How to Help Birds in Winter

The cold months of winter can be strenuous on local wildlife such as birds.  As temperatures drop, food becomes even harder to find, yet creatures big and small must continue to survive in these harsh conditions. 

A Fox Sparrow feeding on extra seed scattered on a walkway during a snowstorm (photo: Gay Schroer)

Birds have to expend extra energy in order to stay warm during the winter.  Naturally, birds do have cozy down feathers and a special gland that helps keep their feathers waterproof through all sorts of weather conditions.  Birds can also puff up their feathers. The act traps air within outer feathers, which helps keep warmth inside feathers closer to the body for extra insulation.  But staying warm in the winter costs more energy than in the warmer months.  There are many ways you can help out your local wildlife right at home.

Feeders come in all shapes & sizes.  This one holds several suet blocks (photo: Gay Schroer)

Providing feeders for songbirds is a fun way to help birds in your own backyard.  By supplying foods like suet or even peanut butter, it gives birds a great source of fat and protein.  This food source keeps birds’ metabolisms up and helps them maintain their average 104 degree body temperature.

Finches appreciate thistle seed feeders (photo: Gay Schroer)

 You can also put out birdfeeders with nyjer thistle seed for finches.  Nyjer thistle is high in fat, and it is sure to attract birds such as House Finches, Purple Finches, Goldfinches, and Pine Siskins.  By offering black sunflower seeds in your feeder, you will likely attract a wide variety of birds such as Cardinals, Tufted Titmice, Mourning Doves, grosbeaks, and more.  These bird feeders will help local songbirds by giving them a stable food supply during winter.  Birds begin to look for good food sources as early as the beginning of fall, so getting feeders up during that time will best attract them.

A Northern Mockingbird taking advantage of a nut feeder (photo: Gay Schroer)

In the winter, fresh water is harder to come by as water sources freeze.  Birds can dehydrate more easily in the winter as drinking water becomes harder to find.  By providing a water source such as a birdbath, you can help your local birds stay hydrated and healthy.  Even better, a heated birdbath is a very popular spot for winter birds.  When choosing a birdbath, plastic or resin birdbaths are more resistant to shattering in the wintertime during ice removal and melting.  It is never a good idea to pour boiling water on a frozen birdbath however, as it might shatter your birdbath.  Instead, warm water will do just fine.

In the winter birdhouses are used for roosts (photo: Gay Schroer)

Another thing you can do for your local birds is to provide roosts for them.  A roost is a place where a bird spends the night (or day, if you are an owl).  This can be done either by putting out birdhouses or even by providing more trees such as conifers or evergreens.  A cozy birdhouse will be appreciated by your local bird friends.  There are numerous birdhouse building plans available online, as well as premade birdhouses you can buy at retail stores, such as Lowes, Walmart, Home Depot, Wild Birds Unlimited as well as numerous hardware stores, co-ops, feed stores and other stores that sell bird seed, scattered throughout your area.  You can even attract specific species of birds by choosing certain birdhouse designs.

A Northern Flicker sheltering from the wind at the base of a large tree (photo: Gay Schroer)

Through providing feeders, fresh water, and roosts, you can really help out the local birds in your area during winter.  Not only will you help the birds out, but you will also have a lot of colorful backyard visitors to watch and enjoy all season long.

Submitted by Paige Davis, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Beauford Rides Again!

During my time working for World Bird Sanctuary I have worked with birds in many different situations.  Whether a standard outdoor zoo show program (WBS presents educational programs with our birds at zoos around the nation), a four thousand seat indoor amphitheater where I flew a bird from spotlight to spotlight, or performing behaviors for TV news spots, I have done a variety of venues.  It’s a good thing, too, since all of these different circumstances benefited me when it came time to prepare for “The Hunt”.

Beauford waiting for his cue (photo: Leah Tyndall)

“The Hunt” is a documentary that focuses on the relationship between predator and prey, featuring footage of wild birds of prey.  Unfortunately wild birds of prey are not terribly keen on being filmed up close and personal with a filming crew.  This makes it very difficult to get those close-up and detailed shots that help the audience to truly appreciate these magnificent animals.  This is where WBS comes in.  Using a trained bird of prey allows filmmakers to get those trickier shots which not only help their production to look better, but it also helps to educate the audience.

