zoocentral
Well-Known Member
Tracy Aviary is a beautiful eight-acre facility tucked away in Liberty Park near downtown Salt Lake City. The site of the Aviary was once home to Salt Lake City's original zoo which was operational from 1908-1931. The Aviary opened on July 2, 1938, when local banker and bird collector Russell Lord Tracy donated his private collection of around 200 birds to the city. In the years that followed, the Aviary's collection grew to include more exotic species.
In 1991, the facility was accredited by the AZA. Tracy Aviary is only the second zoological facility dedicated to the avian realm in the nation to receive this status (the first was the National Aviary in Pittsburgh which was accredited by the AZA in 1984). However, by 2006, Tracy Aviary's aging infrastructure had been determined as not on par with the AZA's standards, and the facility lost its accreditation. Considering this a devastating loss, the Aviary spent $2 million creating a new master plan that saw to modernize not only the facility's exhibits but improve the guest experience as well. With increased funding from private donors and a $19.6 million bond approved by Salt Lake City voters in 2008, the Aviary went forward with this plan and regained AZA accreditation status in 2009.
In the past 15 years, Tracy Aviary has completely transformed into an attractive facility dedicated to the education and conservation of birds. The Aviary achieved botanical garden status in 2019. In 2020, the organization opened the Jordan River Nature Center which focuses on connecting people to one of Utah's most significant riparian waterways.
Below follows a detailed account of Tracy Aviary's exhibits and their species from my visit on November 4, 2023:
Treasures of the Rainforest
For me, the highlights of this exhibit center around the more endangered species. These threatened species are managed through Species Survival Plans which allows Tracy Aviary to serve an important role in boosting their numbers in ex-situ collections through breeding. Most notable has been the breeding success with the extinct-in-the-wild Guam kingfisher, and critically endangered Bali myna and Vietnam pheasant. In 2023, the Aviary became a participant in the Global Species Management Plan for the blue-crowned laughingthrush. Two pairs can be found in the Treasures of the Rainforest exhibit. This stunning species has quickly become one of my favorites to see at the Aviary, as they are critically endangered with only around 300 wild individuals left in China's Jiangxi Province.
There is constant action in Treasures of the Rainforest. On today's visit, I enjoyed a quiet morning alone in the building. The male Raggiana bird-of-paradise put on quite the show as he performed his breeding display. I also got to see the two new Violet turaco chicks which hatched this fall. Kids and zoo nerds alike can enjoy trying to spot all seventeen species hidden throughout the foliage.
Hawks and Turkey Vultures
Kennecott Wetlands Experience
One of my favorite aspects of this exhibit is getting to witness the shorebirds change from their breeding plumage to their winter plumage. The white-faced ibis lose their distinctive white patches around their eyes and the Caspian tern and black-necked stilts become much paler. Many more Utah native bird species used to be displayed in this exhibit including American avocet and American bittern. These birds are typically only sourced as rehab birds (those of which that cannot be returned to the wild). Most of the non-native species included in the Kennecott Wetlands Experience had to be moved as their original exhibit was not secure from avian influenza. However, I cannot be too mad at this decision because it offers great viewing and photography opportunities for threatened East Asian waterfowl species including Baer's pochard and falcated duck.
Swan Pond
Dabbling Duck Pond
Two species in the Dabbling Duck Pond are monitored by Species Survival Plans. In September 2019, a male scaly-sided merganser was added to the Aviary's collection with two females joining in October 2020. The Aviary produced its first scaly-sided merganser chick on April 10, 2021. The female chick was later sent to the San Diego Zoo the following year. On April 9, 2022, the Aviary welcomed its second clutch of scaly-sided mergansers - two more females. In May 2021, marbled teal were added to the collection. The Aviary's first clutch of eleven marbled teal ducklings hatched this past June. The offspring of both species are hand raised to avoid predation on the natural pond.
