Ratites and Tinamous in North America

Great Argus

Great Argus

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
A particularly well known group here, with the ostriches, emu, cassowaries, rheas, kiwis, as well as the tinamous. In case anyone is wondering about the way the list here is structured, I am using the current taxonomy from the Handbook of the Birds of the World. They place all of these families under Struthioniformes, with the tinamous in the middle of the ratite families.

As normal, only information from June 2016 forward was used. Information and corrections welcomed as always.
**I am NOT including Ostrich and Emu farms. A few facilities have farm in the name, but they are not primarily used for breeding these birds. Looking for facilities housing for display and education.**

Information on tinamous would be especially welcome. I found a number of photos and references of Elegant Crested and Andean Tinamous between 2010 and June 2016, including many holders not currently on the list. I couldn't find anything recent for those holders though.
 
Ostrich - Struthio


Common Ostrich (65 holders)

Abilene
Binder Park
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
Brevard
Bronx
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Calgary
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dallas
Detroit
Dickerson Park
Discovery Wildlife Park
Fort Worth
Franklin Park
Fresno Chaffee
Glacier Ridge Animal Farm
Gladys Porter
Great Plains
Greater Vancouver
Henry Vilas
Hogle
Houston
Indian Creek
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Lehigh Valley
Lincoln Park
Lion Country Safari
Living Desert
Maryland
Memphis
Metro Richmond
Nashville
Natural Ridge Wildlife Ranch
North Carolina
Oglebay’s Good
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Pueblo
Safari Lake Geneva
Safari Niagara
Safari West
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco
Shalom Wildlife
Special Memories
St Louis
Summerfield
The Wilds
Toledo
Topeka
Toronto
Utica
Virginia
Waccatee
Wildlife Safari
Wildlife World
Woodland Park
Zoo Atlanta (offshow till new exhibit completed)
Zoo Miami

Somali Ostrich (1 holder)

Los Angeles
 
Rhea


Rhea

Greater Rhea (21-22 holders)

Abilene
Beardsley
Birmingham Nature Center
Calgary
Detroit
Dickerson Park
Greenville
Idaho Falls
Lee Richardson
Lion Country Safari
Miller Park
Milwaukee
National
Safari Lake Geneva
Salisbury
San Francisco
Sequoia Park?
Shalom Wildlife
Virginia Safari Park
Wildlife Safari
Wisconsin Rapids Municipal
Zoo Boise


Pterocnemia


Lesser Rhea (possibly 1-2 holders?)

Frank Buck? (held before the time range cutoff, do they still hold?)
Fresno Chaffee held one a few years back, is it still around?
 
Tinamou


Eudromia


Elegant Crested Tinamou (8-10 holders)

Bronx? (photo just outside the timeframe, do they still hold?)
Charles Paddock
Dallas World Aquarium
Idaho Falls
Roger Williams Park
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Stone
St Louis?
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Toronto


Nothoprocta


Andean Tinamou (1 holder)

San Francisco


Tinamus

Great Tinamou (1 holder)

Dallas World Aquarium
 
Cassowaries, Emu


Casuarius


Southern Cassowary (16-18 holders)

Alexandria
Brevard
Denver
Gladys Porter?
Jacksonville
Los Angeles
Nashville
National?
Oklahoma City
San Antonio
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco
Sedgwick County
St Augustine Alligator Farm
Staten Island
Virginia
Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Miami

Northern Cassowary (possibly 1 holder?)

“There is at least one pair at an off display breeding center in the US” according to Hyak_ll, in Jan this year. Name of the center or location unmentioned.