Beauford, our Bald Eagle was the bird tapped for this exciting adventure, and I do mean exciting!  Since it was for a documentary and we wanted to blend Beauford in as seamlessly as possible, we flew him off of equipment.  That means no anklets or jesses which are the pieces of leather we usually hold onto to keep the bird safe.  The only piece of artificial equipment was a transmitter on his leg so that we could track him if needed.

This was not the first time I had flown a bird with no equipment.  We flew Diablo, our Tawny Eagle, without jesses for a few years at our Milwaukee County Zoo bird show because he kept eating the jesses.  Luckily he grew out of that habit because it was very nerve wracking to fly him with no jesses to hold onto.  We flew Diablo from a release box to a catch box.  When release, flights and catch went smoothly, there were no worries.  Occasionally, though, he got spooked or blown by wind out of the theater, so we had to cue him to our gloved arm and then put the jesses on while he was sitting on the glove—with nothing to hold onto!  During these times his feet looked extra strong and talons extra sharp.

Beauford wore special removable jesses (Photo:  Leah Tyndall)

Terrifying right?  Well remember how I said no anklets or jesses for Beauford?  This scenario was even more terrifying than Daiblo’s because Beauford’s feet are bigger and even stronger.  We made special removable anklets for Beauford that could be taken off before he went into the crate.  I spent several weeks reinforcing the appeal of the crate for Beauford.  Into the crate, out of the crate, back in the crate, sit in the crate; over and over again, always with a tasty food reward…mice! 

Going into the crate meant a special treat (Photo: Leah Tyndall)

The day of filming would begin around seven.  First Beauford would be weighed, then his anklets and jesses removed by trainer Mike Cerutti.  I then called him to a carpet square and had him walk into the crate for his mouse.  Then I prepared his food and we were off to a day of shooting…or waiting…it all depended on the light.

Unfortunately the weather was not terribly cooperative during our stretch of filming, but Beauford was terrific.  He flew to his perches, branches and gloves and even sat nicely on his “home” perch while equipment was being moved around.  Most importantly though, he went into his crate!  He was also a gentleman while his equipment was being removed and reapplied, more curious as to why his jesses kept disappearing.

I have trained birds for many situations, but none quite as challenging as this documentary.  It was an amazing experience to be a part of and one that I will never forget.  This Beauford performance, in combination with his flying at Silver Dollar City and his flights for North Carolina Central University in early November, truly made 2014 the “Autumn of Beauford”…not too bad for a second year flier.

At this point in time we are not sure when or on which channel this documentary will air (possibly as much as a year from now), but you can bet we’ll let you know when our young “star” can be seen on nationwide TV.

Submitted by Leah Tyndall, World Bird Sanctuary behind the scenes area supervisor 

What on earth is a Rhea?

If you enter the Environmental Education Center (also called our Visitor’s Center) at World Bird Sanctuary, one of the many displays you’ll see contains the eggs of various birds.  It shows you how similar – and different – eggs can be.

Note the Hummingbird egg (2nd shelf from bottom, 3rd egg from left) (photo: Gay Schroer)

The smallest egg in the display is that of a hummingbird, while an entire shelf is dedicated to the three largest eggs – those of the ostrich, emu, and rhea.  The ostrich is the largest bird, found loping across the African savannah.  The emu is slightly smaller, but looks somewhat similar.  But what on earth is a rhea?

A Common Rhea (photo: the wikipedia files)

Related to ostriches and emus, Greater Rheas are tall, long-legged, flightless birds.  They stand approximately four feet tall and are the largest bird found in South America.  Rheas, and other flightless birds, belong to a group called ratites.  Ratites do not have the bony protuberance on their sternum, called a keel, to which flight muscles attach.  Their wings are also very small for their body size, making them useless for flight, but useable for balance and helping to change direction.

A Greater Rhea (photo: the wikipedia files)

As I mentioned earlier, Rheas lay large eggs, and lay many at a time.  Rheas do not choose one mate for life like some other species.  Instead, one male will mate with many different females.  Those females (as many as twelve of them) all lay their eggs in the same nest.  The male, who built the nest for those females, then incubates the eggs and raises the chicks all by himself.  The females wander off on their own during this time…so much for maternal instincts.

