Keepers at a zoo have succeeded in breeding three rare parrots after 19 years of trying.

Three Philippine cockatoo chicks are being hand-reared at Chester Zoo in Cheshire after they were hatched in incubators.

The chicks, which look like “tiny dinosaurs”, are so small they are being kept in an ice-cream tub which is doubling up as a crib.

Andy Woolham, team manager of Parrots and Penguins, said: “I might risk the wrath of my wife in saying this, but after 19 years of trying, breeding these birds is just as exciting as my wedding day and the birth of my son.” The species has an aggressive nature which makes successful breeding a “very rare” occurrence, said Mr Woolham.

“That’s why this is incredibly significant for their conservation,” he said.

Zoo keepers have been trying to breed the species since the first birds arrived at the zoo in 1992.

During this time there has been a programme of dietary and environmental review, which has helped keepers make changes to how they look after the birds and ultimately resulted in this success.

Mr Woolham said: “It is so important that a secure safety net population of this species is established in zoos.”

The rearing of the birds marks a first for the zoo and they are now receiving round-the-clock care in their precious early days. “The three hatchlings look little like tiny dinosaurs at the moment. But they are being hand reared and if things go well, they will soon grow into replicas of their proud parents,” said Mr Woolham.

Also known as the red vented cockatoo, the species is critically endangered in the wild due to a combination of illegal trapping for the pet trade and habitat loss.

Chester Zoo supports conservation programmes for the species in its natural home and works closely with organisations in the Philippines.

A zoo spokesman said these efforts have seen numbers increase over recent years but the species still remains under threat.