In 2016, a new master plan for the Aviary was approved. This plan included a renovation of the Dabbling Duck Pond which never came to fruition. Renovations would have included permanent netting to fully enclose the space (if only they knew what was to come in 2022!).
Pelican Pond
Eagle Ridge
King of the Andes (Closed)
Love Note for Andy: Andy hatched at the San Diego Zoo in 1959. He was the offspring of Bum and Cleo, the first Andean condor pair to produce offspring in North America. It was Bum and Cleo that inspired the husbandry practices for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's revolutionary captive California condor breeding program in 1952. Andy was transferred to Tracy Aviary in 1960 where he served as an ambassador for his species, helping to change people's perception of vultures. In 2011, Andy formed a deep bond with his keeper Helen Dinshaw. The two could often be seen walking the Aviary's grounds together interacting with guests. In 2014, Andy was photographed by famed National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore for the Photo Ark. Everyone who passed through Tracy Aviary's gates formed a connection with Andy. His fan base reaches around the world. In my opinion, he is the perfect example of how animals in zoological collections can inspire conservation awareness and action. He will be greatly missed.
Expedition Kea
Southern Ground Hornbills
Sandhill Cranes
The male and female pair of sandhill cranes are both rescues. While they display breeding behavior every year (building a nest, laying eggs, etc.) the pair has yet to produce a fertile egg.
Bird Show Sunning Yard
Destination Argentina
In its prime, I loved this exhibit. Backyard Birds is a fantastic small habitat that has housed some unique species over the years. The flamingo flock is a crowd favorite among guests, and the addition of chicks every few years is always exciting. Unfortunately, I feel this exhibit has fallen flat over the years especially with the loss of some species. However, I think there is great potential here.
Calvin D. Wilson South American Pavilion
The South American Pavilion was the first new exhibit to use the 2008 bond money. The exhibit, which opened in 2010, was a $2.5 million complete overhaul of the existing 8,000 square-foot Calvin D. Wilson Pavilion from 1970. Only the skeleton of the former pavilion was retained. What came to be is a fantastic exhibit featuring seven habitats for species from South America. Each habitat has both indoor and outdoor spaces for the birds, which allows for year-round viewing. Only one exhibit (Habitat 4) has just outdoor viewing. The exhibits were designed with breeding in mind, so smaller indoor habitats were created. This exhibit also acts as surplus space for species with Species Survival Plans (white-throated ground-dove, spotted thick-knee, falcated duck, superb starling, Bali myna).
Macaws and King Vultures
Macaws
Lorikeet Adventure
Owl Forest
I think Owl Forest is another successfully themed exhibit, however, I would have loved to see the proposed Temperate Forest exhibit be built from the 2009 Master Plan.
Bird Show Stars
Two exhibits near the Outdoor Bird Show Theater are used to rotate program birds when they are not in a show. Today, the exhibits were occupied by red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). I have decided not to include a list of the Aviary's ambassador/program animals as I cannot confirm how up to date it is.
Conclusion:
If you have made it this far, congratulations and thank you for taking the time to read along. My opinion of Tracy Aviary is biased for many reasons; however, I do think it is worth a visit. If you ever find yourself in the Salt Lake City area, Tracy Aviary is a great place to spend even just a quick morning. The Aviary is never too crowded, especially compared to the Zoo and Aquarium, and the staff is incredibly kind and helpful. Hopefully this updated species list will inspire some of you to visit!
In 1991, the facility was accredited by the AZA. Tracy Aviary is only the second zoological facility dedicated to the avian realm in the nation to receive this status (the first was the National Aviary in Pittsburgh which was accredited by the AZA in 1984). However, by 2006, Tracy Aviary's aging infrastructure had been determined as not on par with the AZA's standards, and the facility lost its accreditation. Considering this a devastating loss, the Aviary spent $2 million creating a new master plan that saw to modernize not only the facility's exhibits but improve the guest experience as well. With increased funding from private donors and a $19.6 million bond approved by Salt Lake City voters in 2008, the Aviary went forward with this plan and regained AZA accreditation status in 2009.
