Wading Birds in North American Zoos

[birdsandbats]

Here I have attempted to make a complete list of herons, ibises, and spoonbills present in American and Canadian collections. Only information 2017 or newer was used. Information on missing holders or species, as well as information on subspecies or populations is welcomed.

Boat-billed Heron (15 holders)
Bronx Zoo (ridgwayi)
Brookfield Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Dallas World Aquarium (panamensis)
Detroit Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo
Fresno Chaffe Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Milwaukee County Zoo
National Aquarium in Baltimore
San Antonio Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Zoo de Granby
Zoo Miami

Black-crowned Night-Heron (7 holders)
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Saint Louis Zoo
Salisbury Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
SeaWorld San Diego
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Wild Wonders Wildlife Park

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (4 holders)
Dallas World Aquarium
Florida Aquarium
Fort Worth Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo

Green Heron (6 holders)
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
California Living Museum
Detroit Zoo
Florida Aquarium
Milwaukee County Zoo
Sequoia Park Zoo

Javan Pond-Heron (6 holders)
Audubon Zoo
Bronx Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Zoo Miami
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Cattle Egret (10 holders)
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Memphis Zoo
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Oregon Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
Tennessee Aquarium
Toronto Zoo
Tulsa Zoo

Great Blue Heron (2 holders)
California Living Museum
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Great Egret (2 holders)
Saint Louis Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Black Heron (1 holder)
San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Snowy Egret (4 holders)
Bronx Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo
Tennessee Aquarium

Little Blue Heron (1 holder)
San Antonio Zoo

African Sacred Ibis (8 holders)
Audubon Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Special Memories Zoo
Toronto Zoo
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Straw-necked Ibis (4 holders)
Audubon Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
San Antonio Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo

Waldrapp Ibis (8 holders)
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Louisville Zoo
Milwaukee County Zoo
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
San Francisco Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Toledo Zoo and Aquarium

Southern Bald Ibis (3 holders)
Bronx Zoo
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Hadada Ibis (10 holders)
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Fort Worth Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo (brevirostris)
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Lincoln Park Zoo
Oregon Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium

Black-faced Ibis (3 holders)
Bronx Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
National Aviary

American White Ibis (5 holders)
Aquarium of the Pacific
Florida Aquarium
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Saint Louis Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo

Scarlet Ibis (15 holders)
Assiniboine Park Zoo
Audubon Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Detroit Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Milwaukee County Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
Moody Gardens
National Aquarium in Baltimore
Palm Beach Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
Toronto Zoo
Zoo Atlanta

White-faced Ibis (1 holder)
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Puna Ibis (1 holder)
Sedgwick County Zoo

Madagascar Crested Ibis (2 holders)
Forth Worth Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park

African Spoonbill (8 holders)
Detroit Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Lincoln Park Zoo
Oakland Zoo
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Toronto Zoo

Roseate Spoonbill (13 holders)
Assiniboine Park Zoo
Bronx Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Cape May County Park & Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Minnesota Zoo
Palm Beach Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Smithsonian National Zoo
ZooAmerica

 

[Yi Qi]

Toronto has scarlet ibises and sunbitterns (if the latter count)

 

[Coelacanth18]

Here I have attempted to make a complete list of herons, ibises, and spoonbills present in American and Canadian collections.

sunbitterns (if the latter count)

Are we doing strictly herons, ibises, or spoonbills? Do hamerkop, shoebill, or pelicans count? (Those are the other three families in Pelecaniformes).

 

[birdsandbats]

Are we doing strictly herons, ibises, or spoonbills? Do hamerkop, shoebill, or pelicans count? (Those are the other three families in Pelecaniformes).

Those three families have been covered in different threads by @Great Argus.

 

[drill]

Wildlife Images and Washington Park Zoo exhibit Sacred ibis.

