@geomorph they look quite ridiculous, a Shoveller's bill mounted on something half the size!
CPZ had three on show when I was there, that's the only time I've seen then other than at Slimbridge 5-6 years ago. CPZ bred them a few years ago, personally I think they are too special just to be left in the children's zoo!
@Dormitator I think the children's zoo's waterfowl pond is a little hidden gem of the collection and one of my favorite bits! When I visited in May they kept these, Harlequin Ducks, Long-Tailed Duck, Chinese Merganser, Red-Breasted Merganser, Pacific Eider, Baer's Pochard, Wild Swan Goose, White-Eared Duck, and Koklass Pheasant. I've seen Brown Eared-Pheasant and Sri Lankan Junglefowl here in the past, too.
@ThylacineAlive don't get me wrong, I love the weird aviary that's there, but I just can't help but feel that the land would be better used to improve the enclosures for the farm stock. Having said that, a dedicated walk-through gallo-anseriform aviary, full of obscure species is worth a visit no matter where it is, so I guess I shouldn't get too precious about them.
Were there any signs of anything breeding when you were last there? I'd be especially interested if they managed to breed the White-Eared Ducks...!
