San Diego

Five rare birds were stolen from the San Diego Zoo in the third such animal theft in 16 months.

Three golden conures and two hyacinth macaws, both parrot species, were taken from the zoo’s avian propagation center, said Jeff Jouett, a zoo spokesman.

The birds, native to the Amazon River rain forests in Brazil, all were hatched at the zoo in the past year. They are worth more than $20,000, Jouett said.

A keeper arriving for work discovered the birds missing.

San Diego police investigators found parts of a lock that had been severed with bolt cutters to gain access to a holding cage.

Jouett said zoo security patrols will be increased and locks will be changed at animal enclosures throughout the zoo.

In June, 1989, two birds of prey were stolen in separate thefts. A rare African milky owl and an African bateleur eagle were taken.

The birds lost in the earlier thefts have not been recovered.

Meanwhile, zoo officials said, they are concerned about the health of the stolen birds, particularly one of the macaws that had not been fully weened. That bird requires a special diet for the next several weeks.