves silvestres exoticas. As mortes de 28 aves foram examinadas em um periodo de cinco anos. Cerca de 40% dos casos ocorreram na primeira semana de vida de filhotes das duas especies mais numerosas no plantel e essas perdas foram consequentes a desnutricao por falhas no manejo nutricional. Outros 28% de casos ocorreram em aves, recentemente introduzidas, ou em fase de adaptacao, no criadouro. Ainda que as aves do plantel sejam frequentemente dosificadas com anti-helminticos, 21% das mortes no plantel foram secundarias a doencas parasitarias; a maioria afetou aves recentemente adquiridas. Exceto por tres mortes que foram associadas com desordens atribuidas a idade avancada, todas as demais foram associadas com inadequacoes no manejo das aves. Esses resultados sugerem que, em sistemas dessa natureza, as aves recem-nascidas e as recem-introduzidas sao categorias criticas que demandam concentracao de esforcos para o atendimento sistematico de suas necessidades. Tais dados podem ser aplicaveis em iniciativas de conservacao de outras especies e podem justificar, ainda que parcialmente, a manutencao desses animais, em cativeiro. Palavras-chave: causas de morte de aves; Leiothrix lutea; Callipepla californica; Tauraco livingstonii; faisoes Polyplectron sp EnglishThis study discusses the causes of bird deaths recorded in a small aviary dedicated to the breeding of a few exotic, wild bird species. Findings from 28 birds were examined over a period of five years. About 40% of the deaths occurred in the first two weeks after hatching in the two most numerous species in the flock and such losses were mainly a result of starvation caused by inadequate nutritional management. Additionally, 28% of the cases affected recently introduced birds. Despite frequent treatment with anthelmintics; a total of 21% of the deaths in the flock could be attributed to parasitic diseases, most of them in recently acquired birds. Only three of the deaths could be associated with advanced age, all of the further cases were also attributable to management fails. Our results indicated that propagation of these and other species requires an improvement of the management of the newly hatched and newcomer birds to considerably enhance the flock’s performance. Such information may be useful in conservation initiatives and may justify, at least in part, captivity of these animals. Key words: wild bird management; causes of bird death; Leiothrix lutea; Callipepla californica; Tauraco livingstonii; Polyplectron sp. pheasants.