Dromaius


Emu (55 holders)

Alexandria
Animal Gardens Petting
Applegate Park
Bear Den
Bluebird Gap Farm
Border City Petting
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
Bramble Park
Brevard
Brookfield
Busch Gardens Tampa
Capron Park
Charles Paddock
Cheyenne Mountain
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Dickerson Park
Doc’s
Franklin Park
Fresno Chaffee
Glacier Ridge Animal Farm
Greater Vancouver
Idaho Falls
Jacksonville
Kangaroo Creek
Lee Richardson
Lehigh Valley
Louisville
Natural Ridge Wildlife Ranch
Oakland
Oglebay’s Good
Palm Beach
Pana’ewa Rainforest
Philadelphia
Prospect Park
Pueblo
Racine
Roscommon
Sacramento
Safari Niagara
Sedgwick County
Shalom Wildlife
Special Memories
Staten Island
Summerfield
The Creature Conservancy
Utica
Virginia
Virginia Safari Park
Wilderness Walk
Wildlife Safari
Woodland Park
Zoo Tampa
 
Kiwi - Apteryx


Brown Kiwi (5-6 holders)

Bronx?
Columbus
Franklin Park
San Diego (offshow)
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Toledo
 
Great Argus said:
Ostrich - Struthio


Common Ostrich (65 holders)

Abilene
Binder Park
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
Brevard
Bronx
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Calgary
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dallas
Detroit
Dickerson Park
Discovery Wildlife Park
Fort Worth
Franklin Park
Fresno Chaffee
Glacier Ridge Animal Farm
Gladys Porter
Great Plains
Greater Vancouver
Henry Vilas
Hogle
Houston
Indian Creek
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Lehigh Valley
Lincoln Park
Lion Country Safari
Living Desert
Maryland
Memphis
Metro Richmond
Nashville
Natural Ridge Wildlife Ranch
North Carolina
Oglebay’s Good
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Pueblo
Safari Lake Geneva
Safari Niagara
Safari West
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco
Shalom Wildlife
Special Memories
St Louis
Summerfield
The Wilds
Toledo
Topeka
Toronto
Utica
Virginia
Waccatee
Wildlife Safari
Wildlife World
Woodland Park
Zoo Atlanta (offshow till new exhibit completed)
Zoo Miami

Somali Ostrich (1 holder)

Los Angeles
Click to expand...
Henry Vilas no longer holds Common Ostrich.

Great Argus said:
Rhea


Rhea

Greater Rhea (21-22 holders)

Abilene
Beardsley
Birmingham Nature Center
Calgary
Detroit
Dickerson Park
Greenville
Idaho Falls
Lee Richardson
Lion Country Safari
Miller Park
Milwaukee
National
Safari Lake Geneva
Salisbury
San Francisco
Sequoia Park?
Shalom Wildlife
Virginia Safari Park
Wildlife Safari
Wisconsin Rapids Municipal
Zoo Boise


Pterocnemia


Lesser Rhea (possibly 1-2 holders?)

Frank Buck? (held before the time range cutoff, do they still hold?)
Fresno Chaffee held one a few years back, is it still around?
Click to expand...
Greater Rhea also kept by Special Memories Zoo, Timbavati Wildlife Park, and Animal Haven Zoo.

Great Argus said:
Tinamou


Eudromia


Elegant Crested Tinamou (8-10 holders)

Bronx? (photo just outside the timeframe, do they still hold?)
Charles Paddock
Dallas World Aquarium
Idaho Falls
Roger Williams Park
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Stone
St Louis?
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
Toronto


Nothoprocta


Andean Tinamou (1 holder)

San Francisco


Tinamus

Great Tinamou (1 holder)

Dallas World Aquarium
Click to expand...
Saint Louis does indeed keep Elegant Crested Tinamou.

Great Argus said:
Cassowaries, Emu


Casuarius


Southern Cassowary (16-18 holders)

Alexandria
Brevard
Denver
Gladys Porter?
Jacksonville
Los Angeles
Nashville
National?
Oklahoma City
San Antonio
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco
Sedgwick County
St Augustine Alligator Farm
Staten Island
Virginia
Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Miami

Northern Cassowary (possibly 1 holder?)

“There is at least one pair at an off display breeding center in the US” according to Hyak_ll, in Jan this year. Name of the center or location unmentioned.


