BIRDS in Nine Zoos in 13 Days, Or
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PART III: BIRDS IN Nine zoos in 13 days, or, In addition to several types of pheasants, a Java Green Peafowl (Pavo Zoologischer Garten Berlin’s breeding pair of Andean Condors (Vultur muticus), above, presents the colorful side of Tierpark Berlin. gryphus) share their aviary with a variety of other South American birds. By Josef Lindholm, III Senior Aviculturist, Th e Dallas World Aquarium Photography by Natalie Mashburn Lindholm Editor's note: Josef Lindholm made his fi rst trip to Germany, for over four hundred species and subspecies of birds, about half of 13 days, in April and May 2008. He was accompanied by his wife, which can be seen at either collection. Th us the combined total Natalie, who had been there once 10 years before. Among the nine comes to slightly more than six hundred—a collection larger zoos they visited, they saw more than 800 species and subspecies than Walsrode’s. of birds, perhaps closer to 1,000, of which at least 110 were birds he Established in 1844, Zoologischer Garten Berlin is Germa- had never seen in captivity before. This is the third and fi nal install- ny’s oldest existing zoo, and generally reckoned the ninth oldest ment af his report on their trip. zoo in the world. It has also been famed as Th e Largest Zoo in the World for a long time. Occupying 86 acres, it has displayed Zoologischer Garten Berlin enormous numbers of species for most of its history. In August, The severe attack of sensory overload brought on 1901, 894 forms of birds and 402 of mammals were invento- by three days at Walsrode was only aggravated by six days in Ber- ried (Kloes, 1969), though it is likely domestic breeds were lin. Since 2007, Berlin’s two zoos have been under one Direc- included in this total. At the outbreak of the First World War, tor, Dr. Bernhard Blaszkiewitz. He told me that each includes in 1914, there were a thousand sorts of birds, and fi ve hundred of 22 Volume XXXV • Number 4 • 2008 WB_35-4_v13.indd 22 FF 06/05/09 6/5/09 2:18:52 PM GERMAN ZOOS If this is Monday, it must be Berlin! mammals (Kloes, 1969). Near to San Diego, where the collec- Reeve’s Pheasant. Because of Ocellated Turkeys, Kagus the end of 1938, shortly before tion had fallen to 441 taxa at the luxurious indoor quarters, (which have bred), Black World War II began, there the end of 1980, the West Ber- Dr. Rudolf Reinhart, Curator Francolins, California Quail, were 2,519 birds of 926 forms, lin bird collection was remark- of Birds, at the zoo since 1977, Black-winged (Fire-crowned) 1,196 mammals of 385 forms ably stable for more than a decided to emphasis species Bishops, White-shouldered (Kloes, 1969), and 750 spe- decade. Th e IZY statistics from that do better with warmth in Starlings (Sturnus sinensis), cies of fi shes, amphibians, rep- 31 December 1974 through 31 the winter. Th us, since the city Red-rumped Caciques, and a tiles, and invertebrates (Frae- December 1982, are of a bird of Berlin was unifi ed, most female European Golden Ori- drich, 2002). At War’s End, collection that only fl uctuated species of pheasants have been ole come readily to mind. For in 1945, there were 91 individ- between 708 and 729 taxa! displayed at Tierpark Berlin, me, a particular surprise were ual animals left alive (Kloes, At the end of 1984 the collec- in the former Eastern Sector. Little Bitterns, bred by an 1969). Th ese included ances- tion was at 688 taxa, rising to Th ere are some pheasants in Austrian private aviculturist. tors of Hippos and Hama- 693 at the end of 1986. At the the Pheasantry. A pair of Sia- A pair of Bearded Reedlings, dryas Baboons living there end of 1989 the collection was mese Firebacks are a memo- which have bred repeatedly, today, as well as a Shoebill, an down to 580 taxa. Th e fi nal rial to the Dr. Hans Fraedrich, had a little outdoor aviary to Australian Bustard, a Kagu, IZY statistics, for 31 Decem- who was Director from 1991 themselves. I was not imme- a Ground Hornbill, an un- ber 1996, showed the collec- to 2002. Th ere are none in diately able to identify a large, named Touraco, and an Ori- tion at 500 taxa, 89 more than ISIS-listed US zoos at present, dark bird with purplish iri- ental White Stork which lived San Diego. although this gorgeous bird descence, which initially into the 1960’s. As of 31 December 2007, is not rare in aviculture. Th e reminded me of a New World Despite the marooning of out of a total animal inventory