 

[Coelacanth18]

Boat-billed Heron: Buffalo, Caldwell, Denver, Dickerson Park, Reid Park, and the National Aviary
Roseate Spoonbill - Reid Park, National Aviary, Buffalo, Birmingham
Scarlet Ibis - Reid Park, National Aviary, Buffalo, Caldwell, Oregon, Santa Barbara
Sacred Ibis - Oregon, Chehaw Park, Santa Barbara
Snowy Egret - Saint Louis, National Aviary, Lincoln Children's
Waldrapp Ibis - Dallas, Micke Grove, Chehaw Park
BC Night Heron - Buffalo
YC Night Heron - Buffalo
Cattle Egret - Buffalo, National Aviary
Southern Bald Ibis - National Aviary
Javan Pond Heron - National Aviary
Hadada Ibis - National Aviary
Straw-necked Ibis - Kansas City
Great Egret - Miami
White-faced Ibis - Saint Louis

 

[Imperator Furiosa]

In 2018 and 2019 I noted cattle egret at the Denver Zoo; black-crowned night herons at the John Ball Zoo and Cosley Zoo; American white ibis at Brookfield; great egret at Brookfield; scarlet ibis at Lincoln Park, Central Park, and Bronx; roseatte spoonbills at Denver; and African spoonbills at Bronx.

Additionally, the Maryland Zoo holds black-crowned night heron, cattle egret, green heron, Hadada ibis, and little blue heron according to their website.

 

[Youssarian]

BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo has Roseate Spoonbill and Javan Pond Heron

 

[Great Argus]

Black-crowned Night-Heron (7 holders)
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Saint Louis Zoo
Salisbury Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
SeaWorld San Diego
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Wild Wonders Wildlife Park

Where are you getting Seaworld San Diego from?
CuriOdyssey does keep them.

Javan Pond-Heron (6 holders)
Audubon Zoo
Bronx Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Zoo Miami
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

San Diego Zoo should still be a holder.

Waldrapp Ibis (8 holders)
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Louisville Zoo
Milwaukee County Zoo
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
San Francisco Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Toledo Zoo and Aquarium

Oregon Zoo

Scarlet Ibis (15 holders)
Assiniboine Park Zoo
Audubon Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Detroit Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Milwaukee County Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
Moody Gardens
National Aquarium in Baltimore
Palm Beach Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
Toronto Zoo
Zoo Atlanta

DWA. Also Sequoia Park Zoo should still hold, have seen them at Fresno Chaffee and San Francisco in years past, don't know whether the latter two still hold.

White-faced Ibis (1 holder)
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Tracy Aviary I believe is a holder.

Madagascar Crested Ibis (2 holders)
Forth Worth Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park

I want to say there was signage for them somewhere in SDZ, but can't confirm that.

Roseate Spoonbill (13 holders)
Assiniboine Park Zoo
Bronx Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Cape May County Park & Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Minnesota Zoo
Palm Beach Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Smithsonian National Zoo
ZooAmerica

San Francisco and Fresno have housed them in the past. May still.

 

[Coelacanth18]

Fresno does indeed still hold Roseate Spoonbill and Scarlet Ibis, in addition to Cattle Egret.

 

[Coelacanth18]

African Spoonbill - Calgary, Dallas, Cameron Park, Honolulu, Lowry Park, Milwaukee, and Safari West
Roseate Spoonbill - Utah's Hogle, Lowry Park, Safari West, Alexandria, Brevard, San Francisco, Florida Aquarium, Gladys Porter, Busch Gardens Tampa
Scarlet Ibis - Bronx, Hogle, North Carolina, Safari West, Stone, San Francisco, Hattiesburg, Rosamond Gifford, Cameron Park, Connecticut's Beardsley, Brevard, Brights, Alexandria, Texas State Aquarium, Moody Gardens, Gladys Porter, Busch Gardens Tampa
Cattle Egret - Safari West
Sacred Ibis - Safari West, Brights
Waldrapp Ibis - Safari West
Madagascar Crested Ibis - San Diego
BC Night Heron - Alexandria
YC Night Heron - Alexandria
Great Egret - Alexandria
Green Heron - Alexandria, Texas State Aquarium
American White Ibis - Alexandria, Texas State Aquarium
Hadada Ibis - Maryland Zoo-Baltimore, Micke Grove, Omaha's Henry Doorly
Javan Pond Heron - Busch Gardens Tampa

Calgary also has either Waldrapp or Southern Bald Ibis, not sure which.

And I'm sure there's still plenty more roseate spoonbills and scarlet ibises out there to count...

 

[birdsandbats]

Thanks everyone. I figured I missed a lot, but I had no idea I would get this much so fast!

