The Melbourne Zoo Bird Department by Ian Smith, Senior Birdkeeper, Bird Department, Melbourne Zoo Victoria, Australia he Melhourne Zoo is one of only four major zoos in T Australia. It is also one of the largest, covering 52 acres, and is situated in the Illiddle of a large inner­ city parkland, and only five minutes hy car from the center of Melhourne. Animals from Australia and all over the world ar displayed in land 'caped enclosures. Sonle exhihits are located in Bio-Clirnatic zones which is the heginning of the zoo's masterplan. Tbe ,!!, rcat jlight ol'imy. This plan will 'ee the zoo divided into Bio-Climatic Zones, including Asian and African Rainforests and Australian Eucalypt Woodland. Each zone will have species of animals on display that are indigenous to the specific habitat. The Bird Department has over 141 'pecies represented by over 900 indi­ vidual birds froin Australia and around the world. Most are on display in a range of landscaped aviaries and open roofed exhibits, while a small number of birds are in the extensive off-limit quarantine and hospital complex. The bird displays are located around the zoo grounds and include aviaries, lakes, and ponds which are landscaped and planted to represent particular habitats, including Rainforest and Woodland. I would now like to take you on a tour of the bird displays at the Melbourne Zoo and show you our dis- / 1 l'iC'll' q/ tbe I(){'(!/Jird e.YbiIJit. Look c(/rc:/i"~~I./()r the !it/Ie birds. plays and collection. the afa \VATCI-IBIRD 47 J African Rainforest Our first stop is the African Rainforest where we climb a wooden boardwalk to the Arboreal Primate Complex. The two aviaries are glass fronted at tree-top height and are planted as Rainforest Aviaries. The exhibit brings us face to face with a pair of African Grey Parrots P sittacus erithacus who might be mimicking the high pitched call of the White-cheeked Gibbons next door. The next aviary is at the other end of the boardwalk and this has a group of Fischer's Lovebirds Agapomis fischeri. ~ E The Asian Rice Field Aviary (f) c ~ We continue through the African >­ .0 Rainforest and enter the Asian oCI) Rainforest where we come to the first 2a.. of the Zoo's newest aviaries "The A \'(Ihitc-broll'cd ,\'ioodsl('o//oll' Asian Rice Field Aviary." Entry is via an entrance foyer which removes reflec­ la, Blue-faced Parrot Finch E1ythrura tions from the floor to ceiling glass trichroa) and Siamese Fireback across the front of the aviary. This Pheasant Lophura diardi. The two allows clear viewing of the aviary with­ Asian Rainforest aviaries are deSigned out the distraction of wire-mesh. The for easy viewing. Because the roof theme of this aviary is how many birds angles upwards towards the rear of the adapt and can actually benefit from aviary it gives no real indication of the man-made changes to their environ­ . depth; the foliage is thick and so IUO ' t ment. The main feature is a three­ of the frame is hidden which further tiered rice paddy field surrounded by improves the illusion that you are actu­ rainforest. The design represents an ally in the birds' habitat. area of Asian Rainforest, which has Leaving the Asian Rainforest we been modified by humans but is still a walk past the Kangaroo Exhibits. We home for birds. are now at the beginning of a bank of Black-winged Stilts Himantopus aviaries with a large range of Australian himantopus and Sacred Kingfishers parrots, passerines Csoftbill) and Todiramphus sanctus are two species pigeons. When built in the 1960s the that use the rice field both in the aviary complex consisted of 52 individual and in the wild. aviaries specifically for parrot breeding The other species include the Dusky with one pair of birds in each. A few Lory Pseudeos fuscata and the Emerald years ago the complex was re-devel­ Dove Chalcophaps indica, these birds oped by the reruoval of several dividing use the rainforest. Rice is grown and walls to increase the aviaries sizes and harvested each year in the aviary by the reduce the total number of aviaries to keepers and horticultural staff. 