In this case I think I have to agree with snowloepard and Chlidonias. You can actually work out how big the exhibit is based on the signs on the glass. If, and I think I am correct in this assumption, that these signs are your typical 8.5"x11" piece of paper. If this is the case, then the glass is no more than 24 inches high - two feet. The burrowing area seems to be about 75% of this height, so another 18 inches for a total of 42 inches or three and a half feet. The burrowing owl is only 7.5 to 11 inches in length so this exhibits, if my measurements are correct, is about 4 times the height of the entire bird.
As I say this, I hate critiquing exhibits, but here there is enough evidence in the photo to do so.
Only counting zoos that I've visited in the past year, here are 4 top-notch burrowing owl exhibits that are all outdoors and all quite large in size. They each put to shame the god-awful fish tank that is located at the National Aviary. I think that if there is a larger habitat for adults at the National Aviary then perhaps keeping juvenile owls in a temporary holding area indoors is acceptable, but if what is in the photo is the actual permanent exhibit than that is extraordinary in terms of both husbandry and presentation.
Since someone mentioned the burrowing owl exhibit at the Akron Zoo, I looked through the archive of my Akron Zoo photos and found a photo that shows the entire burrowing owl exhibit. The exhibit is L-shaped and is located outside of Grasslands Cafe. It used to be two separate exhibits when it opens ten years ago. A snake used to live in the glass portion of the exhibit. The partition was removed a while back to give the owls more room.
Since someone mentioned the burrowing owl exhibit at the Akron Zoo, I looked through the archive of my Akron Zoo photos and found a photo that shows the entire burrowing owl exhibit. The exhibit is L-shaped and is located outside of Grasslands Cafe. It used to be two separate exhibits when it opens ten years ago. A snake used to live in the glass portion of the exhibit. The partition was removed a while back to give the owls more room.
It's a really cool and breathtaking flight demonstration by some of the Aviary's most majestic birds of prey!Sky Deck puts you in the midst of the action as lanner falcons take to the sky in hot pursuit of lures tossed out by trainers, and a battalion of black kites performs remarkable aerial acrobatics.
