What makes a major zoo?

[JVM]

…are there alligators in The Swamp? I can’t remember seeing them since at least the time the flamingoes moved in.

If the alligators are back it hasn't been reported that I've heard!?

I will give Lincoln Park big cats / bears. Brookfield isn’t great in those departments, despite how relatively new their bear exhibit is. They might take birds. For now they have much better ape exhibits. Give it a few months and that’ll have evened out a fair bit. Definitely take smaller primates. I really like the cactus mice and Brookfield doesn’t have an answer to that.

I actually think birds is the most fascinating one. I think two, three, four or so years ago, Lincoln Park won handily on birds - we had no owls, no toucans, no flamingos, no wild parrots, no mixed outdoor aviaries, only crowned cranes - but since Adkesson took over, we've really seen Brookfield's bird collection improve rapidly, with new aviaries constructed, and it's been a nice surprise to watch that happen.

There's also a chance I'd have let Lincoln Park win on small mammals, especially during the elephant shrew seemed gone for good at Brookfield. Their return as well as the new marsupials and small cats have done a lot to help here.

 

[Nocturnal House]

If the alligators are back it hasn't been reported that I've heard!?

I actually think birds is the most fascinating one. I think two, three, four or so years ago, Lincoln Park won handily on birds - we had no owls, no toucans, no flamingos, no wild parrots, no mixed outdoor aviaries, only crowned cranes - but since Adkesson took over, we've really seen Brookfield's bird collection improve rapidly, with new aviaries constructed, and it's been a nice surprise to watch that happen.

The alligators are definitely not back. Their former habitat is the flamingos’ part of the aforementioned new combined Swamp aviary. While I do miss them, I have really enjoyed seeing such a variety of birds in there together the times we’ve visited since it finished.

 

[BirdWorld#33]

Brookfield Zoo bird collection consists of 109 species and 650 individuals not counting Parakeets. The majority of the bird collection consists of neotropical passerines. They house large collection of tanager like opal-rumped, rufous tanager, bay-headed tanager, blue-necked tanager along with the more common species. Brookfield Zoo bird collection is focused on holding large populations of individual species to better support passerine populations. The aviaries are managed by holding same-sex populations on exhibit allowing them to hold more birds on public exhibit safely and focus on reproduction. It is not common for a zoo to focus on less species so they can hold more individuals but still have over 100 species.

People have always had a love/hate relationship with Brookfield Zoo. In the zoo industry they are highly respected but is known to do their own thing even if it’s not popular or held in high regards.

 

[JVM]

The alligators are definitely not back. Their former habitat is the flamingos’ part of the aforementioned new combined Swamp aviary. While I do miss them, I have really enjoyed seeing such a variety of birds in there together the times we’ve visited since it finished.

I did not think so, but @birdsandbats suggested they are which is giving a few of us pause. I missed them a lot when their old exhibit was 'only' flamingos but the larger aviary looks very appealing and like a more worthy successor.

Brookfield Zoo bird collection consists of 109 species and 650 individuals not counting Parakeets. The majority of the bird collection consists of neotropical passerines. They house large collection of tanager like opal-rumped, rufous tanager, bay-headed tanager, blue-necked tanager along with the more common species. Brookfield Zoo bird collection is focused on holding large populations of individual species to better support passerine populations. The aviaries are managed by holding same-sex populations on exhibit allowing them to hold more birds on public exhibit safely and focus on reproduction. It is not common for a zoo to focus on less species so they can hold more individuals but still have over 100 species.

I really appreciate the insight into how Brookfield manages its birds. Very interesting to know!