 Burmese
Red Junglefowl
(Gallus gallus)
Range:
Found in the northwestern Himalayas to southern China,
Hainan, Philippines, Sumatra, and Java. Exist from
NW India, through Assam, Burma, Thailand, and Malaya
to Indo China, South China, Hainan, Sumatra, and Java.
Introduced in Celebes, Lesser Sundas, and Oceania.
In southeastern Asia, they are a common resident up
to 5500 ft., except in central Thailand and Hong Kong.
They are found in forest, second growth, scrub, and
rice stubble habitats. Normally found in both dry and
damp jungle and forest with good cover.
Size:
Length: Male 65 - 75 cm (28 in.) ; Female 42 - 46 cm
(17 in.)
Wingspan: Male 48 cm (20 in.) ; Female 38 cm (15 in.)
Weight: Male 800 - 1020 g (1.75 - 2.25 lbs) ; Female 485 - 740 g (1 - 1.6 lbs)
Diet:
Herbivore and insectivore. Eat mainly plant material
including seeds, grain, shoots, and buds. Also eat
insects, their eggs, and larvae. Food preferences vary
seasonally.
Description:
The male resembles a domestic chicken. The male's comb, facial skin, and
lappets are red. Chestnut-red to orange-yellow hackles cover the rest of
the head, neck, upper breast, and upper back. The upper back, greater wing
coverts, and tertiaries are glossy blue-green. The rest of the upper wing
coverts and the middle of the back are dark red, the secondaries are mostly
chestnut, and the primaries are black. The lower back is maroon-red, the
rump is red-orange, and the tail and upper tail coverts are dark metallic
green. The tail has two long protruding curved feathers. The rest of the
underparts are dull balck. The upper tail coverts have white bases which
often show when flushed. The female's facial skin is red. Her crown and nape
are reddish chestnut and her neck is streaked dark brown and buffy yellow.
The upperparts, sides, and flanks are mottled dark brown. The breast is chestnut-brown
with buff streaks and grading to an olive-brown belly. Her tail is short
and compact and her head has few feathers and a tiny comb. Their feet are
grey or brown and their ear patch is white or red. Sexual maturity is reached
at one year of age, with males developing full adult plumage and spurs by
two years old.
Natural History:
The Burmese Red Junglefowl is the wild ancestor of the domestic chicken.
Their call is similar to the high-pitched call of domestic chickens; except
that the last syllable is cut short. This crowing is most intense in the
early mornings. Unlike domestic fowl, the wild Red Junglefowl are adept fliers.
They are shy and not easily tamed and they forage by scratching at the ground
to find food beneath leaf litter. Wild chicks can fly short distances at
a few days of age; as soon as their primaries have grown in. The male spends
much of his time establishing territory by crowing. This species is polygymous
and can be found in a variety of social groups. Red Junglefowl are said to
differ from their domestic counterparts by being highly monogomous in the
wild. Sexual maturity is reached at one year of age. Females lay 4 - 6 eggs
in simple scrapes on the ground protected by vegetation. Precocial chicks
hatch at 19 - 21 days. Chicks are fed by the hen until they become fully
independent at 8 - 10 weeks. This species can probably live 5 - 7 years in
captivity. There are four species of Junglefowl and five subspecies of Red
Junglefowl identified. The Green Junglefowl is the most similar to the Red
but is only found in Java. Some refer to the Red Junglefowl as an endangered
species, but numbers may be hard to track because if its close resemblance
to some domestic fowl. In its domestic form, this species is considered by
some to be one of the most abundant birds in the world. Red Junglefowl are
also considered by some to be the single most important avian species in
human history; due to their domestication by man. Chickens and their eggs
have become instrumental to the survival of man since before recorded history,
and were probably domesticated in Southeast Asia before 2500 B.C.
Personal History:
Approx. 15 - Obtained by NEI in 1998 at a year old.
Four Baby Chickens - Born and raised by NEI staff in 1999.
Back
 East
African Crowned Crane
(Balearica regulorum gibbericeps)
Range:
East Africa from Angola, Zambia, northeastern, east central, and southeastern
Zaire, Uganda and Kenya south to northern Namibia, northern Botswana and eastern
South Africa. Found in marsh, wet and dry grassland, woodland, and flooded plains
habitats.
Size:
Tall bird standing approximately 4 ft. tall. Similar size and build as the sandhill
crane native to Florida.
Lenght: 38 in.
Wingspan: 565 cm (6 - 7 ft.)
Weight: 3900 g (~ 8.5 lbs.)
Diet:
Omnivorous diet of plants, worms, snails, insects,
frogs, lizards, mice, and young birds. They feed throughout
the day.
Description:
The forehead, crown, and nape are velvety black
with a bush of stiff gold feathers on the crown.