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Here's what further information I know copied from my lifelist (sorry for the repeated information, it's just easier to copy and paste rather than go back and forth to double check the various lists and I'm in a hurry):

American Great Egret: California Living Museum, Living Desert Zoo
Great Blue Heron: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (fannini), California Living Museum (wardi)
Javan Pond-Heron: Bronx Zoo, ZooTampa(?)
Cattle Egret: Beardsley Zoo, Dallas Zoo, San Antonio Zoo
Green Heron: California Living Museum (anthonyi)
Boat-Billed Heron: Dallas World Aquarium (panamensis), Bronx Zoo (ridgwayi & non-ssp), Franklin Park Zoo (ridgwayi), Riverbanks Zoo (ridgwayi), Staten Island Zoo (ridgwayi), Cincinnati Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo
Black Heron: San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Little Blue Heron: San Antonio Zoo
Snowy Egret: Bronx Zoo
Tricolored Heron: Cincinnati Zoo (ruficollis)
Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron: Dallas World Aquarium (nominate)
Black-Crowned Night-Heron (all nominate): Bronx Zoo, Beardsley Zoo, California Living Museum, Living Desert Zoo
Hadada Ibis: Franklin Park Zoo (brevirostris), San Antonio Zoo (brevirostris), Fort Worth Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld Discovery Cove, Wildlife World Zoo (nilotica? probably not)
American White Ibis: Aquarium of the Pacific
Scarlet Ibis: Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, Beardsley Zoo, Dallas World Aquarium, Fort Worth Zoo, Franklin Park Zoo, Gladys Porter Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Santa Ana Zoo, Santa Barbara, Staten Island Zoo, Tulsa Zoo, Wildlife World Zoo
Southern Bald Ibis: Bronx Zoo, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Wildlife World Zoo
Northern Bald Ibis: Bronx Zoo, Houston Zoo, Living Desert Zoo, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo(?)
Madagascar Crested Ibis: Bronx Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Roseate Spoonbill: Bronx Zoo, Fort Worth Zoo, Gladys Porter Zoo, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo, ZooAmerica
African Spoonbill: Bronx Zoo, Houston Zoo, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, ZooTampa(?)
White-Faced Ibis: SeaWorld Discovery World(?)
Puna Ibis: Segdwick County Zoo, Tracy Aviary(?)
Black-Faced Ibis: Bronx Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo
African Sacred Ibis: Philadelphia Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, ZooTampa
Straw-Necked Ibis: San Antonio Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo

~Thylo

 

[Coelacanth18]

@ThylacineAlive what does (?) indicate? A species unseen, not seen in or after 2017, can't remember...?

 

[Coelacanth18]

Waldrapp Ibis - Miami
Straw-necked Ibis - Miami
Roseate Spoonbill - Miami, Caldwell
Hadada Ibis - Oakland, African Lion Safari
Cattle Egret - Oakland
Sacred Ibis - Oakland, Baton Rouge, Caldwell, Cape May County, Cameron Park
Scarlet Ibis - Cape May County
Black-headed Ibis - Cape May County (the last individual in an AZA zoo)

 

[ThylacineAlive]

@ThylacineAlive what does (?) indicate? A species unseen, not seen in or after 2017, can't remember...?

It means the zoo once kept the species but I'm not sure if they still do.

~Thylo

 

[Echobeast]

Cheyenne Mountain holds cattle egrets.

 

[Pier-Luc Chouinard]

Écomuséum has Black-crowned Night Heron.

Granby has a pair of Cattle Egret.

 

[birdsandbats]

Update:

Boat-billed Heron (23 holders)
Bronx Zoo (ridgwayi)
Brookfield Zoo
Buffalo Zoo
Caldwell Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Dallas World Aquarium (panamensis)
Denver Zoo
Detroit Zoo
Dickerson Park Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo (ridgwayi)
Fresno Chaffe Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Milwaukee County Zoo
National Aquarium in Baltimore
National Aviary
Reid Park Zoo
Riverbanks Zoo (ridgwayi)
San Antonio Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Staten Island Zoo (ridgwayi)
Zoo de Granby
Zoo Miami

Black-crowned Night-Heron (15 holders)
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
Bronx Zoo (nycticorax)
Buffalo Zoo
California Living Museum (nycticorax)
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo (nycticorax)
Cosley Zoo
CuriOdyssey
Écomuséum Zoo
John Ball Zoo
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Saint Louis Zoo
Salisbury Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (nycticorax)
Wild Wonders Wildlife Park

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (5 holders)
Buffalo Zoo
Dallas World Aquarium (violacea)
Florida Aquarium
Fort Worth Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo

