Kinds of Birds Not Seen in Captivity

Are there any grebes currently in the US or Canada?
The aforementioned Red-necked Grebe at the Biodome is the most recent/current one I'm aware of. Aquarium of the Pacific had a Pied-billed Grebe in the not too distant past.
The aforementioned Red-necked Grebe at the Biodome is the most recent/current one I'm aware of. Aquarium of the Pacific had a Pied-billed Grebe in the not too distant past.
The Aquarium does still have their Pied Billed Grebe. Here’s a photo from a few months ago:
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They may have come off exhibit when they shut down the coastal marsh exhibit for bird flu.
 

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No zoos have loons do they?

There's the Loon Center in New Hampshire, which doesn't have any captive visible, but there's a trail behind it that takes you to a lake where you can see at least one wild nest. The Center itself is small but has lots of information, a video, and a really fantastic gift shop with so many amazing loon things.
 
There's the Loon Center in New Hampshire, which doesn't have any captive visible, but there's a trail behind it that takes you to a lake where you can see at least one wild nest. The Center itself is small but has lots of information, a video, and a really fantastic gift shop with so many amazing loon things.

It may not have captive loons but it does have one of the best names for a wildlife center I’ve heard :p
 
It may not have captive loons but it does have one of the best names for a wildlife center I’ve heard :p

They have a lot of joke themed stuff in the gift shop, too :) Really one of the best gift shops I've ever been in! I got some loon string lights, among other things. Still don't know where to put them but they are the best.
 
They have a lot of joke themed stuff in the gift shop, too :) Really one of the best gift shops I've ever been in! I got some loon string lights, among other things. Still don't know where to put them but they are the best.
Do you think the loon center has more loon stuff in their gift shop then ICF has crane stuff in theirs? I need to visit the loon center to answer my own stupid question. ;)
 
Do you think the loon center has more loon stuff in their gift shop then ICF has crane stuff in theirs? I need to visit the loon center to answer my own stupid question. ;)

I want to go to ICF so much! There's a few things in their online gift shop that I want. They probably have more, but they have a whole group of species to focus on, not just one ;)
 
No zoos have loons do they?

I was able to get a tour of Avian Haven in Maine earlier this month. They are a rehab facility specializing in birds and they have a designated loon enclosure in addition to a general aquatics building. They are not open to the public and they had no loons on site when I visited but it was very interesting to see an enclosure purpose built for them. It's a large hoop house enclosed in netting with a large pond taking up the majority of floor space. There are natural plants (including lilies) and the pool is around four feet deep.

There is a photo that looks like it was taken right after construction about halfway down this page.

Too the best of my knowledge the last place to have them on public display was Minnesota Zoo but they have not had any for some time.

Edit: It appears the Biodome had a male Red Throated Loon as recently as 2015. They're quietly making a name for themselves in the "rare in human care diving birds" department, it seems.
 
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There’s a Central American cultural myth that Resplendent Quetzals, as a symbol of freedom, cannot survive in captivity. This has definitely been proven false, with multiple holders having them and captive breeding has been done before. Still the myth persists online.
 
There’s a Central American cultural myth that Resplendent Quetzals, as a symbol of freedom, cannot survive in captivity. This has definitely been proven false, with multiple holders having them and captive breeding has been done before. Still the myth persists online.
I recall mainly what killed captive quetzal was improper diet - quetzals need food which is low in iron, and contains tannic acid. Many captive diets prepared up until recently have lacked tannic acid, and the birds died.
Theoretically, now that dietary husbandry of quetzal has now been figured out, it could be good if a captive breeding programme for Resplendent quetzal or similar species was introduced - though how likely that is is anyone’s guess..
 
Theoretically, now that dietary husbandry of quetzal has now been figured out, it could be good if a captive breeding programme for Resplendent quetzal or similar species was introduced - though how likely that is is anyone’s guess..

There is a small population of Golden-headed Quetzal in the states still - and DWA may still have a Resplendent or two behind the scenes. A good handful of Resplendents are held successfully in Mexico iirc.
 
Took care for a trio of Resplendent quetzals at Weltvogelpark Walsrode between 1986 - 1989 and they did very well on a normal fruit-diet with some insect-food and now and them some pieces of freshwater-fish. During the period I took care for them they didn't breed but a few years later ( 1992 ) they did but the single chick hatched and was tried to handraised didn't survive :(. In Mexico a good number of young have however been bred at at least one private collection.
The last male at Walsrode died 1997 at an age of at least 17 years old.

 
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