Andrew Owen

I began my career as a bird keeper in 1982 at Padstow Bird Gardens in Cornwall. Since then I’ve worked with birds in many diverse institutions including Beale Park (World Pheasant Association), The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Waddesdon Manor Aviary and I also spent four years in the United Arab Emirates working on a Houbara Bustard conservation project. 

I have been involved in many bird field conservation projects in Mauritius, Thailand and Montserrat and am actively involved as husbandry advisor with our conservation partners at Cikananga Conservation Breeding Centre in Java, Indonesia. 

The main focus of this work is to save some of the world’s most endangered species, which are threatened by the cage bird trade, such as the critically endangered Bali myna and Javan green magpie. I am the European studbook keeper for the Sumatran laughingthrush and the Javan green magpie.

Key publications

Owen, A., Wilkinson, R. & Sözer, R. In situ conservation breeding and the role of zoological institutions and private breeders in the recovery of highly endangered Indonesian passerine birds. International Zoo Yearbook (2014) 48: 199-211. The Zoological Society of London

Collar, N.J., Gardner, L., Jeggo, D.F., Marcorded, B., Owen, A., Pagel, T., Pes, P., Vaidle, A., Wilkinson, R., & Wirth, R. Conservation breeding and the most threatened birds in Asia. BirdingAsia 18 (2012): 50-57.