Birds in Texas Zoos by Josef Lindholm, III {tailor's Note: This wticle was writ/en to Brotogeris, Keeper/Birds Grey-cheeked White-hel­ open up a whole new world for those of us Fort Worth Zoological Park lied Caique, and White-crowned Parrot wbo love bin/s, love zoos and love to vacation. (Pionus senilis) . To somefolks, '"Texas" conjures up annadil/os, dust and cowboys-or oil barollS and villiam Inside the heautiful Hixon Tropical ofthe old 7Vprogram ·'Dallas." 77Jere may be Bird House can be found the last some truth to these images buttbere is a great the eight crane taxa, which also White-necked Picathartes in the deal more-pwticularly for bird lovers- as include one of the few proven hreed­ Western Hemisphere (hatched at San thefollOWing article explains. Readandenjoy. See you in San Antonio. SID} ing pairs of Hooded Cranes in captivi­ Antonio), the first Woodland ty. Kingfishers (Halcyon senegalensis) to Most zoos today display far fewer breed in an American Zoo, Golden­ s of 1 January 1996, of the 25 pan'ot species than they used to and it headed Quetzals, hreeding Cinnamon largest U.S. zoo bird collec­ is rare to find more than a dozen or so Warhling Finches (Poospiza ornata), A tions (by species) listed by the taxa on display. San Antonio, howev­ Long-tailed and Lesser Green American Zoo and Aquarium er, holds more than 40 species. While Broadhills. Golden-headed Manakins, Association (996), five were Texan. it is, of course, exciting to see such rar­ Chinese Bamhoo Partridges and many Two of these. San Antonio and ities as Blue-throated (or Caninde), other species. Softbills exhibited out-of Houston, are in the top ten. Red-fronted, and Buffon's Macaws, doors include breeding Lesser Birds of Collectively, roughly 600 species and breeding Golden Conures, Red-tailed Paradise, a large flock of Yellow­ subspecies of hirds are held by the Black Cockatoos, and Long-hilled rumped Caciques (in the Amazonia nearly 20 zoos, aquariums and wildlife Corellas, it is also very satisfying to find walk-through exhibit), Malay Wreathed parks in Texas. serious exhihits of all three species of Hornhills, and Black-headed Since at least the 1940s, the San Polytelis, Senegal Parrots (with Gonoleks. Antonio Zoological Gardens has been Jackson's Hornhills in the walk­ The limitations of space do not one of the world's great hird collec­ through Rift Valley Forest Aviary), allow me to more than mention such tions, at times exceeding 500 species and subspecies, and. in some years, being the second largest U.S. zoo bird collection, after the San Diego Zoo. On 1 January 1996, San Antonio ranked Numher Five, after the San Diego Zoo Birds Do Not Live and Wild Animal Park, the Bronx Zoo. and Cincinnati Zoo, with 1,014 speci­ mens representing 219 taxa. By Seed Alone San Antonio Zoo In their natural habitat, birds select and nourish themselves San Antonio Zoo is uniquely with a variety of insects and fruits in addition to seeds. endowed with an artesian well supply­ However, birds in captivity are fully dependent upon their ing numerous canals and pools at a owners for proper nutrition. That's why CeDe Eggfood Products are a necessary part of your bird's diet. constant warm temperature. so that tropical fishes, such as tilapia. shark Sunflower, canary, rape and other seeds alone do not catfish, and plecostomus flourish year­ provide a well balanced nutritional diet that is essential to round. It is only to he expected that the bird's health and growth. CeDe Eggfood supplements there is a wonderful collection of your birds with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids aquatic hirds, including such oddities and animal proteins. CeDe Eggfood is perfect for your as Horned Screamers, Straw-necked bird's nutritional needs during resting, breeding, and Ibis, and a Black-necked Stork molting. (Ephippi01-hynchus asiaticus). African CeDe Eggfood has proven to be an essential contribution to successful breeding both White-hacked Ducks (Thalassornis I. in Europe and in the United States. CeDe Eggfood Products are available for all types leuconotus) are the gems among 44 of birds. If you aren't feeding CeDe Eggfood Products to your birds, your birds are taxa of ducks, geese and swans. At the not breeding to their potential! heginning of 1977, the two pairs, occu­ pying their own canal-fed enclosure, NEW! Aluminum nitrogen flushed packaging for guaranteed freshness. were the only ones in any American puhlic zoo. Of course the pair of Distributed By Sunshine Bird Supplies, P.O. Box 830366, Miami, Florida 33283 Whooping Cranes stand out among Distributor inquiries welcomed at 1-800-878-2666 or fax (305) 591-9567