In the past 15 years, Tracy Aviary has completely transformed into an attractive facility dedicated to the education and conservation of birds. The Aviary achieved botanical garden status in 2019. In 2020, the organization opened the Jordan River Nature Center which focuses on connecting people to one of Utah's most significant riparian waterways.
Below follows a detailed account of Tracy Aviary's exhibits and their species from my visit on November 4, 2023:
Treasures of the Rainforest
- Hooded pitta Pitta sordida
- Raggiana bird-of-paradise Paradisaea raggiana
- Blue-crowned laughingthrush Pterorhinus courtoisi
- Scarlet-faced liocichla Liocichla ripponi
- White-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus
- Bali myna Leucopsar rothschildi
- Metallic starling Aplonis metallica
- Crested oropendola Psarocolius decumanus
- Vietnam pheasant Lophura edwardsi
- Pink pigeon Nesoenas mayeri
- Green-naped pheasant-pigeon Otidiphaps nobilis nobilis
- Black-naped fruit-dove Ptilinopus melanospilus
- White-throated ground-dove Pampusana xanthonura
- Nicobar pigeon Caloenas nicobarica
- Boat-billed heron Cochlearius cochlearius
- Guam kingfisher Todiramphus cinnamominus
- Violet turaco Musophaga violacea
For me, the highlights of this exhibit center around the more endangered species. These threatened species are managed through Species Survival Plans which allows Tracy Aviary to serve an important role in boosting their numbers in ex-situ collections through breeding. Most notable has been the breeding success with the extinct-in-the-wild Guam kingfisher, and critically endangered Bali myna and Vietnam pheasant. In 2023, the Aviary became a participant in the Global Species Management Plan for the blue-crowned laughingthrush. Two pairs can be found in the Treasures of the Rainforest exhibit. This stunning species has quickly become one of my favorites to see at the Aviary, as they are critically endangered with only around 300 wild individuals left in China's Jiangxi Province.
There is constant action in Treasures of the Rainforest. On today's visit, I enjoyed a quiet morning alone in the building. The male Raggiana bird-of-paradise put on quite the show as he performed his breeding display. I also got to see the two new Violet turaco chicks which hatched this fall. Kids and zoo nerds alike can enjoy trying to spot all seventeen species hidden throughout the foliage.
Hawks and Turkey Vultures
- Turkey vulture Cathartes aura
- Red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis
- Swainson's hawk Buteo swainsoni
Kennecott Wetlands Experience
- Woodhouse's scrub-jay Aphelocoma woodhouseii
- Black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax
- Black-faced ibis Theristicus melanopis
- White-faced ibis Plegadis chihi
- Black-necked stilt Himantopus mexicanus
- Long-billed curlew Numenius americanus
- Caspian tern Hydroprogne caspia
- Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis
- Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
- Northern pintail Anas acuta
- Green-winged (Common) teal Anas crecca
- Blue-winged teal Spatula discors
- Red shoveler Spatula platalea
- Baer's pochard Aythya baeri
- Falcated duck Mareca falcata
- Chiloé wigeon Mareca sibilatrix
One of my favorite aspects of this exhibit is getting to witness the shorebirds change from their breeding plumage to their winter plumage. The white-faced ibis lose their distinctive white patches around their eyes and the Caspian tern and black-necked stilts become much paler. Many more Utah native bird species used to be displayed in this exhibit including American avocet and American bittern. These birds are typically only sourced as rehab birds (those of which that cannot be returned to the wild). Most of the non-native species included in the Kennecott Wetlands Experience had to be moved as their original exhibit was not secure from avian influenza. However, I cannot be too mad at this decision because it offers great viewing and photography opportunities for threatened East Asian waterfowl species including Baer's pochard and falcated duck.
