Does anybody know what the history of this exhibit is? Was it purpose-built for the condors and/or other birds of prey, or was it previously used for other species?
@DavidBrown the aviary was originally built in 1912, the year that the zoo opened. Back then it was called the aquatic flying cage, and housed animals like pelicans, waterfowl, and flamingos.
This part of the flight cage is called the grotto, and was originally designed as the water source for the entire habitat. Over the years it was covered up and the water was removed, but the recent renovation uncovered the stonework and brought the water feature back in an effort to maintain the original vision for the historic exhibit.
