Don't be a dodo...

Here's one of our favorite songs, "Don't Be a Dodo," performed at last year's Birds in Concert event. The concerts begin one week from today and continue every Thursday evening at 7 PM throughout the month of August. Come check out the dancing dodo!

Countdown to the concert!!!

Every Thursday evening for the entire month of August, you can visit the World Bird Sanctuary for a free outdoor concert and even meet a bird or two! The concerts begin on August 7th, one week from tomorrow. To show you what goes on at this fantastic event, I'll be posting images from last year's shows courtesy of Gay Schroer. Come on out and listen to music, watch the show, and see some birds!

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Some other psittacines...

While we are on a parrot kick, take a look at these beautiful ring necked parakeets on display at our public sight, courtesy of Daniel:

Adopt a Bird Spotlight: Arizona (Thick-billed parrot)

Arizona's Story

Species: Thick-billed Parrot
Hatched: 8/8/96

Arizona was the third thick-billed parrot hatched and raised successfully by the World Bird Sanctuary. Thick-bills are the last remaining parrot species indigenous to North America. Once found in the high elevation pine forests of Arizona and New Mexico, they are now found only in the highland pine forests of northern and central Mexico. Attempts to reestablish a wild population in Arizona have so far been unsuccessful due to logging of the old growth pine forests necessary for their success, and the breeding success of various predators.

Arizona spends his time traveling the country to bring the message of the consequences of habitat destruction to thousands of audience memebers each year. Perhaps, with his help, conservationists will someday be successful in reestablishing a wild thick-bill parrot population in its native Arizona and New Mexico territory. Until then, this little ambassador for his species will continue to educate and entertain audiences with his message about the plight of endangered species.

To see more of these beautiful little birds, take a walk along the upper nature trail at the World Bird Sanctuary where visitors can view our resident flock.

To adopt Arizona, simply click our donation button, make a donation of $150, and specify in your payment notes: Adopt-a-bird: ARIZONA. Also include your name, phone number, and mailing address so that we can send you your adoption materials!

Every donation helps to feed, house, and provide medical care for the bird of your choice! Adopt-A-Bird Parents Receive:

• *A personal visit with the bird you adopt!!!!! Call 636-861-3225 to set up a time for
• your personal visit.
• * Certificate of Adoption
• * Color photo of the bird you've adopted
• * Sponsorship Card
• * One year's subscription to Mews News (our quarterly newsletter)
• * Life History and Natural History of the bird
• * 10% Discount off WBS merchandise
• * Invitation to Sponsors-only events like Camera Day
• * Discounts on WBS Special Events
• * WBS Decal

Natural History

Thick-billed parrot
Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha

Description: pigeon sized; bright green overall; red forehead, eye stripe, and bend of wing, with red splotching on the thighs; a small patch of yellow on under wing coverts seen when in flight; adults have amber eyes surrounded by a yellow eye ring and black beak with dark grey legs and feet; wings and long green tail are both pointed

Sex: so similar as to be virtually indistinguishable

Age: juveniles have brown eyes and a flesh colored bill which turns black by the end of the first year; individuals may live 35-40 years

Length: 15-17”

Weight: 11-13 oz.

Habitat: high country pine and conifer forests;

Status: once inhabited the mountains of southern Arizona and south through the Sierra Madre mountains in western Mexico; extirpated from the U.S. by about 1920 through hunting activity; logging of large stands of old-growth forests in Mexico has taken a further toll on the remaining Mexican population; it is estimated that there now remains only 1000-4000 Thick-billed parrots in the wild; status is ENDANGERED; attempts to reestablish a population in Arizona during the 1980s was unsuccessful due to the birds’ inability to elude a well established population of predator species

Range: high mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental in western Mexico, migrating to their winter breeding range south of Durango to Colima and Michoacan, Mexico

Behavior: social birds that live in large flocks; an adult pair may stay together for life; nesting pairs have been known to share trees with up to three nests in one tree; breeding occurs in mid-summer to mid-fall to coincide with the peak of pine seed production; one clutch of 1-4 eggs is laid in a cavity next in a large conifer (old woodpecker holes are preferred); incubation is 28 days; hatchlings attempt their first flights at approximately 2 months, but remain dependent on parents until about 7 months

Diet: primarily pine seeds from various pine species are the preferred food; will also eat acorns, conifer buds and other food

Vocalization: large repertoire of calls; screech that can be heard up to 2 miles

√ The Thick-billed parrot is one of only two parrots formerly native to the U.S. The other (the Carolina Parakeet) is extinct

Our flock of sun conures

If you come to our visitor's site, be sure to check out the sun conures! As Daniel's pictures show, they are beautiful birds:

Woodpeckers!