same is true for the Gray Pea- Jay. Th is turned out to be a Bird West Berlin by the Soviets, of 13,726 specimens of 1,386 cock Pheasant, which can only of Paradise—A Trumpetbird and other diffi culties involved taxa, there were 2,680 birds of be seen in two U.S. zoos now. (Phonygammus keraudrenii). in post-war reconstruction, 407 species and subspecies at It was especially pleasing to see Other odd birds from New the recovery of the bird collec- Zoologischer Garten Berlin, a male Bronze-tailed Peacock Guinea were Channel-billed tion progressed through the more than any zoo collection Pheasant at Berlin, as there Cuckoos (Scythrops novaehol- 1950’s. According to the Inter- in North America. have not been any in Ameri- landiae), which looked like national Zoo Yearbook, there Th e long, rather low build- can zoos for years. (“It’s nice to some sort of strange hornbill. were 1,534 birds of 386 species ing known as the Pheasantry see them now” remarked Jean Like some other rare birds at in the collection at the end of displays more species then Delacour, as we were look- Berlin, as well as some other 1959. A year later there were most U.S. zoo’s entire bird ing at some Bronze-tails at German zoos, these came 473 taxa, and a year aft er that collections. Opened in 1962, San Diego in 1979, “But they from the Swiss celebrity band- 584. At the end of 1965 there it allows viewing of both the won’t be here long—Th ey’re leader Pepe Lienhard, who were 702 species and subspe- indoor and outdoor facili- too dull!”) In contrast, Pala- has remarkable taste in aviary cies. Th e highest year-end sta- ties of most of its inhabitants. wan Peacock Pheasants are birds. As I had mentioned in tistic recorded by the IZY was Beautifully craft ed wood and one of the more well-repre- Part I, I failed to see Cologne’s for 31 December, 1970 (when glass doors allow the birds sented pheasants in U.S. zoos. pair, the only others in a Euro- San Diego Zoo inventoried access to landscaped outdoor It was nice to see this species pean Zoo. Like Cologne’s in 1,097 taxa of birds). runs. Th e indoor area is deco- on display near the other two the past, this pair is kept with Th ere were then 742 avian rated with wonderful wooden peacock pheasants. White-backed Australian taxa at Zoologischer Garten ornaments form the Wading Th e Pheasantry houses a Magpies, whose melodious Berlin (with a total animal Bird House, which was demol- bewildering array of birds: calls could be heard from quite inventory of 2,410 taxa, and ished in WWII, as well as a Pearl-spotted Owlets, Noctur- a distance. Th eir aviary is very 11,92 specimens). In contrast fi ne old metal sculpture of a nal and Bare-faced Curassows, large, so perhaps a breeding of AFA Watchbird 23 WB_35-4_v13.indd 23 FF 06/05/09 6/5/09 2:18:54 PM the world’s largest brood-par- We then stepped outdoors to asite may someday take place see the planted aviaries, where here. these nocturnal birds can for- Th e most celebrated birds age in the dark. We did not in the Pheasantry are not lit- stay long however, as it devel- erally on public display. At my oped we were standing in the visit, there was a video moni- Cassowary yard. Herr Lenzner tor revealing the inhabitant seemed unconcerned, though of a wooden shelter in a glass we noted Dr. Reinhard stood fronted room—the eighth in the doorway. When a Dou- surviving North Island Brown ble-wattled Cassowary came Kiwi chick hatched at Zool- around the corner, we all went ogishcer Garten Berlin. Dr. back in. Th is exhibit, where Reinhard attributes Berlin’s cassowaries have been bred, is success with this species to one of a series of yards, includ- their being kept out of doors, ing one for Maguari Storks, since there is much similarity which, along with an enclo- between the climates of Ger- sure for Waldrapps, front on many and New Zealand With the famous Nineteenth Cen- Head Bird Keeper Th omas tury canal that runs along Lenzner, he took us behind one side of the zoo. Boats full scenes, fi rst to the simple look- of sight-seers and pedestrians ing chest-like wooden struc- on the banks thus get a “shop tures, several feet tall, which window” view of some of the Goldie’s Lorikeets (Psitteuteles goldiei) at Zoologischer Garten Berlin. were the kiwi’s indoor shelters. zoo’s inhabitants. 24 Volume XXXV • Number 4 • 2008 WB_35-4_v13.indd 24 FF 06/05/09 6/5/09 2:18:55 PM A few steps from the Pheas- carefully maintained in the antry are aviaries where James’ succeeding four decades.