Chlidonias: I didn't reply to this one because, like you, I couldn't make sense of the blue thing. When I saw you had replied, I thougt 'oh good, he knows what it is....'
Or maybe blue-black Grosbeak Cyanocompsa cyanoides or one of the other birds in the genus, I've only seen Ultramarine Grosbeak but it doesnt look right for that species.
The free flight aviary in Buenos aires zoo features south american birds that do well in the outdoors, it was not indoors. I was told by keeper that Many birds were confiscated from the illegal traders. many are from northern argentina, near brazil and also the chaco area near paraguay.
The aviary was brand new and nice to see to many new species for me. However, no labels or guide sheets anywhere. I will await the final veredict on the little blue fellow before changing the tittle.
My first choice would be an Ultramarine Grosbeak (Cyanocompsa brissonii), this specie is frequently victim of the illegal trade, but it's true that there is something that doesn't look right in this animal for the specie. Labels and information signs are not Buenos Aires Zoo strongest point.
Great photos carlos!! I hope you enjoyed your trip. How did you find the zoo since your last visit?
Estimado Ocean Boy,
The new free flight aviary was great, before these birds were in very small cages and impossible to photograph well. I saw no other major changes at the zoo, some species changed spaces, there were new tamanduas, and howler monkeys and spider monkeys both with young. Oh, and i noticed the cheetahs and kangaroos seem to have left.
Renovating that old aviary was a very good improvement. It seems that the zoo is trying to increase the population of native animals, they brought many animals from Zoo de Córdoba, may be in exchange for the male white lion that was sent there months ago.
During my last visit, there was some construction around the cheetahs cages, so they were temporaly living in the secundary exhibits of the feline complex. No idea if the zoo decided to get rid of them, I'll try to find out. Sad to hear that the only remaining kangaroo is gone, the zoo did not have much luck with them.
