As much as I love the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, I do
have to admit – the bird collection is rather small. That’s okay by me, though. It just means that when I’m in Pittsburgh, I
have an excuse to drive across town to see one of the country’s best bird
displays at the excellent National Aviary.
As a facility, the National Aviary is limited by its
campus. Except for the attached condor
and eagle enclosures, the Aviary is one building with no outdoor
components. This does limit the
collection, and some visitors might be disappointed to see that some of the
largest and most popular zoo birds – such as the ratites and the cranes – are not
featured here. Inside, however, you can find a very impressive selection of
birds from around the world, including many rarities from a zoo perspective.
Most of the birds are encountered in three habitat-themed walk-through
aviaries, each allowing the visitor to walk among an impressive assortment of
birds. In the Wetland, visitors walk
along the water’s edge, where American flamingos strut and pelicans swim, while Inca terns wheel overhead and curassows perch on guard rails. Beautiful
finches and doves flit about in the Grassland.
In the Tropical Rainforest, ibises, macaws, and starlings are among the
birds encountered. The disadvantage (for
the visitor) of such massive aviaries is that it can make it difficult to find
some of the birds, but when you do spot them, it’s a great treat. I spent twenty minutes alone in the
Rainforest trying to find and photograph the African jacana, a splay-footed
bird that walks across lily pads. I
never did get a good picture, but it was incredible to watch the beautiful
little bird as it popped in and out of view, weaving its way through the water
and ducking behind roots and vines.
There are single-species exhibits as well, the most
impressive of which hold the Aviary’s biggest birds – Andean condors, bald
eagles, and (my favorite) stunning Steller’s sea eagles. Other displays include rhinoceros hornbills,
spectacled owls, and a wonderful African penguin display, complete with underwater
viewing. A special window allows guests
a peak behind-the-scenes to watch aviculturalists prepare diets for their
charges.
For most visitors, the lorikeet feeding aviary is the
highlight. For a facility that is
literally one building, the National Aviary has a lot of great opportunities to
get personal with the birds. Besides the
lorikeet feedings and the walk-through aviaries, there are free flight bird shows,
educational interactions, and even special encounters that allows visitors to
meet the penguins and flamingos. The
National Aviary is truly one of the best facilities in America for bringing
people and birds together.
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