afa WATCHBIRD 19 other San Antonio zoo species as Away Bird, the Western Grey Plaintain­ Cranes, and a long-time captive African-White-backed Vultures, African eater, the Fischer's, and the Eastern Reddish Egret. Pygmy Falcons, full-winged Secretary Violet-crested are rarely met with else­ Among other interesting species are Birds, Northern Helmeted and Razor­ where. Malay Argus Pheasants, Peruvian billed Curassows, Northern Greater Other spectacular Houston Zoo Thick-knees, Mauritius Pink Pigeons, Prairie Chickens (Attwater's are held birds include Blue-Knobbed, Yellow­ Jendaya Conures, both species of off exhibit), Congo Peafowl, Malay knobbed, Bare-faced, Wattled, and Ground Hornhills, and White-cheeked Peacock and Bulwer's Wattled Northern Helmeted Curassows, Bulbuls. Pheasants, Masked Lapwings, and Rothschild's Peacock Pheasants, Red­ Salvin's Pigeons (Columba oenops)--in crowned Cranes, Green-naped Texas Zoo the same aviary with Andean Condors. Pheasant Pigeons, Molucca Imperial To the North, hut also in prime bird­ Pigeons (Ducula perspicillata), African ing habitat, is the city of Victoria. True Sea World ofTexas Crowned Hornbills (first bred at to its name, the Texas Zoo keeps only Sea World Of Texas is located some Houston), breeding Javan Rhinoceros state natives. Among the roughly 40 distance from Downtown San Antonio. Hornbills, prolific Magpie Shrikes species of birds can he seen American Though the acreage is. huge, the sev­ (Corvinella melanoleuca), breeding Wood Storks, a White-tailed Hawk enty or so species of birds are concen­ White-tailed, Plush-crested, and (Buteo alhicaudatus), Broad-winged trated in several areas. A variety of Northern GreenJays, recently obtained Hawks, and Purple Gallinules. waterfowl are kept with the colony of African White-Necked Ravens, and Lesser Flamingoes, one of the very few Red Birds of Paradise. Ellen Trout Zoo colonies to thus far reproduce in cap­ Another East Texas collection is the tivity. The rarely seen Argentine Ruddy Moody Gardens Ellen Trout Zoo, in Lufkin, with a Duck (Oxyura vittata) shares a walk­ About an hour's drive from Houston growing series of hirds, presently at through aviary with Smew, Australian is Galveston Island, the home of about 60 species. Famous for breeding Bush Stone Curlew, Hammerkops, Moody Gardens. The 10 story glass West African Crowned Cranes, this zoo Scarlet Ibis, Kookaburras, and other pyramid houses a priceless plant col­ also displays a nice collection ofwater­ species. The Penguin Encounter fea­ lection and a marvelous array of fowl and parrots (including a Tucuman tures large flocks of four species: imported butterflies, so the variety of Amazon, Hyacinth Macaws, and Kings, Northern Gentoo, Rockhoppers, birds at large in this structure were Leadbeater's Cockatoos). and Chinstraps. The Alcidexhibit in the selected to harm neither. Among the Among recent additions to the col­ same building features Common 16 species of pigeons and doves are lection are Malay Crestless Fire-backed Murres and Common and Tufted breeding Wonga Wongas, as well as Pheasants and Fairy Bluebirds. Puffins, with a pair of Northern Eiders Jambu, Superb, and Beautiful Fruit (Somateria mollissima borealis). Pigeons, Pinon and Purple-tailed Waco Zoo As Busch Corporation now owns Imperial Pigeons, and the rarely seen Waco, on the road between San the Sea World Parks, a number of par­ Bare-eyed Pigeon (Columba corensis). Antonio and Dallas, relocated its zoo rots, including Golden Conures and There are also large flocks of seed-eat­ several years ago, so the bird collec­ Red-fronted Macaws, have been trans­ ing birds, including breeding tion, concentrating on African species, ferred from Busch gardens in Tampa. European Goldfinches, African Golden is still small. However, the collection is These are currently off-exhibit, but Sparrows, Bronze-winged Mannikins, distinguished by a pair of African may be viewed by those taking the the rarely imported Grey-headed Open-billed Storks, hatched at the San special behind-the-scenes tours Munias (Lonchura caniceps) from New Diego Wild Animal Park. offered at extra charge. Guinea, and various neotropical species. Dallas Zoo Houston Zoological Gardens Also concentrating on African The Houston Zoological Gardens Gladys Porter Zoo species, but in a much bigger way, is housed 183 taxa of birds on 1January The Rio Grande Valley is a hirder's the Dallas Zoo, with around 150 1996, the second largest collection in paradise, full of species one otherwise species of birds. The world first breed­ Texas, and the tenth in the U.S.A. sees south of the border. The Gladys ing of the Saddle-billed Stork was pre­ Although the famous bird house is cur­ Porter Zoo in Brownsville, with about ceded by first U.S. breedings ofGoliath rently closed for renovation visitors 150 species of hirds, almost entirely Herons and Kori Bustards. Other will find a marvelous collecti~n exhib­ displayed out of doors is also very African birds (in the "Wilds of Africa" ited in out-door aviaries, with a special much worth a visit. Giant Coots from as well as the older section of the emphasis on softbills and gamebirds. South America are a unique feature of grounds) include breeding Lapet-faced Houston has bred an enormous num­ an extensive collection of waterhirds, Vultures and African Green Pigeons ber of Touracos over the years. which also includes Southern Spur­ (Treron calva), Bateleur Eagles, Fourteen species and subspecies were winged Geese, African Black Ducks, Collared Sunbirds, and an extensive present 31 December 1996, among very old Greater Adjutant and group of Estrildid finches, including which the Great Blue, the Grey Go- European Black Storks, Wattled breeding Orange-cheeked Waxbills,