These beauties were photographed here in Missouri by Gay Schroer:

Beak of the Week!

Here's something new, a little different, and hopefully lots of fun. Every Friday I will post a mystery beak and some hints (maybe photos, maybe facts from our natural histories) to help you guess who the beak belongs to. You are welcome to post your guesses, but my lips are sealed until the following Friday when I'll give the answer and name the first poster to guess correctly. Are you up to the challenge?

Here is this week's inaugural mystery beak:



Have you guessed? Still deciding? Maybe the feet will give you a leg up:



STILL not sure? Try the eye:



Tune in next week for the answer!

Birds In Concert Hurray!!!!!!

It is almost August and that means it is time to get ready for our Birds In Concert summer series. Every Thursday evening at 7 PM for the entire month of August, you can come out to Valley Park Missouri and join us for a free outdoor concert and even meet a bird or two. Perhaps you didn't know that the sanctuary has an in-house band (and our first cd)? Perhaps you weren't aware of of many fun and funny songs about birds? You should really check it out! To keep you cool, our amphitheater even has a beautiful new shade cover. It just gets better every year.

These pictures from our previous concerts by Gay Schroer show exactly how much fun we all have. Please come on by and enjoy the music with us, beginning next Thursday evening at 7.

More songbirds!

Another favorite songbird around here is the little chickadee. We often see these birds in Lone Elk Park and around the sanctuary as well as in our backyards! These were photographed by Gay Schroer:

Goldfinches!

I don't want to neglect our little friends in the wild so to follow up the spring post on molting goldfinches, here are some photographs of summer goldfinches by Gay Schroer. They are dazzling!

More pictures of Skinner

I'm on a vulture kick! Here are some additional photos of yesterday's Adopt A Bird, Skinner. Skinner is a marvelous turkey vulture, and a handsome one too, as you can see in these photographs by Gay Schroer:

Adopt a Bird Spotlight: Skinner (Turkey Vulture)

Skinner's Story

Species: Turkey Vulture
Hatched: 1993

Skinner was hatched at the World Bird Sanctuary and raised by our staff to help educate people about these magnificent birds of prey. As soon as he was old enough for training he learned how to fly from trainer to trainer and was soon thrilling audiences and participating in presentations around the country. He has taught thousands about the necessary role these magnificent birds play in the environment, and helped to dispel many of the myths and superstitions about his species.

Skinner has appeared at the Milwaukee County Zoo, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Grant's Farm in St. Louis, and Dogwood Canyon in Branson, MO. For a time he was on display in a free flight enclosure at World Bird Sanctuary headquarters. In May 2006, Skinner joined our Office of Wildlife Learning staff in St. Louis and began traveling to schools, scouting events, sports shows, and even renaissance faires. He is always a hit wherever he appears when he soars just inches over the audience with his magnificent 5-foot wingspan fully extended.

Skinner is a great vulture to work with, and loves to spend time out in our weathering area with his wings spread out, catching the sun. This is a typical posture for a turkey vulture, which you may see if you spot one in the wild. This "sunning behavior" allows a photochemical change in the oils on their feathers that provides them with vitamin D.

Skinner does not work year round, but instead has a six month "vacation" each year when he spends his off time in a large free flight cage.

To adopt Skinner, simply click our donation button, make a donation of $100, and specify in your payment notes: Adopt-a-bird: SKINNER. Also include your name, phone number, and mailing address so that we can send you your adoption materials!

Every donation helps to feed, house, and provide medical care for the bird of your choice! Adopt-A-Bird Parents Receive:

• *A personal visit with the bird you adopt!!!!! Call 636-861-3225 to set up a time for your personal visit.
• * Certificate of Adoption
• * Color photo of the bird you've adopted
• * Sponsorship Card
• * One year's subscription to Mews News (our quarterly newsletter)
• * Life History and Natural History of the bird
• * 10% Discount off WBS merchandise
• * Invitation to Sponsors-only events like Camera Day
• * Discounts on WBS Special Events
• * WBS Decal

Natural History

turkey vulture
Cathartes aura

Description a large brownish black bird with a long tail and bare head and neck; often has a green or blue iridescence on the chest, shoulders, and back, which appears to turn purple on the wings and tail; wing linings and lower part of the tail are gray; head and neck lack feathers and sports wrinkled, red skin; eyes are a pale grayish-brown; beak is also pale

Sex: both sexes similar in size and color; female may be somewhat larger than male

Age: average in the wild 5 years; in captivity up to 20 years

Length: 24-28 inches

Wingspan: 64-72 inches

Weight: 3-1/2 – 5 lbs.

