The exhibit was once open fronted, and themed as a Wetlands home. During the renovation, it was transformed into this, but contained Andean cock-of-the-rocks... for about a week.
The painted backdrop to this exhibit is very well done, and quite natural-looking. However, the space for such large birds doesn't appear to be very large.
@snowleopard I was very disappointed in this move. Should've just kept the cock of the rocks. Nice to see the hornbills back but they might as well have not moved them from their aviary in the Australasian exhibit. It's about the same size. Rumor says that the zoo will combine this and the neighboring Grasslands habitat to give the rhinos more space.
This is a completely different all female pair brought in from another zoo, not the one's formally housed off-exhibit. The COTR were just in the exhibit until these birds cleared quarantine.
Why do they not permanently exhibit the cocks-of-the-rock? They would look much nicer in this exhibit, or especially in the South American walk-in aviary (where I believe they are still signed?).
I love the painted backdrop (reminds me a bit of those in the excellent AMNH taxidermy dioramas) but I hope these birds have access to an outside aviary enclosure.
