Boat-billed herons, frogmouths, Inca cockatoos and black-faced ibises: rare birds have arrived at the Moscow Zoo
Three out of four species of exotic feathered birds have been added to the collection of the Moscow Zoo for the first time. Boat-billed herons, black-faced ibises and frogmouths have settled in the zoo, and Inca cockatoos were transported to the Moscow suburban center of reproduction of rare species of animals after a long break.
Night herons
The boat-billed herons were placed in the left wing of the “House of Birds” pavilion on the old territory in an aviary decorated like the coast of the White Sea. Four young specimens have arrived to the zoo, their sex is not known yet — it can only be determined by a blood test. Currently, there are two boat-billed herons on display. There are also small sized birds — waders — living in the aviary with them.
Boat-billed herons inhabit riverbanks and mangroves in Central and South America. They are large birds up to 50 centimeters long and weigh about 700 grams. A large dark-colored tuft is a characteristic feature. These birds have an unusual beak shape — it is short and wide, with a tooth at the end of the upper mandible.
Boat-billed herons are also called night herons. They are solitary and only meet with congeners during the breeding season. These birds are often seen in their natural habitat, but are not often seen in zoos.
“Within their own group, boat-billed herons are quite noisy, but they live peacefully with members of other species — in our case waders. These birds have different diets, so they have no competition for food. Waders in the Moscow Zoo are fed with shrimp and small crustaceans. The boat-billed herons are fed with live fish in big bowls, from where they catch them — trout and African catfish fry,” said Svetlana Akulova, General Director of the Moscow Zoo.
Visitors from South America
Eight black-faced ibises have taken up residence in the Birds and Butterflies Pavilion on the new grounds. They can be seen in the first aviary from the entrance (on the left side).
Along with black-faced ibises live white-faced whistling ducks, sacred ibises and spoonbills. From among the newcomers, one couple has already formed. These birds talk to each other in a special way and rattle their beaks.
Black-faced ibises eat a variety of protein foods such as fish, shrimp, squid, meat and cottage cheese. They are also given specialized vitamin and mineral supplements and flamingo feed.
Black-faced ibises live in southern South America: in Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru. These birds prefer open meadows, pastures, fields and forests, and can also be found near river mires. They were singled out as a separate species not so long ago.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, there are from 25,000 to 100,000 nesting pairs of these birds worldwide.
The invisible bird
Tawny frogmouth settled on the second floor of the Bird House pavilion after quarantine. Now this floor is closed for renovation, so visitors cannot see the exotic inhabitant.
The sex and age of the frogmouth are not known yet. The staff feeds it with tweezers. The bird gets rodents and large insects: locusts and crickets.
The tawny frogmouth is also called the tawny white-foot, the giant white-foot, and the owl frogmouth. These birds are found in Southeast Asia, Australia, and the island of Tasmania. They are extremely secretive, hunting exclusively at night, and during the day they sit on logs or tree branches closer to the trunk.
Due to its patronizing coloration, the frogmouth blends in with the tree. Feeling threatened, it freezes, almost closing its eyes.
Birds feed mostly on insects, sometimes eating frogs or other small animals. They catch them in flight with their beak, and in some cases catch up with prey crawling on the ground.
Pairs between tawny frogmouths are formed for life. They usually use the same nest year after year, repairing it if needed. It is not uncommon for birds to nest on a flat crack or cut tree.
Parrots long-livers
Cockatoo Inca are rare and very beautiful parrots, which are practically not found in zoos in Russia. Describing these birds, German zoologist Alfred Bram compared their crests to the headdresses of Indians. However, they are originally from Australia.
Inca parrots settle in coniferous and eucalyptus forests and prefer areas where human activity is not shown. They are a vulnerable species, while their relatives and neighbors, the pink cockatoos, thrive, adapting easily and settling under the side of humans.
In nature, hybridization can occur between these two species of birds — they are similar in lifestyle, build and partly in coloration. However, the pink cockatoo lacks the beautiful tricolored crest that the Inca cockatoo reveals when emotionally aroused.
Inca cockatoos are true long-livers, especially in zoo environments. For example, one of them — a world record holder — lived in the zoo for 83 years.
These birds will be available for viewing by visitors of the reproduction center during the warmer months when they move into an outdoor aviary.