Charles Paddock Zoo reopens aviary after renovations

The exhibit will feature new exotic birds from around the world, including species such as the white-cheeked turaco, Lady Amherst pheasant, the crested cuoa, and the white-faced whistling duck.

The aviary was damaged three years ago when an oak tree fell on it, only slightly tearing its heavy fabric netting but crushing some of the bars that support the netting. The exhibit was kept open initially, with the netting repaired and the tree resting on top of the structure, zoo director Alan Baker said. But several months ago, the exhibit was closed for repairs and remodeling.

With the oak tree removed and the structure repaired, the renovated exhibit is home to dozens of new plantings — including palm and bay trees, acacias, bamboo and a variety of grasses. It also features upgraded, energy-efficient water pumps to fill pools for the birds. And the zoo installed a new electrical system for heaters to keep the birds warm on cold nights or when they are sick.

“One of the nice things about what we were able to do as well was move some of the old birds to other zoos and bring in new birds,” Baker said. “Some of these birds then may be housed later in some of our other exhibits. We’ll be able to put a pheasant in with the new red panda exhibit.”

The pheasant and pandas come from the same part of the world, and they’ll be able to co-exist peacefully, Baker said.

Baker said the birds chosen for the aviary are ones known by zookeepers to live harmoniously in the same exhibit.

“Sometimes all it takes is one kind of bird to freak out all the other birds,” Baker said. “We wouldn’t want a predatory bird in there with a song bird, for example.”

Another new feature of the exhibit will be a hut that resembles a biological research station from the early 20th century.

“It’s a Panamian-style hut like something (American naturalist) William Beebe might have used to conduct his research in the 1920s,” Baker said. “It will have notes in a notebook, marking a discovery about what plant an African barbet likes to eat. Of course, the materials are just representations, not actual notes.”

Baker said that he hasn’t determined how many birds will be housed in the exhibit, but it could have up to 15 in the near future with more being added over time. Baker said the zoo will look for mates for birds as well, with the goal of increasing the populations of certain endangered species.

“Zoos have been very influential in building up populations of endangered species, and, eventually returning them to the wild,” Baker said. “That happened with condors.”

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 9:25 PM with the headline "Charles Paddock Zoo reopens aviary after renovations."