Dromaius


Emu (55 holders)

Alexandria
Animal Gardens Petting
Applegate Park
Bear Den
Bluebird Gap Farm
Border City Petting
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
Bramble Park
Brevard
Brookfield
Busch Gardens Tampa
Capron Park
Charles Paddock
Cheyenne Mountain
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Dickerson Park
Doc’s
Franklin Park
Fresno Chaffee
Glacier Ridge Animal Farm
Greater Vancouver
Idaho Falls
Jacksonville
Kangaroo Creek
Lee Richardson
Lehigh Valley
Louisville
Natural Ridge Wildlife Ranch
Oakland
Oglebay’s Good
Palm Beach
Pana’ewa Rainforest
Philadelphia
Prospect Park
Pueblo
Racine
Roscommon
Sacramento
Safari Niagara
Sedgwick County
Shalom Wildlife
Special Memories
Staten Island
Summerfield
The Creature Conservancy
Utica
Virginia
Virginia Safari Park
Wilderness Walk
Wildlife Safari
Woodland Park
Zoo Tampa
Click to expand...
Emu also kept by DeYoung Family Zoo, NEW Zoo, Minnesota Zoo, and Timbavati Wildlife Park.
 
Great Argus said:
Kiwi - Apteryx


Brown Kiwi (5-6 holders)

Bronx?
Columbus
Franklin Park
San Diego (offshow)
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Toledo
Click to expand...
I'm sure the National Aviary in Philadelphia holds Kiwis.

EDIT: Maybe not, anyone have more info on these Kiwis?
 
Last edited:
Great Argus said:
Ostrich - Struthio


Common Ostrich (65 holders)

Abilene
Binder Park
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
Brevard
Bronx
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Calgary
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Dallas
Detroit
Dickerson Park
Discovery Wildlife Park
Fort Worth
Franklin Park
Fresno Chaffee
Glacier Ridge Animal Farm
Gladys Porter
Great Plains
Greater Vancouver
Henry Vilas
Hogle
Houston
Indian Creek
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Kansas City
Lehigh Valley
Lincoln Park
Lion Country Safari
Living Desert
Maryland
Memphis
Metro Richmond
Nashville
Natural Ridge Wildlife Ranch
North Carolina
Oglebay’s Good
Oklahoma City
Omaha
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Pueblo
Safari Lake Geneva
Safari Niagara
Safari West
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
San Francisco
Shalom Wildlife
Special Memories
St Louis
Summerfield
The Wilds
Toledo
Topeka
Toronto
Utica
Virginia
Waccatee
Wildlife Safari
Wildlife World
Woodland Park
Zoo Atlanta (offshow till new exhibit completed)
Zoo Miami

Somali Ostrich (1 holder)

Los Angeles
Click to expand...

birdsandbats said:
Henry Vilas no longer holds Common Ostrich.


Greater Rhea also kept by Special Memories Zoo, Timbavati Wildlife Park, and Animal Haven Zoo.


Saint Louis does indeed keep Elegant Crested Tinamou.


Emu also kept by DeYoung Family Zoo, NEW Zoo, Minnesota Zoo, and Timbavati Wildlife Park.
Click to expand...
Forgot to mention - Common Ostrich is also kept by Como Park.
 
ZooBinh said:
They were on there a while ago, and there are a few images of their exhibits.
Click to expand...

Searching the Zoochat gallery I found a photo of a kiwi and one of their exhibit, both from Oct. 2012... didn't see anything else for kiwis at the National Aviary on Zoochat.
 
If you want subspecies for Ostrich, I know Bronx keeps australis, LA has a male camelus along with their two female Somali, and Phoenix has massaicus. I'm sure there are more but I don't know them

I'm pretty sure Smithsonian National Zoo keeps Greater Rhea, as does Staten Island Zoo, Trevor Zoo, and Wildlife World Zoo.

Tinamou-wise Bronx keeps and breeds Elegant Crested yearly, and Stone Zoo also keeps them. Where DWA is concerned I don't think anyone's seen the Great in a long time but Little Tinamou is on-exhibit. Additionally San Antonio Zoo keeps Andean Tinamou.

