ZooChat Challenge Europe 2022

Hello folks,
This year's challenge will again be a taxonomic group, and will stray away from the mammals theme of the last couple of years:

"Psittaciformes"

This year’s theme will be Psittaciformes, otherwise known as parrots. This is a slightly more challenging group this year, especially with the sheer amount of hybrids knocking around, so will take some checking over...again I have opted for a group that has plenty of variety and decent totals to be had both in the UK and on the mainland of Europe, so that the lack of a UK challenge is once again made up for. Whilst the current bird flu spread in some countries may make for a quiet start, with a bit of luck we should be able to get some decent totals out of the year

To prevent discussions about taxonomies and certain lists accepting certain splits while others don’t, I will be using IUCN and Zootierliste as references; in addition to this only species-level will count. If there is some disagreement about the taxonomic status of zoo-stock (if the species are potential hybrids/potentially listed incorrectly as a different species) then I will count it on a "sensu lato" basis. It is crucial that people are honest about what they have and haven't seen, and that people do check what the listings are on ZTL purely because, whilst it isn't always accurate, there are definitely hybrids to be had out there so we will have to be careful....!

A couple of additional rules unique to this year's challenge will be as follows:

1. Domestics: the same rule will apply as the last few years, you either count the domestic form or the wild form, not both.

2. Loro Parque? More like LorNO Parque (here all night folks) : the issue with this taxonomic group is the fact that there are some zoos that are very much parrot focused, and in the case of Loro Parque as an example, would provide a major advantage over others. I found this to be the case last year with people visiting the Berlins and so giving themselves an (admittedly fair at the time) lead. Therefore, Loro Parque will not count as an eligible collection this year. All other collections that have/had some sort of specialisation in parrots will be eligible still - this decision being made as I am aware of a good few in both the UK (Hayle, Lincolnshire) and the mainland (Veldhoven, Walsrode) that should add large numbers to your lists

And as per usual, the same set of challenge rules apply, with credits to Shorts for originally coming up with them:
1. You have to actually see the animal, even if just for a second. You don't score if you visit a collection but don't see the animal (harsh, but fair);
2. Proof via photographs is not required, your word is your bond;
3. You have to see the animal via normal public access (i.e. not including zookeeper for the day or photography days behind the scenes) during normal public opening hours (i.e. no scoring because you know the keeper and can get access before/after hours). Basically the species has to be seen as Joe Public would.
4. Only collections located in what is geographically Europe will count in this challenge (including Iceland, the UK, Ireland, the Mediterranean islands, but excluding Georgia, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey to avoid conflicts about what is and isn't 'Europe.').
5. Report/update your progress on this thread as you go along;
6. The winner will be deemed to be the person(s) who's seen the most at 31st December 2022;
7. My decision on any questions is final, but I am open to discussion and debate on any specific points.
8. Any bullying/unsportsmanlike conduct directed towards myself or other players is grounds for immediate disqualification from the challenge, and barring from future Europe challenges.

This challenge is solely for fun, with the prize this year being a virtual pizza party.
Good luck all, hope you enjoy
The challenge HAS COMMENCED!

 

Excited to take part in this challenge! Thanks Jake!

 

Funny, I was only thinking last night Parrots would make a good challenge!
A good choice @ShonenJake13 and definitely the right decision re Loro Parque, though it appears that what is classed geographically as Europe would exclude the Canary Islands anyway

 

Glad to hear you’re on board!
The Canary Islands have counted in past years and will count again this year, just Loro Parque is struck off to maintain some level of fairness

 

Good choice, I might actually take part this year! Visiting Hamerton on Monday so will start there

 

Great challenge! I can see myself doing fairly well on this year's one actually, I have a couple of collections potentially lined up which would boost my score fairly significantly; in fact I have one in particular in mind which would get me 70+ species right off the bat!

I make the total number of species eligible (eliminating all those only found at Loro Parque of course) to be 230, although I may well have made a mistake somewhere. So significantly more than last year, and I really don't see anyone getting them all - it would take a supreme effort (i.e. visiting places like Kothen and Lisne) to gather up all the species, but I reckon scores of 150+ are more than possible for those who have the funds. Good luck all .

 

Intresting and colourful choice @ShonenJake13. I skipped Walsrode too many times already, so who knows. I also think excluding the Loro Parque, was a wise choice The tickets from Oslo to Tenerife are 30 euro next month! Good luck to everyone and Happy New 2022!

 

Yes I didn’t do a count up primarily because of the additions of non-European countries to ZTL (such as Singapore and New Zealand), so I’m glad someone else took on the mammoth task to do so

 

I kicked off the year with a few at :

Linton Zoo 2/1/22

1 Mealy Amazon
2 Blue fronted Amazon
3 Yellow shouldered Amazon
4 Festive Amazon
5 Blue cheeked Amazon
6 Blue & Gold Macaw
7 Scarlet Macaw
8 Blue throated Macaw
9 African Grey Parrot
10 Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

 

This is a zoo that I hope to *finally* tick off this year having never visited before - glad your trip was successful, @pipaluk !

 

I will try to participate this year again! Zoos are still closed in the Netherlands unfortunately, so I'm not sure when I can start. I *might* just make it to Walsrode this year, so I'll keep my eye out for parrots there if I manage to do so!

 

Chester Zoo- 03.01.2022

1. Purple-naped lory (Lorius domicella)
2. Blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis)
3. Buffon's macaw (Ara ambiguus)
4. Blue-crowned hanging parrot (Loriculus galgulus)
5. Ecuadorian amazon (Amazona autumnalis lilacina)

 

Thought the list for Chester would be longer... any no shows/ or any restrictions due to bird flu?

 

These are all the on-show parrots, even without bird flu restrictions! A quick look at the other parrot species listed on ZTL, I believe, are all kept off-show.

 

Hamerton 3/1/22

11 Galah
12 Buderigar
13 Orange winged Amazon
14 Cuban Conure

 

Sounds like a fun competition. As I didn't see this thread until last night, I won't be counting what I saw at Banham Zoo the days before, but I'll be visiting on Friday so that'll be when I start....

 

BANHAM ZOO - 7/1/2022

1. Ducorp's Cockatoo (Cacatua ducorpsii)
2. Greater Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita)
3. Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla)
4. Swainson's Lorikeet (Trichoglossus moluccanus)
5. Blue & Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna)

The only other species of parrot, the Sun Conure, was inaccessable due to Eureka being closed. Still, not a bad start.

 

I have absolutely no idea how my chances stand this year but getting into a group that I don't know that well sounds fun!

Voliere Kranzler Eck (09.01.2022)

1.Lord Derby's parakeet (Psittacula derbiana)
2. Alexandrine parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)
3. Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
4. Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)
5. Red-winged parrot (Aprosmictus erythropterus)
6. Regent parrot (Polytelis anthopeplus)
7. Eastern rosella (Platycerus eximus)
8. Burrowing parrot (Cyanoliseus patagonus)

 

Great zoo, not the best for Parrots!!

Colchester 9/1/22

15 Swainson's Lorikeet

 

Exmoor Zoo - 12/01/2021

A tidy little list from my first zoo of the year. Plenty more to follow I'm sure!

1. Red-tailed cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus banksii
2. Sulfur-crested cockatoo, Cacatua galerita
3. Blue-throated conure, Pyrrhura cruentata
4. Cuban Amazon, Amazona leucocephala
5. Festive Amazon, Amazona festiva
6. Blue-fronted Amazon, Amazona aestiva
7. Thick-billed parrot, Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha
8. Blue-throated macaw, Ara glaucogularis
9. Great green macaw, Ara ambiguus