Swan Pond
- Trumpeter swan Cygnus buccinator
Dabbling Duck Pond
- Andean goose Chloephaga melanoptera
- Scaly-sided merganser Mergus squamatus
- Marbled teal Marmaronetta angustirostris
- Baikal teal Sibirionetta formosa
- Barrow's goldeneye Bucephala islandica
- Canvasback Aythya valisineria
- Redhead Aythya americana
Two species in the Dabbling Duck Pond are monitored by Species Survival Plans. In September 2019, a male scaly-sided merganser was added to the Aviary's collection with two females joining in October 2020. The Aviary produced its first scaly-sided merganser chick on April 10, 2021. The female chick was later sent to the San Diego Zoo the following year. On April 9, 2022, the Aviary welcomed its second clutch of scaly-sided mergansers - two more females. In May 2021, marbled teal were added to the collection. The Aviary's first clutch of eleven marbled teal ducklings hatched this past June. The offspring of both species are hand raised to avoid predation on the natural pond.
In 2016, a new master plan for the Aviary was approved. This plan included a renovation of the Dabbling Duck Pond which never came to fruition. Renovations would have included permanent netting to fully enclose the space (if only they knew what was to come in 2022!).
Pelican Pond
- Dalmatian pelican Pelecanus crispus
- American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
- Double-crested cormorant Nannopterum auritus
- Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis
- Ring-necked duck Aythya collaris
- Lesser scaup Aythya affinis
- Canvasback Aythya valisineria
- Common goldeneye Bucephala clangula
- Hooded merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
Eagle Ridge
- Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos
- Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
King of the Andes (Closed)
- Empty
Love Note for Andy: Andy hatched at the San Diego Zoo in 1959. He was the offspring of Bum and Cleo, the first Andean condor pair to produce offspring in North America. It was Bum and Cleo that inspired the husbandry practices for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's revolutionary captive California condor breeding program in 1952. Andy was transferred to Tracy Aviary in 1960 where he served as an ambassador for his species, helping to change people's perception of vultures. In 2011, Andy formed a deep bond with his keeper Helen Dinshaw. The two could often be seen walking the Aviary's grounds together interacting with guests. In 2014, Andy was photographed by famed National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore for the Photo Ark. Everyone who passed through Tracy Aviary's gates formed a connection with Andy. His fan base reaches around the world. In my opinion, he is the perfect example of how animals in zoological collections can inspire conservation awareness and action. He will be greatly missed.
Expedition Kea
- Kea Nestor notabilis
- Laughing kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae
- Masked lapwing Vanellus miles
- Blue-faced honeyeater Entomyzon cyanotis
- Radiated tortoise Astrochelys radiata
- Spotted thick-knee Burhinus capensis
- Crested coua Coua cristata
- Blue-bellied roller Coracias cyanogaster
- Superb starling Lamprotornis superbus
- White-headed buffalo weaver Dinemellia dinemelli
- Tawny frogmouth Podargus strigoides
Southern Ground Hornbills
- Southern ground hornbill Bucorvus leadbeateri
Sandhill Cranes
- Sandhill crane Antigone (Grus) canadensis
The male and female pair of sandhill cranes are both rescues. While they display breeding behavior every year (building a nest, laying eggs, etc.) the pair has yet to produce a fertile egg.
Bird Show Sunning Yard
- Black crowned crane Balearica pavonina
- Roseate spoonbill Platalea ajaja
- White-faced whistling-duck Dendrocygna viduata
- Black vulture Coragyps atratus
Destination Argentina
- Chilean flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis
- Coscoroba swan Coscoroba coscoroba
- Chaco chachalaca Ortalis canicollis
- Guira cuckoo Guira guira
- Red-capped cardinal Paroaria gularis
- Blue-grey tanager Thraupis episcopus
- Saffron finch Sicalis flaveola
- Oriental magpie-robin Copsychus saularis
In its prime, I loved this exhibit. Backyard Birds is a fantastic small habitat that has housed some unique species over the years. The flamingo flock is a crowd favorite among guests, and the addition of chicks every few years is always exciting. Unfortunately, I feel this exhibit has fallen flat over the years especially with the loss of some species. However, I think there is great potential here.