Imagine the omelet you could make with this Rhea egg (photo: Gay Schroer)

Speaking of eggs, Rhea eggs are collected for food (imagine the omelet you could make with those!), and the birds themselves are hunted for their meat, skins, and feathers.  While Rheas are not endangered, they are considered to be Near Threatened.  Hunting regulations have restricted the harvesting of eggs and birds for commercial uses, but sport hunting is still a threat to these birds.

Next time you’re at the World Bird Sanctuary, be sure to wander into the Environmental Education Center and take a look at that egg display.  When someone asks you just what a Rhea is, you can tell them.

Submitted by JoHanna Burton, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

There is still time to experience Eagle Days through February and March

If you haven't braved the January weather to celebrate Eagle Days, there's still time to join World Bird Sanctuary and our partners as we celebrate Bald Eagle Season around the region!  

For those of us who live along the Mississippi flyway the colder temperatures herald the arrival of some of the most admired and magnificent creatures of them all.  This is the season for eagle watching!

Eagle watchers regularly see Bald Eagles on the frozen Mississippi River during eagle days.
Photo with kind permission of Sandra's Shooting Gallery.

If you can bear braving the cold and wind along the river, chances are that you will see wild Bald Eagles in action, hunting their prey, perching in a tree, or soaring up above. Eagle watching is an annual tradition for many of us, even those of us that are lucky enough to see and work with them every day.

If you want to see a live bald eagle up close and in person, you can visit the World Bird Sanctuary, or catch one of the displays or presentations below:

Audubon Center at Riverlands
February 1^st, 8^th, 2015 | 10 am—2pm

301 Riverlands Way, West Alton, MO 63386

A bald eagle and naturalist will be on hand to talk to the public about bald eagles.  Get your picture taken next to a Bald Eagle.  Be sure to bring your camera!  After this personal encounter you can pick up an official ‘All Around Alton Eagle Watcher's Guide’ and set off along the Great River Road to see eagles in their natural habitat. 

Enjoy seeing a live bald eagle in person and talk to naturalists,
before heading outside to spot wild bald eagles.
Photo with kind permission of Sandra's Shooting Gallery.

Kaskaskia Lock and Dam
February 7^th, 2015 | 10 am—2 pm

4800 Lock and Dam Road, Modoc, IL 62261

All About Eagles Program

Did you know that Ben Franklin wanted the turkey as our national symbol instead of the Bald Eagle? Get an up close and personal view of a Bald Eagle and learn the reasons it was chosen instead of the turkey. 

Most Eagle Days events provide expert eagle spotters who can help you find
wild bald eagles after enjoying a World Bird Sanctuary eagle presentation.
Photo with kind permission of Sandra's Shooting Gallery.

Dickson Mounds Museum
February 7^th, 2015 | 11 am—2 pm

10956 North Dickson Mounds Road, Lewistown, IL 61542

Features birds of prey including an eagle, falcons, hawks, owls and vultures. Not only will you see different species of raptors, but you'll also learn a vulture's secret weapon and how to identify a bird of prey in the wild. Sit back and enjoy an up close view as some of the birds soar right over your head!

Palisades Yacht Club—Riverbill Eagle Watching
February 7^th, 2015 | 3 pm—5pm

1670 Riverview Drive, Portage De Sioux, MO 63373

A bald eagle and naturalist will be on hand to talk to the public about bald eagles.  Get your picture taken next to a Bald Eagle.  Be sure to bring your camera! 

Experience the beauty of a bald eagle in person!
Photo with kind permission of Sandra's Shooting Gallery.

National Great Rivers Museum
February 14^th, 2015 | 10 am—4 pm

February 15^th, 2015 | 11 am—4 pm

February 16^th, 2015 | 10 am—1 pm

Route 3 South, East Alton, Il 62024

Masters of the Sky Program with eagle

Features birds of prey including an eagle, falcons, hawks, owls and vultures. Not only will you see different species of raptors, but you'll also learn a vulture's secret weapon and how to identify a bird of prey in the wild. Sit back and enjoy an up close view as some of the birds soar right over your head!

A Bald Eagle takes flight along the Mississippi River - a common sight
during Bald Eagle Days.
Photo with kind permission of Sandra's Shooting Gallery.

Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower
February 21^st, 2015 | 10 am—2 pm

435 Confluence Tower Drive, Hartford, Il 62048

A bald eagle and naturalist will be on hand to talk to the public about bald eagles.  Get your picture taken next to a Bald Eagle.  Be sure to bring your camera!

Bald Eagle Winter Watch—Saint Charles County Parks Department
February 28^th, 2015 | 9:30 am—11:30 am

1550 Hide Away Harbor Drive, Portage De Sioux, MO 63373

A bald eagle and naturalist will be on hand to talk to the public about bald eagles.  Get your picture taken next to a Bald Eagle.  Be sure to bring your camera!

Master Naturalist of Missouri Meramec Hills
March 10^th, 2015 | 5:30 pm & 7 pm

Rolla Middle School Auditorium

1111 Soest Road, Rolla, MO 65401

Raptor Awareness Program with eagle

Features birds of prey including an eagle, falcons, hawks, owls and vultures. Not only will you see different species of raptors, but you'll also learn a vulture's secret weapon and how to identify a bird of prey in the wild. Sit back and enjoy an up close view as some of the birds soar right over your head!

Wetlands for Kids—Missouri Department of Conservation
April 4^th, 2015 | 10 am—3pm

Busch Wildlife Area, 2360 Hwy D, Saint Charles, MO 63304

A wetlands themed 4 bird display featuring birds of prey.  Naturalists will be on hand to talk about the animals.

With all these eagle programs, indoors and outdoors, there is no reason for you not to get outside this winter to enjoy our National Symbol!

Submitted by Catherine Redfern

http://www.worldbirdsanctuary.org/

The Last Owl Prowls of the Season have just a few spaces left. Book Today!

There are just a handful of spaces left on each Owl Prowl before the season is over!  This popular program, awarded the AAA’s Midwest Traveler's Travel Treasure for the Midwest, will be over at the end of February and are selling out quickly.

Wild Barred Owl.
Photo used with kind permission of Patrick Lanham Photography

Come over to the Dark Side and meet the amazing birds that exist by moonlight.  World Bird Sanctuary Owl Prowls offer an exciting opportunity to learn more about the fascinating lives of owls.

Join one of our Naturalists at our evening programs - a 30 minute presentation featuring live flying owls, followed by an easy night hike around our grounds as we try and find wild Barred Owls and Great-horned Owls who are busy setting up territories and finding mates for the winter owl breeding season!

Owl Prowls offer a unique opportunity to see owls in flight!
Photo with kind permission of Sandra's Shooting Gallery.

Owl Programs with spaces available on selected evenings from February thru March 2015

We have a limited number of dates with some spaces for remaining Owl Prowls, so book today to avoid last minute disappointment. 

February 2015

Friday, February 6th

Saturday, February 7th

Friday, February 20th

March 2015

Saturday, March 14th

Meet beautiful owls like Tundra, the Snowy Owl, at a WBS Owl Prowl!
Photo with kind permission of Sandra's Shooting Gallery.

All Owl Prowls start at 7pm and are concluded by 9pm.

To book, call our Education Center at 636-225-4390 ext. 1.

$11 per adult; $9 per child under 12.

Friends of World Bird Sanctuary receive a 10% discount.

Groups of 10 or more pay $9 per person, regardless of age.

With only 30 people per Owl Prowl and selected dates available, call today to make your reservation!

Blog submitted by Catherine Redfern

Raptors in the Wetlands

In the “World of Warcraft” gaming crowd, you will find maps on the Internet of Raptor Ridge Wetlands in the Eastern Kingdom. 

It is the place in that virtual world that is considered a ‘contested territory,’ full of various marshes full of different types of fauna and wildlife.  The rocky ridge overlooks the watery flats below.  The raptors are attracted to the cliffs, where they can take off and soar over the marshes, looking down for easy prey.  The marshes (wetlands) below make for a whole world full of watery surprises of life, diverse and thriving, including the humans who wander into it and carry on their activities for living there.