Green Heron (7 holders)
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
California Living Museum (anthonyi)
Detroit Zoo
Florida Aquarium
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Milwaukee County Zoo
Sequoia Park Zoo

Javan Pond-Heron (9 holders)
Audubon Zoo
BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo
Bronx Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
National Aviary
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
San Diego Zoo
Zoo Miami
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Cattle Egret (20 holders)
Buffalo Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Denver Zoo
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Granby Zoo
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Memphis Zoo
National Aviary
Oakland Zoo
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Oregon Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
Tennessee Aquarium
Toronto Zoo
Tulsa Zoo

Great Blue Heron (3 holders)
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (fannini)
California Living Museum (wardi)
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Great Egret (5 holders)
Brookfield Zoo
California Living Museum (egretta)
Saint Louis Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (egretta)
Zoo Miami

Black Heron (1 holder)
San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Tricolored Heron (1 holder)
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (ruficollis)

Snowy Egret (7 holders)
Bronx Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Lincoln Children's Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo
National Aviary
Saint Louis Zoo
Tennessee Aquarium

Little Blue Heron (2 holders)
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
San Antonio Zoo

African Sacred Ibis (20 holders)
Audubon Zoo
BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo
Caldwell Zoo
Cape May County Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo
Chehaw Park Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Oakland Zoo
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Oregon Zoo
Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens
Philadelphia Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Santa Barbara Zoo
Special Memories Zoo
Toronto Zoo
Washington Park Zoo
Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Black-headed Ibis (1 holder)
Cape May County Zoo

Straw-necked Ibis (6 holders)
Audubon Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Kansas City Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Zoo Miami

Waldrapp Ibis (15 holders)
Bronx Zoo
Chehaw Park Zoo
Dallas Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Louisville Zoo
Micke Grove Zoo
Milwaukee County Zoo
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Oregon Zoo
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
San Francisco Zoo
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
Zoo Miami

Southern Bald Ibis (5 holders)
Bronx Zoo
National Aviary
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium

Hadada Ibis (16 holders)
African Lion Safari
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Fort Worth Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo (brevirostris)
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Lincoln Park Zoo
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
National Aviary
Oakland Zoo
Oregon Zoo
San Antonio Zoo (brevirostris)
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco Zoo
SeaWorld Discovery Cove
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium

Black-faced Ibis (4 holders)
Bronx Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
National Aviary

American White Ibis (6 holders)
Aquarium of the Pacific
Brookfield Zoo
Florida Aquarium
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Saint Louis Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo

Scarlet Ibis (40 holders)
Audubon Zoo
Bronx Zoo
Buffalo Zoo
Caldwell Zoo
Cape May County Zoo
Central Park Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Dallas World Aquarium
Detroit Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo
Franklin Park Zoo
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Gladys Porter Zoo
Lincoln Park Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Milwaukee County Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
Moody Gardens
National Aquarium in Baltimore
National Aviary
Oregon Zoo
Palm Beach Zoo
Prospect Park Zoo
Reid Park Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco Zoo
Santa Ana Zoo
Santa Barbara Zoo
Sequoia Park Zoo
Staten Island Zoo
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
Toronto Zoo
Toronto Zoo
Tulsa Zoo
Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium
Zoo Atlanta

White-faced Ibis (3 holders)
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Saint Louis Zoo
Tracy Aviary

Puna Ibis (1 holder)
Sedgwick County Zoo

Madagascar Crested Ibis (2 holders)
Forth Worth Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park

African Spoonbill (9 holders)
Bronx Zoo
Detroit Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Lincoln Park Zoo
Oakland Zoo
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Toronto Zoo

Roseate Spoonbill (25 holders)
Assiniboine Park Zoo
Birmingham Zoo
BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo
Bronx Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
Buffalo Zoo
Caldwell Zoo
Cape May County Park & Zoo
Denver Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Gladys Porter Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Minnesota Zoo
National Aviary
Palm Beach Zoo
Reid Park Zoo
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
Santa Fe Teaching Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Smithsonian National Zoo
ZooAmerica
Zoo Miami

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Again, both Bronx and the San Diego Zoo also keep Madagascar Crested Ibis.

To be clear, I'm fairly certain that all the Black-Crowned Night-Herons, Cattle Egrets, and Great Egrets are going to be the native North American subspecies.

~Thylo