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The Zoospecies · habitats · children's zoo · care
The Zoo · Walk-through dome · 8 species

Aviary

Flamingos, spoonbills, macaws, toucans, hornbills, cranes, the bald eagle and the Florida scrub-jay.

Bald eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus
LCLeast concern

Nearly wiped out by DDT, then recovered and removed from the US endangered list in 2007. Florida has one of the largest nesting populations.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Least concern; a recovery success.
Size
About 70-100 cm long; wingspan about 2 m · About 3-6 kg
What to watch forWatch how it lifts off and how heavy its beak is.

Open the catalog plate →

Great hornbill

Buceros bicornis
VUVulnerable AZA SAFE: Asian Hornbill

The female seals herself into a tree hole to nest while the male feeds her.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Vulnerable.
Size
About 95-130 cm long · About 2-4 kg
What to watch forLook at the casque on top of the bill.

Open the catalog plate →

Sandhill crane

Antigone canadensis
LCLeast concern

Florida has a resident subspecies; pairs dance and call together.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Least concern.
Size
About 1-1.2 m tall · About 3-6 kg
What to watch forListen for the rattling call.

Open the catalog plate →

Florida scrub-jay

Aphelocoma coerulescens
VUVulnerable Threatened (US ESA)

Found only in Florida; young birds help raise siblings.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Vulnerable; scrub habitat loss.
Size
About 25-28 cm long · About 70-90 g
What to watch forWatch a jay bury an acorn and come back for it.

Open the catalog plate →

Roseate spoonbill

Platalea ajaja
LCLeast concern

Common around Tampa Bay; hunted for feathers until the early 1900s.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Least concern.
Size
About 70-80 cm long · About 1.2-1.8 kg
What to watch forWatch the spoon bill sweep side to side.

Open the catalog plate →

American flamingo

Phoenicopterus ruber
LCLeast concern

Pink color comes from pigments in its food. Wild flamingos are returning to Florida.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Least concern.
Size
About 1.2-1.4 m tall · About 2-4 kg
What to watch forWatch it feed head-down, filtering mud.

Open the catalog plate →

Toco toucan

Ramphastos toco
LCLeast concern

Its huge bill is light and helps it shed body heat.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Least concern.
Size
About 55-65 cm long · About 500-850 g
What to watch forWatch it toss fruit and catch it.

Open the catalog plate →

Scarlet macaw

Ara macao
LCLeast concern

A large parrot; wild birds eat clay at riverbanks.

Keeper's note
Keepers check appetite, movement and social behavior every day, and change enrichment so no two days are the same.
Conservation
Least concern; local declines.
Size
About 80-90 cm long · About 1 kg
What to watch forWatch the beak and foot work together like a hand.

Open the catalog plate →

Watch and look

Live cams

Live cameras at zoos, sanctuaries and wild places. Tap to watch here, or open the provider page; all zoo cams.

Big Bear Bald Eagle Live Nest - Cam 1
FOBBV CAM · local time at the camera
Best viewing: Live now; most cams run around the clock. Animals are most active in early morning and late afternoon local time.
Big Bear Bald Eagle Wide View - Cam 2
FOBBV CAM · local time at the camera
Best viewing: Live now; most cams run around the clock. Animals are most active in early morning and late afternoon local time.
LIVE Bird Feeder & Wildlife Cam - Gettysburg, PA
Gettysburg LiveCam · local time at the camera
Best viewing: Live now; most cams run around the clock. Animals are most active in early morning and late afternoon local time.

Short films

Swipe, then tap to play. Captions are switched on where the maker provides them. Each film plays from its maker's channel.

The flamingos are on a munching mission! 😋🦩 #birds #animals #shortsSan Antonio Zoo ↗
Houston Zoo Flamingos Move into New HomeHouston Zoo ↗
Is it possible for a flamboyance of flamingos to be even more flamboyant? 🤔 #N…National Geographic ↗
The baby flamingos grew up too fast! ❤️San Antonio Zoo ↗
Keeping Flamingos In The PinkSan Diego Zoo ↗
Flamingos walk through Nashville ZooNashville Zoo ↗
Flamingo Wing-SaluteLA Zoo ↗
Snack time with Cher the flamingo! 🦩😋 #animals #birds #shortsSan Antonio Zoo ↗

Picture gallery

Tap a picture to enlarge it. Every picture is public domain or openly licensed, credited below, and kept on our own server.

Wilfredor · Wikimedia Commons · CC0
Roger Culos · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Didier Descouens · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Charles J. Sharp · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Charles J. Sharp · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Charles J. Sharp · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Charles J. Sharp · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Roger Culos · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Giles Laurent · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
AntanO · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
For classes

Lessons: The Bird Aviary: Why are they different colours?PreviewThe Bird Aviary: Watch one birdPreviewThe Bird Aviary: Count properlyPreviewThe Nest: Count the birdsPreview

Drawer: Zoo: Aviary

Quiz: Aviary quiz · 5 questions

Next door: Natural history: the bird room