A Peregrine Falcon feeding on a kill (photo: the wikipedia files)

It often works that way in the real life worlds of wetlands, waterfowl, and raptors -- especially the Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, and Great Horned Owls.  In doing limited research for this blog, I found a great source of information from the “Ducks Unlimited” website, written by Scott Yaich, PhD:  “While it would be easy to assume that fewer raptors would mean more ducks, no studies have indicated that these birds take enough waterfowl to significantly depress their populations. Waterfowl and raptors have shared the same habitats for hundreds of thousands of years, and in healthy ecosystems both groups of birds thrive in "the balance of nature." Like most predators, raptors tend to take the small, the sick and the weak. For example, a study of crippled mallards in Wisconsin found that most of the birds were killed by predators.  Raptors, including Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers, and Great Horned Owls accounted for about half of the predation.”

Now, let’s add human activity to this biological diversity.  Wetlands have long been identified by the Army Corp of Engineers and other wildlife managers as very necessary corridors for migrating waterfowl.  Also, various hunting organizations who lobby Washington have fed plenty of research dollars into restoring, maintaining, and even adding habitats for the waterfowl.  An added benefit is that most wetlands, by the physics of water running through roots, dirt, and rocks, are considered ‘nature’s filtration system’ and are often constructed to help clean up sources of pollution while also supporting a resurgence of wildlife in the neighborhoods where they are placed, even around subdivisions. 

All of these protected areas, even the seasonal marshes that may dry up during the hot summers, add to the rich diversity of life’s food chain from the ‘bottom feeders’ of mice and insects, on up to the ducks and waterfowl of open water marshes, and to the ‘top feeders’ of raptors.  It stands to reason that a well-designed, well-managed wetlands project can add great biodiversity to any construction project.  The best part is more release sites for rehabilitated raptors  into areas where we civilized humans may not be so accustomed to seeing soaring raptors anymore.

In upcoming blogs, the multi-tiered diversity of wetlands and raptors will be explored more.  It offers another great insight into how human activity and development projects can still be ‘inter-connected’ to our conservation practices, especially for the benefit of raptors.  Our human activities – our daily lives – can add to the diversity of the ecosystem in a healthy way.

Submitted by Paula Arbuthnot, World Bird Sanctuary Part-time Employee

Staff Member Cathy Spahn And The New Snowblower

In the winter of 2013 World Bird Sanctuary staff member Cathy Spahn's family donated a brand new Snow Blower to help ease the staff’s workload.

If you think shoveling your driveway is a chore, try hand shoveling an amphitheater! (photo: Mike Zieloski)

When Mr. and Mrs. Spahn visited last year they saw the vast areas from which we must remove snow to be safely open for our guests.  They saw a need and decided to do something about it.  They donated a very nice snow blower to World Bird Sanctuary for use on the stage, driveway and parking areas attached to the Nature Center.

For years Cathy and I and a few others have shoveled our stage and steps by hand; it takes hours!  Cathy and I are not as young as we once were, so shoveling snow is getting to be more and more challenging.  We still have many steps that require hand shoveling. But now thanks to the kindness of Cathy's parents, who are sponsors, we have an easier time with the snow on stage, and where our education vans must park to load for programs.

From the pictures you can see that we had a beautiful snowfall last winter on which to test our new snow blower. Cathy was shooting snow 15 feet in the air--quite an interesting sight. 

Cathy was shooting snow at least 15 feet in the air! (photo: Mike Zieloski)

Staff member Cathy Spahn grew up in Webster, New York.  She has been bird watching with her father since she was a small child.  At age 10 she helped band songbirds and raptors.  She volunteered at Seneca Park Zoo at age 13, and has volunteered at Cape May New Jersey for the American Birding Association.  She interned with Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.

Cathy graduated from Elmira College in New York in 1999 and shortly after that, in 2000, World Bird Sanctuary hired Cathy as a Naturalist.  Cathy has also held supervisory positions in our Care For Critters program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she wrote many of her own scripted programs.  Cathy served for a time as Director of Development and has been a key member on our Field Studies Teams.  She is currently the Lead Trainer at World Bird Sanctuary. Cathy was awarded the Staff Person of the Year plaque in 2003.

Cathy works hard every day to make the lives of our creatures better and is a pillar of the Education Department Staff.  Cathy gives a solid effort every day.  She opens up the Nature Center early, to get things going for animals, staff and guests.  She often assists our Founder Walt Crawford at many very early Television Spots.  Cathy is dedicated every day to making the World Bird Sanctuary a better place for our guests and for the animals in our care.

Our backs are thankful to the Spahns.  Their donation of a much needed snow blower means we can get back to being "Open to the public" sooner after bad weather and have more time to devote to caring for the birds.

