This Southern Ground Hornbill keeps a watchful eye on things here at the
Philadelphia Zoo! Birds are vertebrates of the class Aves and are unique in having feathers, the one major characteristic that distinguishes them from all other animals. Like mammals, birds are warm-blooded and have a four-chambered heart. All birds reproduce by laying eggs with hard shells, and most birds build nests to protect the eggs from weather and predators. You can learn more about our birds by visiting the
Philadelphia Zoo's colorful collection in
Bird Valley and throughout the zoo.