15. Landscaping and planting was com­ pleted to create displays representing Asian Rainforest Aviary different areas of the Australian wilder­ The next aviary is the Asian ness including grassland, coastal, wood­ Rainforest Aviary, which is of the same land, and rainforest. design as the previous one - it is plant­ The birds displayed feature parrot ed and landscaped to represent a small species including Scarlet-chested PalTot clearing surrounded by foliage. A small Neophema splendida, Bourke's Parrot number of birds are housed in this Neopsephotus bourkii, Cloncurry Parrot aviary so as to avoid damage to the Barnardius zonarius macgillivrayi, foliage. The birds include the Plum­ Princess Parrot Polytelis alexandrae The C/oJtcllny Rill!!,Jleck Parrot headed Parakeet PsittcK.ula cyanocepha- Golden-shouldered Parrot Psephotus 48 January/February 2000 chrysopterygius, and Purple-Crowned Zoo. The Great Flight Aviary is a 40- Cockatiels Nymphicus hollandicus, Lorikeet Clossopsitta porphyrocephala. year-old; 110 yards long and 33 yards Red-winged Parrots Aprosmictus ery­ Rainforest birds include Regent high walkthrough aviary. It is divided thropterus and Red-tailed Black Bowerbird Sericulus chrysocephalus into three habitat zones Rainforest Cockatoos Calyptorhynchus banskii. and Rose-crowned Fruit Dove Wetland, and Woodland. Entering into The aviary has over 30 species of birds Ptilinopus regina. Passerines (soft­ the Rainforest you see a Satin in total including water birds, ground bills or song birds) include Superb Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, birds, parrots, and passerines. Nearly Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus and Common Bronzewing Phaps chal­ all of the species breed and raise White-browed Woodswallow Attamus coptera and Australian Brush-turkey young in the aviary. Certain species in superciliosus. Alectura lathami. the collection breed only in this aviary. You continue walking along an ele­ Flightless Birds vated wooden boardwalk which is par­ Assorted Smaller Aviaries Opposite the above aviaries are the alel to the avia!)' wall. The walkway Our next stop is a circular aviary, Flightless Bird (Ratite) enclosures, crosses to the opposite side using a divided into eight separate aviaries with which are large yards with Southern large swing bridge which also serves as Australian species of birds in land­ Cassowary Casuarius casuarius, a division from the Wetland Zone scaped displays representing Rainforest, Ostrich Struthio camelus and Greater where you are at eye level with White­ Woodland, and Grassland habitats. The Rhea Rhea americana. A pair of Brolga faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae birds include Eclectus Parrot Eclectus Crus rubicunda are next to the Rhea. and Glossy Ibis Plegadis Jalcinellus, to roratus, Eastern Whipbird Psophodes They have been at the zoo for over 30 name but a few. The walkway comes to olivaceus, Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo years and have bred successfully eve!), a pier, which looks out over a large novaeguineae and Australian King year for most of this time. water area where a family of Blue-billed Parrot Alisterus scapularis. Ducks Oxyura australis is swimming. A large selection of fmches from The Great Flight Aviary The walkway continues and Australia and the world can be seen in When we walk to the end of the descends down to the water level and two aviaries designed especially for path in front of the Ratite yards we crosses using a pontoon bridge. Rising these active birds. 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Call, Write, or Email: • Nebulizer Adaptable 1690 BrandYWine Ave., Chula Vista, CA 91911 Phone: 619-216-3400' Fax: 619-216-3434 www.lyonelectric.com the afa WATCHBIRD 49 the rear, which is both the feed area and nesting area with hrush for nest building. The birds breed and raise their young in the aviary by thelTIselves. ll1e fronts of the aviaries are landscaped with large bushes and grasses for ground cover. Species include Cuban Grassquit Tiaris canora, Blue-faced Parrotfinch Erythrura trichroa, Pictorella Mannikin Heteromunia pec­ toralis, Painted Finch Emblema pictum, and Star Finch Neochmia ruficauda,. One of the aviaries also has a group of Hermann's Tortoises Testudo her­ manni, which is a small land tortoise from the Mediterranean region; these live happily with the birds. The tortois­ es stay in the aviary all-year-round and breed regularly each summer although The Asia II rice JJ(/ ( /{~) " e.xbibil. the eggs are incubated and hatched in the reptile department. There are a number of birds of prey and carnivorous bird species in sever­ al aviaries that vary in size and design from a very large wire and cable aviary with Little Eagles Hieraaetus mor­ phnoides and Whistling Kites Haliastur !:>phenurus.