Habitat: varied; ranges from open plains to deserts, forests and jungles

Status:

Range: throughout the United States and southern Canada during warmer months; migrate to South America during winter months, often as far as Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands

Behavior: the large wingspan allows them to soar on thermals for long periods, covering great distances; small groups have been observed performing ritualistic “dances” near breeding season; actual nest not built; will sometimes create a soft layer under the eggs with rotten wood or leaves; two eggs laid on the ground, in a cave, hollow log, or stump; both birds share all nesting duties; incubation is 38-41 days; chicks fed regurgitated food ; young fledge at 70-80 days;

Diet: almost exclusively carrion; may sometimes eat eggs, rotting fruits and vegetables, or even excrement of sea lions; one of the few birds with a sense of smell, and can detect carrion even under the canopy of forests

Vocalization: low grunts and hisses, audible only at close range

√ If threatened vultures will vomit on potential predators
√ A vulture’s digestive juices are strong enough to kill any type of bacteria known to man
√ Their “sunning” behavior, sitting on the ground with wings extended allows a photochemical change in the oil on the feathers that provides them with Vitamin D

Adopt A Bird spotlights are written and photographed by Gay Schroer.

Soaring vultures

To give you an idea of what our little rescue vulture has to look forward to, here are some beautiful photographs of wild turkey vultures riding the thermals, courtesy of Gay Schroer.

Cooper's hawk rescued chick

Here is a video of another of our birds currently in rehab. In most cases, the best thing for baby birds is to be left alone. Most of the time their parents are still caring for them, and birds don't have a great sense of smell. They won't abandon their chicks because they "smell" like humans.

Turkey vulture chick!

Can you believe it? Yes, this is the vulture chick (aka Gladys) I've been posting about this summer!!! She is doing well and will be released when she's old enough to care for herself. We'll release her in an area where turkey vultures commonly roost and boy will she have some stories to tell!

Hawk rescue

Another baby that has been brought to us for rehabilitation is this little broad-winged hawk:



World Bird Sanctuary relies on donations from our supporters to feed and care for our injured birds. Veterinary care is often expensive, but always worth it, especially when you see the bird released into the wild. If you'd like to help us with the cost of care, you can make a secure donation here on our blog by clicking the "donate" button, or visit our website at: http://worldbirdsanctuary.org/ and choose a fun option for donation!

Rescued screech owls

These guys were rescued here in Missouri and brought to the World Bird Sanctuary for rehabilitation. They will both be released back into the wild. Determining whether or not a baby bird is in danger is tricky. Often, they are fledglings with mom and dad lurking somewhere nearby and will be just fine, but in the event of injury or imminent danger, they should be cared for by trained professionals. It's harder than you think to raise a raptor! Also, a rehabilitation facility must be licensed.

Adopt a Bird Spotlight: Dutch (Bald Eagle)

Dutch's Story

Species: Bald Eagle
Hatched: Unknown

Dutch was presented to the United States in 1982 as a gift from Germany to commemorate the naming of the bald eagle as our National Symbol. He was named Dutch after then president Ronald Reagan, whose nickname was Dutch.

Dutch's first home in the U.S. was the National Zoo in Washington D.C. He was subsequently transferred to the Patuxent Wildlife Center in Laurel, MD, who later gifted him to the World Bird Sanctuary in 1988. He was paired for five years with Nancy and they produced two chicks who were released into the wild.

Dutch was later paired with Killer, a female bald eagle from Alaska, who had rejected all other suitors. Dutch must have had "that something special,"
because for many years they wew a productive pair, producing a number of offspring until her death from natural causes in Spring 2007. It is uncertain if a new mate will be found for Dutch at this time. He is currently living the bachelor life until it is determined how best to integrate him into the sanctuary's breeding and education programs.