Calvin D. Wilson South American Pavilion
Habitat 1
- Green araçari Pteroglossus viridis
- Venezuelan troupial Icterus icterus
- Spotted thick-knee Burhinus capensis
- White-throated ground-dove Pampusana xanthonura
- Falcated duck Mareca falcata
- Red siskin Spinus cucullatus
- Red-crested cardinal Paroaria coronata
- Turquoise tanager Tangara mexicana
- Burnished-buff tanager Tangara (Stilpnia) cayana
- Scarlet ibis Eudocimus ruber
- Grey-cowled wood rail Aramides cajaneus
- Ringed teal Callonetta leucophrys
- White-faced whistling-duck Dendrocygna viduata
- Chiloé wigeon Mareca sibilatrix
- Venezuelan troupial Icterus icterus
- Red-capped cardinal Paroaria gularis
- Plush-crested jay Cyanocorax chrysops
- Puna ibis Plegadis ridgwayi
- Sunbittern Eurypyga helias
- White-throated ground-dove Pampusana xanthonura
- Guira cuckoo Guira guira
- Red-capped cardinal Paroaria gularis
- Saffron finch Sicalis flaveola
- Blue-grey tanager Thraupis episcopus
- Baltimore oriole Icterus galbula
- West Indian whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea
- Amazonian motmot Momotus momota
- Yellow-rumped cacique Cacicus cela
- Superb starling Lamprotornis superbus
- Bali myna Leucopsar rothschildi
- Toco toucan Ramphastos toco
- Northern helmeted curassow Pauxi pauxi
- Madagascar hissing cockroach Gromphadorhina portentosa
The South American Pavilion was the first new exhibit to use the 2008 bond money. The exhibit, which opened in 2010, was a $2.5 million complete overhaul of the existing 8,000 square-foot Calvin D. Wilson Pavilion from 1970. Only the skeleton of the former pavilion was retained. What came to be is a fantastic exhibit featuring seven habitats for species from South America. Each habitat has both indoor and outdoor spaces for the birds, which allows for year-round viewing. Only one exhibit (Habitat 4) has just outdoor viewing. The exhibits were designed with breeding in mind, so smaller indoor habitats were created. This exhibit also acts as surplus space for species with Species Survival Plans (white-throated ground-dove, spotted thick-knee, falcated duck, superb starling, Bali myna).
Macaws and King Vultures
Macaws
- Great green macaw Ara ambiguus
- Red-and-green macaw Ara chloropterus
- King vulture Sarcoramphus papa
- Black-throated magpie-jay Calocitta (Cyanocorax) colliei
Lorikeet Adventure
- Rainbow lorikeet Trichoglossus moluccanus
- Coconut lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus
Owl Forest
- Eastern screech-owl Megascops asio
- Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia
- Great horned owl Bubo virginianus
- Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo bubo
- Barred owl Strix varia
- Barn owl Tyto alba
I think Owl Forest is another successfully themed exhibit, however, I would have loved to see the proposed Temperate Forest exhibit be built from the 2009 Master Plan.
Bird Show Stars
Two exhibits near the Outdoor Bird Show Theater are used to rotate program birds when they are not in a show. Today, the exhibits were occupied by red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). I have decided not to include a list of the Aviary's ambassador/program animals as I cannot confirm how up to date it is.
Conclusion:
If you have made it this far, congratulations and thank you for taking the time to read along. My opinion of Tracy Aviary is biased for many reasons; however, I do think it is worth a visit. If you ever find yourself in the Salt Lake City area, Tracy Aviary is a great place to spend even just a quick morning. The Aviary is never too crowded, especially compared to the Zoo and Aquarium, and the staff is incredibly kind and helpful. Hopefully this updated species list will inspire some of you to visit!
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