20 July/August 1997 Dallas Zoo includes a pairofJavan Long-crestedJays CPlatylophus g. galericulatus) among its extensive collection ofsoftbills. This species can otherwise be seen in the u.s. only at the National Zoo, San Diego Zoo, and the San Diego Wild AnimalPark.

A male Lesser Green Broadbill CCalyptomena I viridis) in the Dallas Zoos beautiful Bird and Reptile BUilding.

Blue-capped Cordon Bleus, White­ headed Buffalo Weavers and Red Bishops. The Cordons have been especially prolific. Among the many other species can he seen Ornate Hawk Eagles, a Harpy Eagle, Wompoo Pigeons, Swainson's Lorkieets, the only Rufous Hornbill in a U.S. 'Zoo, Lesser Green Broadbills, and Long-crested Jays.

Dallas World Aquarium The privately owned Dallas World Aquarium in Downtown Dalla Historic West End will open" ecret' of the Orinoco," an enormous conserva­ Since 1967, more than 300 Roseate Spoonbills have been hatched at the Fort Worth Zoo, tory, in August, 1997. The bird collec­ which maintains the largest captive colony. Offspring have been sent to zoos all over the u.s., tion is presently in formation, but as well as theJurong Bird Park in Singapore. species already acquired include a unique assemblage of Ramphastids­ a dozen Collared Aracari ,several pair of Keel-billed Toucans, a well as Swainson's, Red-billed and Toco Tou­ cans. Other species to be obtained will be ihises and caciques. The World Aquarium opened an outdoor exhibit for South African Black-footed Penguins, resplendent with huge rare aloe , in 1996.

Fort Worth Zoological Park Asian and- orth American pecie are the focus at the Fort Worth Zoological Park's bird collection, cur­ rently numbering around 130 species. While efforts to breed Long-tailed Broadbills, Yellow-bellied Laughing Fort Worth Zoo s URaptor Canyon 1J offers the unique opportunity ofstanding directly beneath this pair ofHarpy Eagles. The female, on the branch, arrived at the zoo in 1955. Thrushes and Green Avadavats take