Even with the snow blower, we are still in need of assistance to clear our roads after a snowfall.  Call 636-225-4390 if you would like to help out.

Submitted by Michael Zeloski, Director of Education, World Bird Sanctuary

Love Is In The Air

It’s now almost the end of January, and love is in the air—at least it is for the owls that are sending their amorous hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo messages out into the night air seeking a mate.

However, owls are not the only species expressing their amorous sentiments.   The human species (Homo sapiens) are preparing to celebrate the most romantic day of the year—Valentine’s Day.  Some will exchange cards, others will show up at their lady-love’s door with flowers or a box of chocolates, which will either wilt in a few days or be eaten in short order. 

An example of  the presentation certificate  (photo: Gay Schroer)

The true romantics will show up with a certificate for a World Bird Sanctuary brick!  You don’t think that sounds so romantic?  Think about it—the flowers will be wilted and dead within a few days; the candy will quickly be long gone; but the inscribed brick will be a lasting testament to your true love.  You may choose any sentiment you like (within the constraints of space and taste, of course). 

 You and your love will be able to find your brick years from now by visiting the World Bird Sanctuary amphitheater on your anniversary—or any time you choose.  Your children and grandchildren can make a trip to WBS to find their “family brick” generations from now and reminisce about how their family tree started.

Your brick will be installed in the main landing of the amphitheater (photo: Gay Schroer)

We will be submitting our order for this spring’s brick installation by the end of January.  In order to get your certificate in time for Valentine’s Day and be included in our spring installation, order now.

Brick prices begin at $125 for text only inscriptions.  Additional options are available for a small fee, such as Gift presentation certificates for $7.50, and stock symbols for an additional $25.  To order your brick on-line Click Here.  If you would prefer to pay by check or credit card call 626-225-4390, Ext. 0, and tell the person who answers that you would like to buy a brick.

Don’t delay—the ordering deadline for this installation is January 28, 2015.

Submitted by Gay Schroer, World Bird Sanctuary Volunteer

Really Weird Birds: Vulturine Guineafowl

Vulturine Guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum) are found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Uganda to eastern Kenya.  Their habitat consists of dry desert areas with patches of scrub, bushes, and tall grass.

Currently, there are seven species of guineafowl, all found in Africa.  This family of birds is related to turkeys, grouse, quail, pheasants and chickens (Order Galliformes).

 Vulturine Guineafowl showing full plumage (photo: the wikipedia files)

Vulturine guineafowl are the tallest and most colorful of the guineafowl.  They have longer wings, necks, legs, and tails than any other in their family.  An individual stands between 2 and 2.5 feet tall and weighs between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds. 

They have mostly a cobalt blue body with black and white striped feathers draping from the neck and small white dots on the side and back feathers.  What makes them strange is that they have mostly featherless faces and heads like vultures, except for some fluffy brown feathers on the back of their head (which resembles a monk’s haircut!).  They also have featherless necks.  Their skin is bluish-gray and their eyes are red.  Other guineafowl have featherless heads as well, but this species, especially up close, looks like a vulture.

Vulturine Guineafowl closeup - notice the bald head which resembles that of a vulture (photo: the wikipedia files)

Vulturine guineafowl are usually seen living in groups of 25-30.  Males and females look the same, with the female being slightly smaller.  Males tend to be aggressive towards females most of the time.  One way to tell them apart is by looking at their posture.  Males tend to stand as tall as possible.  In contrast females portray a more submissive posture.

Females lay 3-18 eggs, and sometimes nests contain eggs from more than one mother.  The shells are very thick and hard to crack and the chicks outgrow the egg and break out rather than chip their way out.  They are well developed when they hatch and are ready to fly within a few days.

Vulturine Guineafowl are omnivorous and eat seeds, roots, grubs, rodents, small reptiles, and insects.  When there is competition for food, they have been known to fatally injure their own kind, and even chicks will attack one another!

This species in not threatened or endangered in the wild.  These birds do well in captivity and can become very tame.  They are popular and highly sought after in aviculture.

The next time you visit the World Bird Sanctuary be sure to check out this unusual bird’s relatives—the turkeys and chickens that reside on our display line.

Submitted by Sara Oliver, former World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist