One of the most easily seen and recognizable birds in the McNeil Avian Center, Victoria crowned pigeons are the largest living representatives of the pigeon family.
Pink Headed Fruit Dove
Pink-headed fruit doves are found exclusively on high-altitude mountains, and it is believed to be because of the abundance of fruit and the fact that larger, higher mountains are better at supporting the dense forests they need to survive.
Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise
Birds-of-paradise are known for their elaborate mating dances. The name “Raggiana” comes from the Marquis Francis Raggi of Genoa, an Italian naturalist and explorer of New Guinea.
Roul-roul (Crested Wood Partridge)
The roul-roul, also known as the crested wood partridge, is one of the smaller species of partridges, made unique by the green color of the females and the bright patch of red skin surrounding the eyes on both sexes.
Golden Pheasant
Golden pheasants are known for their bright, colorful plumage, which is used by males to attract a mate. They show off their feathers to females in mating displays that can last for up to two hours.
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush
The blue-crowned laughingthrush is a songbird whose biggest population threat is the songbird trade. These beautiful birds are carefully monitored and protected by the Forestry Bureau of Wuyuan County and surrounding programs.
Hamerkop
Hamerkops are brown, mid-sized birds, weighing just over a pound on average. They are commonly found in Africa’s tropical wetlands, forests, and savannas in great numbers.
Inca Tern
Inca terns have elaborate bilateral facial ornaments—long white “handlebar” mustache feathers near their eyes. They pick a mate by choosing the terns with the longest moustaches because it shows that they are the healthiest.
Nicobar Pigeon
Nicobar pigeons are the closest living relative to the Dodo bird.
Scarlet-faced Liocichla
Living up to their name, our scarlet-faced liocichlas are unique based on the bright red coloring on their faces.
Silver Teal
Easily spotted by their blue bill and striped tailfeathers, silver teal ducks are some of our quietest birds. Look for our female silver teal in the water, making quiet rattling noises, but not going above a quiet buzzing sound even as an alarm call.
Crested Coua
The crested coua is endemic to Madagascar. They are typically found in forests of lower elevation, and they build small bowl-like nests out of roots and twigs.
Golden Crested Mynah
Golden-crested mynas are a medium-sized, brightly-colored bird native to Southeast Asia. They are easily identified by their brightly colored feathers on top of their heads, with males having more of this coloration than females.
Congo Peafowl
Congo peafowl are a type of peafowl endemic to the lowland rainforests of the Congo River Basin in central Democratic Republic of Congo. We have one male Congo peafowl at the Zoo named Eric!
Eastern Senegal Parrot
While they are known for their incessant whistling and ability to copy human sounds, our Eastern Senegal parrot is also known for its vibrant plumage. Senegal parrots have gray heads, as well as bright green and orange feathers on their bodies.
Blue-billed Teal
Blue-billed teals are one of our smallest community members in the rainforest exhibit in McNeil Avian center. With a miniscule length of 12-14’’, blue-billed teals stand out mostly by their vibrant blue coloring.