Gladys Porter does indeed keep Southern Cassowary, as does Wildlife World Zoo. As for the Northern Cassowary, there is only 1.0 left in a private collection, with all other animals having been sent to a private collection in the UK presumably earlier in the year.

For Emu you also have Action Wildlife, Bronx, Lupa Zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, Southwick's Zoo, Space Farms Zoo, Trevor Zoo, Utica Zoo, and Wildlife World Zoo. Also this is a private collection but Emerald Forest Bird Gardens also keeps them.

Bronx does still keeps kiwi and Smithsonian National Zoo should still have them on-site.

~Thylo
 
Great Argus said:
Searching the Zoochat gallery I found a photo of a kiwi and one of their exhibit, both from Oct. 2012... didn't see anything else for kiwis at the National Aviary on Zoochat.
Click to expand...
They were on the aviary's website in late 2016, they must've left.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
If you want subspecies for Ostrich, I know Bronx keeps australis, LA has a male camelus along with their two female Somali, and Phoenix has massaicus. I'm sure there are more but I don't know them

I'm pretty sure Smithsonian National Zoo keeps Greater Rhea, as does Staten Island Zoo, Trevor Zoo, and Wildlife World Zoo.

Tinamou-wise Bronx keeps and breeds Elegant Crested yearly, and Stone Zoo also keeps them. Where DWA is concerned I don't think anyone's seen the Great in a long time but Little Tinamou is on-exhibit. Additionally San Antonio Zoo keeps Andean Tinamou.

Gladys Porter does indeed keep Southern Cassowary, as does Wildlife World Zoo. As for the Northern Cassowary, there is only 1.0 left in a private collection, with all other animals having been sent to a private collection in the UK presumably earlier in the year.

For Emu you also have Action Wildlife, Bronx, Lupa Zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, Southwick's Zoo, Space Farms Zoo, Trevor Zoo, Utica Zoo, and Wildlife World Zoo. Also this is a private collection but Emerald Forest Bird Gardens also keeps them.

Bronx does still keeps kiwi and Smithsonian National Zoo should still have them on-site.

~Thylo
Click to expand...

Thanks for all that!
I'll add subspecies if known! I haven't bothered with subspecies for the most part since I'm already handling a lot of information, but in species with distinct subspecies I'll note them.

Good updates on tinamou.

By "other animals" do you mean other Northern Cassowaries?

I count Emerald Forest Bird Gardens, tours can be made to view the facility.

The website for the National Zoo said kiwi were only at SCBI, is that incorrect? I know they did have kiwi on display till the bird house closed not too long ago.
 
Great Argus said:
Thanks for all that!
I'll add subspecies if known! I haven't bothered with subspecies for the most part since I'm already handling a lot of information, but in species with distinct subspecies I'll note them.

Good updates on tinamou.

By "other animals" do you mean other Northern Cassowaries?

I count Emerald Forest Bird Gardens, tours can be made to view the facility.

The website for the National Zoo said kiwi were only at SCBI, is that incorrect? I know they did have kiwi on display till the bird house closed not too long ago.
Click to expand...

Busch Gardens Tampa should have Red-Necked Ostrich, too. When I get I chance I'll sit down and check for ostriches in general but most pure animals are listed as generic now due to AZA recommendations..

Yeah other Northern Cassowaries.

Well if/when you get to Piciformes, parrots, and/or hornbills I can give you a list of what's at EFBG.

Well It's been a while since I've check but I'm fairly certain the plans for the new bird house still include kiwi.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Busch Gardens Tampa should have Red-Necked Ostrich, too. When I get I chance I'll sit down and check for ostriches in general but most pure animals are listed as generic now due to AZA recommendations..

Yeah other Northern Cassowaries.

Well if/when you get to Piciformes, parrots, and/or hornbills I can give you a list of what's at EFBG.

Well It's been a while since I've check but I'm fairly certain the plans for the new bird house still include kiwi.

~Thylo
Click to expand...

Thanks! Most zoo's websites just say Ostrich.

Ooh, a list of species at EFBG would be great!

That would make sense, they have them readily available.
 
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