zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
At least 1 Hammerkop arrived 2 weeks ago to go in this aviary its currently living with the Scarlet Ibis but its not got a sign.
Chester Zoo Birds for the African Aviary
- Thread starter zoogiraffe
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Lilac-breasted Rollers have been kept for many years in the original bird house.
Intrestingly although Chester are opening an Afircan aviary, recent arrivals include Fairy Bluebirds and Rufous-bellied Niltavias. There also seems to be a new pair of Bali Starlings (or Rothschild's Mynah as it will always be to me).
Intrestingly although Chester are opening an Afircan aviary, recent arrivals include Fairy Bluebirds and Rufous-bellied Niltavias. There also seems to be a new pair of Bali Starlings (or Rothschild's Mynah as it will always be to me).
The thing that would most remind me of Africa would be black-headed village weavers building their nests in a tree near the public path. They do have the birds already, but they might wreck the aviary's new planting.
Alan
Alan
Visited Chester today and had a spare 2 hours to kill, so I went to the zoo.
The new African Aviary is now open and looks very good (although will look better when it is more populated)
The species list:
- Village Weaver
- Snowy crested robin chat
- Lilac breasted roller
- Superb Starling
- Schalow's Turaco
- White bellied go-away bird
- Blacksmith plover
- Hottentot Teal
- Hammerkop
- Von Der Decken's Hornbill
Of those, i saw the weaver, lilac breasted roller, superb starling, go away bird, teal and the hornbill.
p.s. the Pelicans are also back in their lake
The new African Aviary is now open and looks very good (although will look better when it is more populated)
The species list:
- Village Weaver
- Snowy crested robin chat
- Lilac breasted roller
- Superb Starling
- Schalow's Turaco
- White bellied go-away bird
- Blacksmith plover
- Hottentot Teal
- Hammerkop
- Von Der Decken's Hornbill
Of those, i saw the weaver, lilac breasted roller, superb starling, go away bird, teal and the hornbill.
p.s. the Pelicans are also back in their lake
It's a double door system (and use those ropes like the butterfly house) in a "hut". You enter through the first door, pass through the ropes, then pass through the second door into the enclosure.
The interior is very well themed with fake termite mounds and boulders and African styled thatched fences to keep the public out of the animal areas.
If I were to make one update to it, I'd include a "field guide" of the birds in the enclosure inside the entry huts (I would also do this with the butterfly house).
There are basic signs (picture and name) of the birds in the viewing shelter
Really cant wait for my next visit now. The species list is nice, if slightly predictable. Hopefully some more exiting species shall arrive shortly.
Im glad the Pelicans are back. Are they the Dalmatian Pelicans though as someone (Rob?) did mention another Pelican species replacing them.
Im glad the Pelicans are back. Are they the Dalmatian Pelicans though as someone (Rob?) did mention another Pelican species replacing them.
Simon McGlary
Well-Known Member
One species would really complete that aviary and it's not a bird!
Dik dik live quite happily with birds. the African Aviary at Edinburgh has dik dik and they seem quite happy.
Generally I really like these mixed species exhibits as, particularly where the animals would live in the same part of the world, it makes thing not only more natural but more interesting as well. As a visitor to a zoo I want to see animals displaying natural behaviour in a more natural environment (that's if I am able to see them!)
I'll be looking forward to seeing this when I visit Chester in September!
Dik dik live quite happily with birds. the African Aviary at Edinburgh has dik dik and they seem quite happy.
Generally I really like these mixed species exhibits as, particularly where the animals would live in the same part of the world, it makes thing not only more natural but more interesting as well. As a visitor to a zoo I want to see animals displaying natural behaviour in a more natural environment (that's if I am able to see them!)
I'll be looking forward to seeing this when I visit Chester in September!
Hi Simon,
I am not sure whether enclosures like the African Aviary always suit mixed species exhibition. Dikdik are an interesting species, but I have seen the layout of the exhibit before it was opened and space limitations and probable browsing by dikdiks would ultimately destroy the vegetation. So, a bit impractical here. Besides, the project dept. at Chester always take great care with design of new exhibits, with particular redress to species to be maintained in them. A prior analysis of all potential haps and mishaps is part of that design process. Again, I think this time dikdik would not suit the African Aviary. I would however love to see dikdik in the African area. We might have to wait and see what else the MP has in store for us.
I am not sure whether enclosures like the African Aviary always suit mixed species exhibition. Dikdik are an interesting species, but I have seen the layout of the exhibit before it was opened and space limitations and probable browsing by dikdiks would ultimately destroy the vegetation. So, a bit impractical here. Besides, the project dept. at Chester always take great care with design of new exhibits, with particular redress to species to be maintained in them. A prior analysis of all potential haps and mishaps is part of that design process. Again, I think this time dikdik would not suit the African Aviary. I would however love to see dikdik in the African area. We might have to wait and see what else the MP has in store for us.
I was at Chester today and I enjoyed my first visit to the African Aviary. I saw all the advertised species, except the turacos and the robin-chats. I was very pleased to see that the weavers are building nests already.
Obviously the aviary will look better when the vegetation has grown a little more, particularly behind the pool, which looks rather bare. I quite agree that it would not suit dikdiks, which would feel uneasy and hide for most of the time.
There is room for some more birds, but I hope they don't intend to add any species that are much larger than the ones they have - I don't think there is enough space. But there are many species that might be suitable. It's a long time since I lived in Africa, but I could suggest wood-hoopoes, jacana (both of which are in London's African walk-throughs), laughing doves or blue-spotted wood doves, barbets and possibly coucals.
The other thught that crossed my mind was that if a smaller aviary was constructed with smaller mesh, you could keep a wonderful variety waxbills with mannikins and sunbirds, which would be equally African, but on a smaller scale.
Alan
Obviously the aviary will look better when the vegetation has grown a little more, particularly behind the pool, which looks rather bare. I quite agree that it would not suit dikdiks, which would feel uneasy and hide for most of the time.
There is room for some more birds, but I hope they don't intend to add any species that are much larger than the ones they have - I don't think there is enough space. But there are many species that might be suitable. It's a long time since I lived in Africa, but I could suggest wood-hoopoes, jacana (both of which are in London's African walk-throughs), laughing doves or blue-spotted wood doves, barbets and possibly coucals.
The other thught that crossed my mind was that if a smaller aviary was constructed with smaller mesh, you could keep a wonderful variety waxbills with mannikins and sunbirds, which would be equally African, but on a smaller scale.
Alan
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http://www.chesterzoo.org/en/Home/News/May 2009/Tsavo National Park Bird Safari.aspx
it's on the official site now
it's on the official site now
I went to see this aviary yesterday and it is better than I expected. I saw all the birds apart form the chats and the turacos. The rollers are nesting, and there was some slight aggression between a roller and the male hornbill. There is also a nice view of the pelicans next door.