Birds
Birds are the only vertebrates that have feathers. All birds are warm-blooded and lay eggs. Adaptations such as hollow bones enable most birds to fly, although there are flightless birds, including the ostrich. There are nearly 10,000 bird species in the world.
African Fish Eagle
This bird’s distinctive call can be heard for miles and has earned it the name “the voice of Africa.”
African Pygmy Falcon
African pygmy falcons are among the smallest raptors at just eight inches long.
African Spoonbill
This long-legged wading bird sweeps its spoon-shaped through water to search for food.
Andean Condor
With a wingspan of ten feet, the Andean condor is one of the world’s largest flying birds.
Bald Eagle
The national bird of the United States has a remarkable recovery story.
Bateleur Eagle
Bateleur is French for “street performer” and refers to this eagle’s acrobatic flight abilities.
Black Vulture
Black vultures keep close social ties with their extended families throughout their lives.
Black-collared Starling
This Asian starling is a very vocal bird known for building large, domed nests.
Black-Headed Weaver
Black-headed weavers are among the master architects of the animal world.
Black-necked Stilt
Eighty percent of this bird’s height lies in its long, pink legs.
Blue-Billed Curassow
The blue-billed curassow is a tropical South American cousin of turkeys.
Bobwhite Quail
Dappled plumage helps the bobwhite camouflage in fields.
Bufflehead Duck
The bufflehead is North America’s smallest sea duck (diving duck).
California Condor
California condors are highly intelligent, inquisitive, and social birds.
Chestnut Teal
This Australian duck was named for the color of the male of the species.
Common Peafowl
The peacock is known for its iridescent colors and the spectacular tail feathers produced by males.
Crested Caracara
Known as the Mexican eagle, the crested caracara is the national bird of Mexico.
Crested Fireback Pheasant
This medium-sized forest pheasant is a relative of chickens, turkeys, peafowl, quail, and partridges.
Crested Oropendola
Oropendolas make one of the most unusual and unique nests in the bird world.
East African Gray-Crowned Crane
Gray-crowned cranes can perch in the trees thanks to prehensile (grasping) hind toes.
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
A distinguishing feature of this particular owl species is the orange color of its irises.
Flamingos
Flamingos are extremely gregarious birds with some flocks consisting of 200,000 paired birds.
Forest Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo
Also known as karrak birds, forest red-tailed black cockatoos are parrot-like birds native to southwestern Australia.
Golden-breasted Starling
More information coming soon!
Great Horned Owl
The great horned owl is able to hunt an extensive array of prey, including animals that are larger and heavier than it is itself.
Greater Roadrunner
The roadrunner is known by many as the speedy bird from Warner Brothers cartoons who always bested Wile E. Coyote.
Green Aracari
Green aracaris are the smallest members of the toucan family.
Harpy Eagle
A large harpy eagle can carry its body weight, about 17 pounds, in long 5-inch talons.
Harris’s Hawk
As with all birds of prey, Harris’s hawks find prey by using their exceptional vision.
Hornbills
Hornbills have exceptionally long eyelashes (modified feathers) to keep dirt and debris out of their eyes.
King Vulture
What does it take to become king among vultures? A unique skill set and connections to the gods.
Lanner Falcon
Lanner falcons are known for fast and agile flight as well as unusual hunting tactics.
Laughing Kookaburra
The outstanding feature of the laughing kookaburra is its distinctive vocalizations.
Macaw
Macaws belong to a family of birds that includes parrots, parakeets, lorikeets, love birds, and cockatoos.
Masked Lapwing
More information coming soon!
Nicobar Pigeon
Nicobar pigeons roost and nest on small, uninhabited islands to keep safe from predators.
Northern Siberian Eagle-Owl
More information coming soon!
Ostrich
The ostrich is the fastest land animal on two legs.
Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine falcons are the world’s fastest animals, capable of reaching speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour when diving (or “stooping”) after prey.
Red-Billed Blue Magpie
More information coming soon!
Red-Legged Seriema
Sounding like a yelping dog, the red-legged seriema’s call is very unusual.
Red-Tailed Hawk
Red-tailed hawks are one of the best-known birds of prey. Among the largest hawk species, they can be found across North America and are often seen soaring in and over the Zoo.
Salmon-Crested Cockatoo
This species namesake salmon-crest is a ridge of feathers on the top of the head that the bird can raise when threatened or excited.
Sarus Crane
The sarus crane is the world’s tallest flying bird. In many Asian cultures, symbolizes marriage because it performs elaborate courtship dances and mates for life.
Scarlet Ibis
More information coming soon!
Southern (Double-Wattled) Cassowary
Cassowaries, like ostriches, are members of a group of flightless birds called ratites and have a reputation for being bad tempered.
Speckled Mousebird
Living exclusively in sub-Saharan Africa, the bird is named for its gray color and mouse-like scurrying in the brush while hunting for food.
Spectacled Owl
This owl is named for the ring of white feathers around its eyes that resemble a pair of glasses or spectacles.
Spotted Thick-Knee
More information coming soon!
Spur-winged Lapwing
More information coming soon!
Steller’s Sea Eagle
Steller’s sea eagles live along narrow strips of coast in Siberian Russia and the northern parts of Korea where they (as their name implies) rely on ocean fish for sustenance.
Sunbittern
Sunbitterns are wading birds native to Central and South America.
Superb Starling
More information coming soon!
Trumpeter Swan
More information coming soon!
Turaco
Although they spend all their time in the trees, turacos are actually not very good fliers.
West African Black-Crowned Crane
The two species of Balearica cranes are the smallest of the fifteen crane species, and they are the only cranes that roost in trees.
White Crowned Robin-chat
This colorful member of the Old World flycatcher family lives in a large part of West Africa.
White-Faced Whistling Duck
These birds are sometimes called white-faced tree ducks because of their habit of occasionally perching in trees.
White-headed Buffalo Weaver
More information coming soon!
Yellow-Naped Amazon
These gregarious birds are strong fliers and gather in large flocks to feed. Green feathers provide excellent camouflage in their forest canopy habitat.