Three chirps for our Bird House team! In recognition of their efforts to breed and care for North American songbirds, they received a Plume Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Avian Scientific Advisory Group.
In summer 2023, Bird House keepers celebrated the arrival of orchard oriole chicks—the first hatched in human care—and Baltimore oriole chicks. Curator Sara Hallager shares an update about the team's success.
There's plenty to see this summer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Check out five amazing things you won’t want to miss during your next visit.
If you haven’t yet heard—or perhaps a little bird told you already—the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Bird House exhibit has once again opened its doors to the public as of March 2023.
On March 13, the newly renovated Bird House’s doors will flap open, welcoming guests with a chorus of chirps, tweets and quacks. Yes, quacks! Get to know the 11 lucky duck species in the Bird House from animal keeper Jen Ferraro.
For the first time, Bird House keepers at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute are celebrating the hatching of two critically endangered blue-billed curassows.
Bird House keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are mourning the loss of Alice, a female Stanley crane who died Jan. 28 during surgery to correct a limb deformity she had developed. She was 7 years old.
We are sad to share that Betty, our “matriarch” flamingo, was found deceased in her habitat Jan. 25. At 67 years old, she was the oldest Caribbean flamingo in the North American population.
We rounded up the animal antics and species conservation stories that made us laugh, smile and cheer in 2021. Take a look back at some of our favorite moments caught on video.
Meet our nearly 16-year-old male and female swamp sparrows, who keepers liken to an old married couple. They squabble and jockey for food. They take frequent naps. And, as with people, they have started to “gray” in their older years.
Keepers can learn a lot about an animal’s needs just by monitoring its weight. But how do you weigh a wiggly ferret or get a full-grown elephant onto a scale? Find out in this update from primate keeper Erin Stromberg.
One of the exciting challenges Bird House keepers have had to tackle during construction is how to help our birds feel “at home” even though they are living in temporary housing. The solution: bring the outdoors indoors!
There is more to a flamingo than its bright pink feathers. Get to know these delightfully unusual birds with 10 fun facts — some of which may surprise you!
Standing eye-to-eye with a southern cassowary, it is easy to see how this giant bird is considered the dinosaurs’ closest living relative. In October 2020, we took two of these avian ambassadors under our wing: brothers Irwin and Dundee.
From salamanders to siamangs, prairie dogs to pandas, and everything in between, all Zoo animals receive veterinary care. Often, that means an animal needs to take medicine. Find out how keepers and veterinarians administer medicine in this update.
See Spot. He's a little ruby-throated hummingbird with a big personality. Spot is also super smart and has mastered scale training. Learn how Bird House keepers came to weigh him and get tips on attracting hummingbirds to your backyard!
