Sunday, January 24, 2010

The Rookie Files: Chikara

This past summer when I went to the Milwaukee County Zoo to participate in my first season of zoo shows I was not the only rookie. 

Human-wise I was, but many of our birds had never done shows before, or it had been a few years since their last show season.  While we weren’t the only show with newbies, we definitely had the most.  This created some interesting challenges and lots of excitement, but all of our rookies did an excellent job.


One bird new to shows was Chikara, a two year old trumpeter hornbill.  Trumpeter hornbills are named for their call which sounds a little like the warbling of a trumpet.  I personally think it sounds more akin to a crying baby mixed with a trumpet, but that would make for a silly name.  They are found in the forests of Africa where they eat a diet of fruits, vegetation, insects and the occasional small rodent.  Hornbills usually kill their prey by smacking it against a tree branch with their hollow bill or crushing/squishing it with the tips of their bill.  These bills all have a bumpy growth called a casque, and males typically have a larger casque than females.  They live in family groups of three to five, but can be seen in flocks of up to 50 birds if it is not breeding season.

Hornbills are unique in their nesting habits, in that the female and the eggs are actually sealed inside.  Before the female is ready to lay her eggs, the pair selects a cavity with a small opening. The female wiggles inside and together she and the male build a wall of sticks, mud, and even insects that have been squished into a paste. They leave a tiny opening through which food can be passed, and once the chicks are hatched and ready, the wall is broken down

During the show Chikara demonstrated the incredible acrobatic flights that trumpeter hornbills are capable of in order to catch their prey. Chikara entered onto the stage through a hollow tree, flew to her trainer and then waited. The trainer tossed a grape straight up into the air and Chikara flew up in a gorgeous corkscrew vertical and caught it in midair before flying to a perch and being escorted off stage. This behavior simulates the trumpeter hornbill’s ability to catch insects (in this case a tasty grape) while flying. On a few rare occasions Chikara also demonstrated the little known ability to sit on a perch, stretch out her neck and catch prey as it falls in front of her. We often referred to this as ‘cheating’. However as long as our throws were good and we had plenty of grapes (her favorite, and she accepts no substitute) Chikara performed her correct show behavior beautifully.

Being a prey species whose natural instinct is to flee, as well as being new to performing in front of crowds, Chikara had a few times when she had to be coaxed back to her trainers. She also began the season with a fear of seagulls, which was most unfortunate since the zoo’s parking lot was often filled with them. Over time she became accustomed to the large crowds, gull shadows and even loud applause. Of course no one can really blame her for being scared by a man in a giant hot dog costume; I personally was also ready to bolt when I first saw him.

 Now that the season is over Chikara is enjoying her six month vacation in the Education Training Center. She spends her vacation days flying between perches, getting attention from her caregivers, training for next season, and eating all of the grapes that she can squish--which is a lot of grapes!


Submitted by Leah Tyndall, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist/Keeper

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