The next time you see a bald eagle soaring overhead, just remember that it might be one of Dutch's descendants!

To adopt Dutch, simply click our donation button, make a donation of $150, and specify in your payment notes: Adopt-a-bird: DUTCH. Also include your name, phone number, and mailing address so that we can send you your adoption materials!

Every donation helps to feed, house, and provide medical care for the bird of your choice! Adopt-A-Bird Parents Receive:

• *A personal visit with the bird you adopt!!!!! Call 636-861-3225 to set up a time for
• your personal visit.
• * Certificate of Adoption
• * Color photo of the bird you've adopted
• * Sponsorship Card
• * One year's subscription to Mews News (our quarterly newsletter)
• * Life History and Natural History of the bird
• * 10% Discount off WBS merchandise
• * Invitation to Sponsors-only events like Camera Day
• * Discounts on WBS Special Events
• * WBS Decal

Natural History

Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Description: large; white head, neck and tail; brown-black body; massive yellow bill and feet

Sex: males and females are similar but females are larger

Age: juveniles are mostly dark brown with white blotches underneath and on the wing linings; become more white each molt; gain adult plumage after 4-5 years; immature calls are generally harsher

Length: 31-37”

Wingspan: 5.8-7.5’

Weight: 8-14 lbs.
Habitat: rivers, lakes, coastal areas

Status: seen across most of North America; common in Alaska, parts of Florida and in the Midwest during winter months; common along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in winter; became endangered in the 70s from pesticides; conservation programs and pesticide banning helped increase populations again

Range: Alaska and Canada to the southern United States

Behavior: monogamous pairs; breed April-August and build a stick nest as high as 150 feet above the ground, usually in a tree or on cliffs near water; renovate and add to their nest each year until it falls; 1 brood with 1-3 dull, whitish eggs; both parents incubate for 34-36 days until semi-altricial chicks hatch asynchronously; chicks leave nest at 10 weeks; large numbers of bald eagles often congregate where food is plentiful, like spawning ruts; will steal food from smaller and weaker osprey; fly low after prey
Diet: carrion, fish, waterfowl, birds, small mammals

Vocalization: sharp, pleading, creaking cackle; “kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik”; lower “kak-kak-kak”

√ The bald eagle has been the national symbol of the United States since 1782.

Adopt A Bird spotlights are written and photographed by Gay Schroer.

Education Spotlight: Turk!

Okay, it's true that vultures have some questionable social habits by human standards. Yes, they go to the bathroom on their legs to keep cool. And yes, they throw up when they get excited. Maybe they aren't the most beautiful birds on the planet (though I know some folks who'd be glad to debate that with you) and you might not want to date a guy who eats dead stuff he finds on the ground.

But they say there's an exception to every rule, so perhaps you should meet Turk! Turk is a twelve-year-old turkey vulture who is, in my opinion, a fine looking guy. Turk is a favorite in our education programs and he loves to perform. He has his little quirks. For example, Turk loathes the color yellow, particularly when it is bright!

Turkey vultures stand about 2' tall and have those familiar red heads and faces. Many of us have seen them snacking on the side of the road or soaring above us. Vultures love to soar, and you can ID them from the ground by observing their V-shaped wings. They also tip a little back and forth, kind of like a butterfly.

So, if you are wondering if there's a vulture out there who is right for you, drop by and say hello to Turk. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Education Spotlight: Anna

Meet our snake, Anna.

Anna is an eight-year-old green tree python and one of my favorite snakes. She is beautiful, gentle, and loves to wrap herself around the branches of her enclosure.

The green tree python is an arboreal snake from New Guinea and northeastern Australia. They begin life in a variety of colors: red, brown, or yellow, but gradually change to their adult green color. They grow up to 5 feet long and eat small rodents and birds.

Green tree pythons are endangered in their native countries because of poaching (for skins), habitat destruction, and hunting.

Anna is on view at the World Bird Sanctuary's Visitor Center, so come by and see her!

While we're on the subject of parrots...

Don't forget Simon the Congo African grey! Here he is running through a few of his many talents while being filmed by Cathy:

Adopt a Bird Spotlight: McCoy (Green Winged Macaw)

McCoy's Story

Species: Green Winged Macaw
Hatched: 2/14/94

McCoy was bred to be an education bird, and due to his sweet nature he began his career as a posing area bird. He was trained to step onto a guest's arm for photographs and has had literally hundreds of photos taken with members of the general public.

In addition to his sweet nature, he is extremely smart. He gives a "high four," waves, says "hello" and "What are you doing?" Recently he has become one of the stars at our Christmas Is For The Birds event. He takes a child's letter to Santa, puts it into our North Pole mailbox, and puts up the flag for the mailman.

McCoy has one other behavior that he invented himself to demonstrate his "cuteness" when he feels he is not getting proper attention. He covers his eyes with his wing and peeks out at you from under his feathers (see post from July 5th). He's confident this will earn him the attention he deserves, and possibly a treat.

To adopt McCoy, simply click our donation button, make a donation of $150, and specify in your payment notes: Adopt-a-bird: MCCOY. Also include your name, phone number, and mailing address so that we can send you your adoption materials!

Every donation helps to feed, house, and provide medical care for the bird of your choice! Adopt-A-Bird Parents Receive:

• *A personal visit with the bird you adopt!!!!! Call 636-861-3225 to set up a time for
• your personal visit.
• * Certificate of Adoption
• * Color photo of the bird you've adopted
• * Sponsorship Card
• * One year's subscription to Mews News (our quarterly newsletter)
• * Life History and Natural History of the bird
• * 10% Discount off WBS merchandise
• * Invitation to Sponsors-only events like Camera Day
• * Discounts on WBS Special Events
• * WBS Decal

Natural History

green winged macaw (aka red and green macaw)
Ara chloroptera

Description second in size only to the Hyacinth Macaw; breast is bright red; lower feathers of the wing are green; characteristic red lines around the eyes formed by rows of tiny feathers on otherwise bare skin; long blue tail; grey legs; powerful bill horn colored with blackish sides; lower mandible blackish; iris pale-yellowish; feet dark grey; immatures have shorter tail, lower mandible paler and iris is brown

Sex: both sexes similar

Age: average in captivity 50-60 years; some individuals known to reach 80 years; several claims of birds over 100 years old

Length: 39”

Wingspan: up to 49”

Weight: 2.75-3.5 lbs

Habitat: tropical forests and swamps in Central and South America, including Columbia, Panama, Venezuela, Guyana and Trinidad

Status: commonest of the macaws, however in recent years numbers in the wild have declined due to habitat loss and capture for the pet trade

Range: forests of northern South America

Behavior: frequently seen in pairs or family groups, occasionally gathering in small flocks; larger groups found feeding in trees or on clay banks; breeding season is November to March; 1-3 eggs hatch within 28 days; young fledge at 90-100 days

Diet: nuts, fruits, berries, seeds and some vegetable matter

Vocalization: in captivity have been known to learn to talk, but are not considered the best mimics; considered quieter than other macaws

√ This bird’s powerful beak can generate a pressure of 2000 psi and is capable of snapping a broomstick in half.

√ Flies virtually every day to clay banks to feed on mineral soil which is believed to neutralize toxic content of unripe fruits

Adopt A Bird spotlights are written and photographed by Gay Schroer.

Mudflap returns!

Just because she is so adorable, I decided to post another of Cathy's Mudflap videos. Here you see Miss Flap taking a stroll around the Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Illinois. Mudflap is an American white pelican who came to the World Bird Sanctuary because of an injury that makes her unreleasable. When she isn't education people at programs in the area, she and her buddy Scoop can be seen on display at our public site in Valley Park.

Rio the greenwing macaw

Here's a video of Rio attempting a new trick at our Rainforest Rocks program at the World Bird Sanctuary's public site. Go Rio!



Thanks to Cathy for the video!

Pied crow vs. milk carton

The milk carton enrichment experiment wasn't just for the ravens. In fact, Cherry the pied crow seems to have had more fun with the milk carton than anyone else. She was recently observed making different sounds into the milk carton, presumably to hear the difference.

This video shows her right after I first gave her the carton. I put a few mealworms in just to make it interesting. Cherry often takes donation or recycles visitors' soda cans at our education programs. She's a cool bird and very affectionate.

Rescued turkey vulture

Here's another video of the little rescued turkey vulture having his breakfast. This video was taken wearing a "ghost" to disguise the human from the bird and thus avoid imprinting. A bird that has imprinted on humans cannot be released into the wild, and we hope to see this little bird flying free when she's ready!

McCoy the Macaw does his thing!

Meet our green winged macaw, McCoy! McCoy does a wing thing when he's maxing and relaxing that is pretty cute:





Thanks to Cathy for the awesome videos!

Adopt a Bird Spotlight: Norbert (Bald Eagle)

Norbert's Story

Species: Bald Eagle
Hatched: Spring 2004


Norbert was hatched in 2004, presumably in a wild nest in South Dakota. The story has it that he was found on a golf course stealing golf balls. He was trapped and taken to a rehabilitation center in Rapid City, South Dakota. There it was discovered that he showed all the behavior of a human imprinted bird. Because this behavior would make him a danger to others as well as to himself, he was declared unreleasable and placed with the World Bird Sanctuary. He arrived here on December 9, 2004, and after a settling in period he began the manning and training process. The ultimate goal is to fly Norbert at special events and educational programs. So far he is working out nicely!

The World Bird Sanctuary received Norbert in his first year, at which point a bald eagle is totally brown. This coloration confuses many people when trying to identify the species. The photo above shows him in his third year plumage. You can see his tail is already beginning to show the distinctive white feathers for which these birds are known. By his fifth year, his head and tail feathers will be the signature white color of his species.

To adopt Norbert, simply click our donation button, make a donation of $150, and specify in your payment notes: Adopt-a-bird: NORBERT. Also include your name, phone number, and mailing address so that we can send you your adoption materials!

Every donation helps to feed, house, and provide medical care for the bird of your choice! Adopt-A-Bird Parents Receive:

• *A personal visit with the bird you adopt!!!!! Call 636-861-3225 to set up a time for
• your personal visit.
• * Certificate of Adoption
• * Color photo of the bird you've adopted
• * Sponsorship Card
• * One year's subscription to Mews News (our quarterly newsletter)
• * Life History and Natural History of the bird
• * 10% Discount off WBS merchandise
• * Invitation to Sponsors-only events like Camera Day
• * Discounts on WBS Special Events
• * WBS Decal

Natural History

Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Description: large; white head, neck and tail; brown-black body; massive yellow bill and feet

Sex: males and females are similar but females are larger

Age: juveniles are mostly dark brown with white blotches underneath and on the wing linings; become more white each molt; gain adult plumage after 4-5 years; immature calls are generally harsher

Length: 31-37”

Wingspan: 5.8-7.5’

Weight: 8-14 lbs.
Habitat: rivers, lakes, coastal areas

Status: seen across most of North America; common in Alaska, parts of Florida and in the Midwest during winter months; common along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in winter; became endangered in the 70s from pesticides; conservation programs and pesticide banning helped increase populations again

Range: Alaska and Canada to the southern United States

Behavior: monogamous pairs; breed April-August and build a stick nest as high as 150 feet above the ground, usually in a tree or on cliffs near water; renovate and add to their nest each year until it falls; 1 brood with 1-3 dull, whitish eggs; both parents incubate for 34-36 days until semi-altricial chicks hatch asynchronously; chicks leave nest at 10 weeks; large numbers of bald eagles often congregate where food is plentiful, like spawning ruts; will steal food from smaller and weaker osprey; fly low after prey
Diet: carrion, fish, waterfowl, birds, small mammals

Vocalization: sharp, pleading, creaking cackle; “kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik”; lower “kak-kak-kak”

√ The bald eagle has been the national symbol of the United States since 1782.

Adopt A Bird spotlights are written and photographed by Gay Schroer.

Education Spotlight: Mudflap the pelican

Mudflap is an American white pelican. She came to us because of an injury that left her unable to survive in the wild. Since that time, we've discovered her talent for education. This video, taken by Cathy S, shows Mudflap at work at the Great Rivers Museum in Alton, Illinois:

Education Spotlight: Simon the African grey parrot

Thanks to Cathy S we have this awesome video of Simon, one of our African grey parrots, performing a few of his vocal accomplishments! Simon is a regular performer in our education programs.

"Tequila" is his best, I think! Which do you like most?

Parenting: it's not for everyone

Not everyone is a great parent (you try sitting on an egg all day!) and even the best parents sometimes need a little help. This is the case with two of our breeding black vultures. In the past they've "given up" on their eggs after a few days, making it necessary for us to remove the eggs from their nest and foster them with our cochin hens, who are ideal egg moms, to say the least.

In this video, you see the two eggs being taken and replaced with dummy wooden eggs and then put in the coop under a very accommodating chicken: