Birds Around the Zoo
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The Detroit Zoo maintains a variety of bird species throughout the park. We specialize in species such as flamingos, storks, spoonbills and vultures and provide national leadership in the management of many of these species. While visiting the Zoo you will also see cranes, barn owls and ratites (ostriches and rheas). The Detroit Zoo participates in many AZA management programs for these species to help ensure long-term sustainability of these captive populations.
One of the more popular bird habitats at the Detroit Zoo is the African Waterhole. This multi-species habitat features greater flamingos, African spoonbills, and other African grassland bird species. Greater flamingos range across Africa, Asia and into southern Europe. The Detroit Zoo has over 60 greater flamingos and has successfully reared many chicks throughout the years. African spoonbills comprise the other large flock of birds in this yard and the Zoo has more individuals of this species than any zoo in North America. We are very successful in raising chicks and have sent young to zoos across the country. White storks are also exhibited in this habitat and, again, the Zoo has been very successful breeding this species. All three of these species are managed as AZA Population Management Plans that are coordinated by staff at the Detroit Zoo.
The Zoo has a large group of Old World vultures such as Lappet-faced, Griffon, Hooded, and Cinereous. Vultures serve an important role in nature’s food chain and many species have been experiencing significant population declines in many areas of the world. Factors affecting this decline include increased agriculture in their habitat, loss of prey, and ingesting poison from carcasses intended for other predators and from by-products in antibiotics fed to domestic livestock. The Detroit Zoo has successfully raised offspring from many of our old world vultures.
You will also see a pair of trumpeter swans in wetlands at the National Amphibian Conservation Center. This species was native to Michigan, but was extinct in the state by 1900 due to wide scale hunting. Thanks to a Department of Natural Resources reintroduction program, trumpeter swans again inhabit many of the historical areas in the state. Over 80 trumpeter swans raised at the Detroit Zoo have been released in Michigan as part of this program. See the section on Conservation for more details on this effort.
A number of other bird species can be found throughout the park. Bald eagles are very popular and "stand guard" near the Arctic Food Court. Both of these birds were found in the wild with severe injuries that prevented them from being released after they were nursed back to health and the Detroit Zoo has provided them with a safe home. Chilean flamingos are smaller and more colorful flamingos that are managed in our South American habitat.
Be sure to take your time to observe the many different birds as you experience the Detroit Zoo.
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