afa WATCHBIRD 21 ~ place behind scenes, public exhibits of Other species at Tyler include ..§ rare Asian birds include a flock of Red- o Chilean Flan1ingoes in a prolific flock, ~ breasted Geese, the only Japanese Crested Serien1as, J-Iartlau h's Touracos ~ Mountain Ha"Yk Eagles outside of and hreeding endaya Conures, .r: J CL Japan (on loan from the Los Angeles Hyacinth Macaws, and Red-hilled Zoo), breeding Pairs of both Malay Hornhills. Crested and Crestless Fire-hacked Pheasants, Rothschild's Peacock Abilene Zoo Pheasants, breeding Malay Argus As one heads west froITI the Pheasants, prolific Delnoiselles Cranes, Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex th Hooded' Cranes a specially imported Ahilene Zoo lnay he encountered. It pair of Red-crowned Cranes from the has heen recently redesigned to COln­ Shenyang Zoo in China, and Wrinkled pare and contrast the ecology of Africa Hornbills. and Texas, and its 60 or so hird species Fort Worth's masterplan calls for an come from these two areas. This zoo extensive display of Texas aniIl?-als. A was one of the first to hreed Secretary centerpiece will be the zoo's famous Birds and Northern Ground Hornhills, research colony of Roseate and a pair of Bateleurs are also to he Spoonbills-the largest in captivity at seen out-of-doors. Inside a huilding, about 50 specimens. with offspring also housing fishes, reptiles and slnall represented in collections around the mammals, there is a walk-through world. Among other interesting aviary featuring Elnerald-spotted species are a pair of Magellanic Doves (Turtur chalcopspilos) and Fort Flightless Steamer Ducks that recently Worth Zoo-hred Southern Gold-hreast­ Christopher Brown, Fort Worth Zoos Curator produced the first duckling in a U.S. ed Waxbills, among other species. An ofBirds arrangedfor the importation offive pairs ofRed-croumed Cranesfrom the zoo in 20 years. Bronze-winged interesting Texas native is th~ Red­ Shenyang Zoo in China in 1994. Onepair Ducks, Smew, a Pair of Harpy eagles billed Pigeon (Columba./lavirostris). arrived at Fort Worth, the others going to (the female at Fort worth since 1954), American zoos and a private aviculturist, Wattled Cranes, Jalnaican Crested EIPaso Zoo thus greatly improving the u.s. genepool of Quail Doves, and breeding Collie's the second most endangered crane (after the . Near the Texas-New Mexico state Whooping Crane). Magpie Jays. line, EI Paso sits on the Mexican hor­ At present, the birds have been der. Long specialiZing in only New £ removed from the World of Primates (/) World species, it has recently added a ...,~ pending renovations, but a new exhib- new Asian area, expanding its hird col­ m it for Black-footed Penguins in the 43- lection to more than 70 species. ~ year-old James R. Record Aquarium In the building devoted to South ~ has met with a great deal of enthusi- American animals, the central exhihit asm from the public. startlingly combines Golden Lion Tamarins, Acouchies (an agouti-like Caldwell Zoo rodent), large fishes, Grey-winged The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, about Trumpeters, Green Aracaris, Red­ 100 miles east of Dallas, has gained rumped Caciques, Brazilian Cardinals much attention during the last 15 years and other South American Birds. for its almost total renovation, with an In their own exhibit in this huilding emphasis on "immersion" exhibits are Venezuelan Red Siskins, otherwise' where one is surrounded by animals seen in U.S. zoos only at Dallas. from a given habitat which are actual­ Spotted Whistling Ducks, breeding ly in a variety of enclosures but appear Yellow-vented Bulhuls (pycnonotus to be kept together. These displays goiavier), and Himalayan Whistling focus on Texas, South America and Thrushes are among the more interest­ Africa. ing Asian birds. The newest addition is Of its more than 80 species of birds, a display for North American waterfowl are the most represented. Songbirds, among which Eastern Some of the ducks, such as the North Bluebirds and Red Crossbills stand out. American Redheads, Cinnamon Teal, Only a handful ofu.s. Zoos exhibit the Hooded Mergansers, Rosey-billed African Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis). Pochards, and White-faced Whistling References One ofthepairat Fort Worth Zoo was AMERICAN ZOO AND AQUARIUM ASSOCIA­ hatched atMiami Metrozoo, whose breeding Ducks, are exhibited in impressively TION (1996) Zoological Parks and colony was wiped out in the 1992 hurricane. large flocks. Aquarium.l,; in the Americas, 1996-97. ~ 22 July/August 1997