EVALUATING IMPLANTED MICROCHIPS IN SMALL BIRDS WITH THE VIEW TO USE IN THE HELMETED HONEYEATER

Captive trial birds are caught regularly for health monitoring  

Healesville Sanctuary is involved in an ongoing captive-breeding program for the Critically Endangered Helmeted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops cassidix).  Captive-bred birds are released to supplement two wild populations of Helmeted Honeyeaters.

If the released birds were implanted with microchips, remote microchip scanning devices could monitor their movements in the wild without humans being present (unlike the coloured leg-bands which are currently used).  This would allow higher quality (continuous) data to be collected from supplementary feed stations, and free up field staff so that they have more time to work on other aspects of the project (e.g. locating nests, protecting nests from predators etc.).

Although microchips are already commonly used to identify domestic pets, they haven’t been tested in small birds (< 30 grams in weight).  Dr Rupert Baker and other staff at Healesville Sanctuary are conducting trials to test the use of microchips in small birds.

AIM

This project is trialing the use of implantable microchips in small birds with the ultimate aim of using microchips to monitor wild Helmeted Honeyeater populations.

METHODS

The use of these microchips will first be trialled in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), an introduced species which has a very similar body size to the Helmeted Honeyeater. 

If successful, microchips will then be trialled in another subspecies of Honeyeater, the Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops gippslandicus), and then captive non-breeding Helmeted Honeyeaters (if approved by the Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Team).  If all trials show that microchips are safe and effective, they will then be used in reintroduced/wild Helmeted Honeyeaters.

All captive implanted birds will be caught and health-checked regularly (daily or weekly) for two - six months. Health checks will be conducted to make sure that the microchip stays in place and has no adverse affects on the birds’ health.  The birds’ weight, flying capabilities and welfare will all be monitored.

RESULTS

Microchips were implanted under the skin in two locations (inter-scapular and inguinal) in fifty captive House Sparrows at Healesville Sanctuary.  Inguinal implantation of microchips in House Sparrows was more successful than inter-scapular implantation, and implantation has not caused morbidity or lameness.  In the next 12 months, the microchips will be trialled in a captive population of Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters at Healesville Sanctuary. 

PROJECT SPONSOR

This research is possible due to financial assistance from the Merrin Foundation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

- on this research project - click here to email Dr Rupert Baker (Principal Investigator).

- on research about the recovery of Helmeted Honeyeater populations - click here.

- on the breeding program for Helmeted Honeyeaters at Healesville Sanctuary - click here.