The neck and body are mostly grey. The primaries
are black and the secondaries are black and chestnut.
The eyes are pale blue. The bill and legs are black.
Both sexes are alike except that the female's crest
is slightly smaller.
Natural History:
Socially gregarious, they are found in pairs or groups of up to 20. They
are monogamous and probably pair for life. They roost along rivers and
marshes and also in trees. They feed by rapidly pecking food with their
long straight beak, uprooting plants and they go. They stamp their feet
to flush out insects. Their long legs are used for wading through the
grasses and their large feet are adapted for balance rather than for
grasping. They can fly at a speed of 56 mph and are excellent fliers.
They will sometimes walk among cattle, Zebra, and Impala. The parents
work together to construct nests of grasses and other vegetation in tall
grasses in marshes. The female lays 2 - 3 eggs and they are incubated
for 30 days. In 10 weeks, the young can fly. They have excellent peripheral
vision, which is useful for location of predators on the Savanna. Birds
of this species have been killed by poisoned seeds.
Personal History:
Niles - Hatched in captivity in 1996 and hand raised by NEI staff.
Snap and Pop - Captive bred, born on the 4th of July 1997 and hand raised by
NEI staff.
Rocket - Hatched on the 5th of July 1997. Obtained from a breeder in Louisiana
and hand raised by NEI staff.
Tiara - Acquired from a private breeder in October 2002 at 3 months old.
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Bird: Hadada ibis
(Hagadashia hagedash)
Range:
Native to Ethiopia and East Africa, these aquatic birds are found around swamps, marshes, flooded areas, rivers with a margin of trees, edges of lakes and pastureland.
Size:
Diet:
They are carnivorous; feeding on fish, insects, spiders, snails, crustaceans, amphibians and sometimes scavenging for carrion.
Description:
These generally brown and gray birds are subtly adorned with metallic reflections. The mantle and back is olive green-bronze brown, and the rump and upper tail coverts are glossy bottle green, tan, and blue-black. There is a buff-white stripe on the cheek and a rosy patch sweeps along the top of the long, downward-pointing bill. In flight, the feet don't project beyond the tail. The broad and rounded wings flap deeply.
Natural History:
They are particularly noisy at dawn and dusk on the way to or from their overnight roosts. They nest in isolation, many times at the top of telephone poles. When not breeding, they feed and fly in large groups.
Males display then eventually choose a mate. The pair then engages in mutual bowing and display preening. Males usually gather nest materials, which they ritually offer to their mates. They construct a flimsy nest structure and many eggs and young fall from the nest. Both sexes incubate the 2-6 eggs, often before they have all been laid, which leads to staggered hatching. Both sexes feed the young. Fledglings feed on regurgitated food, which they get by inserting their bills down the parents' gullet. The young develop rapidly and are soon able to leave the nest. The nesting cycle lasts 2-3 months.
Personal History:
Harry & Lloyd - Aquired in 2006.
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 Bird: Hammerkop
(Scopus umbretta)
Range:
It resides throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and Yemen in suitable localities, occurring on inland waters, especially slowly-running streams. Lake margins and marshes are also common habitats.
In Kenya it is common along the Athi River in Nairobi National Park and in the Amboseli National Park.
Size:
Diet:
The Hammerkop feeds largely on frogs and tadpoles. Fish, insects and crustaceans are also taken.
Description:
The Hammerkop is a dusky brown water bird about the size of a cattle egret--about 20 inches long. It has a superficial resemblance to both herons and storks. It is neither, but rather a distinct species in a separate family.
Its thick square crest is the origin of its name. Hammerkop means hammerhead in Dutch. It has black legs and a black bill tipped with hook.
The bird's short tail and large wings enable it to soar and glide easily, which it does with its head stretched forward. Sexes are alike.
The Hammerkop vocalizes with a series of shrill piping whistles. When several birds are communicating, the noise is loud and distracting.
Natural History:
Personal History:
Sledge - Aquired from Philadelphia Zoo in 2007 as a baby.
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Bird: Kea
(Nestor notabilis)
Range:
Mountains of South Island of New Zealand from Fiordland north to Nelson and Marlborough Provinces.
Found in Montane forest and regions with sub-alpine scrubland between 300 m (900 ft) and 2,000 m (6,000 ft); often in vicinity of alpine huts and camping sites.
Size:
Length: 48 cm (19 ins)
Diet:
Leaves, fruits, berries, roots (mostly from succulent plants) and nectar (e.g. New Zealand bush flax Phormium tenax); as well as worms, insects and their larvae; plant matter and roots are used to search and scrape out food between crevices and boulders; sheep carcases are eaten; rubbish dumps in residential areas are scavenged.
Description:
Olive-green, each feather edged with black; crown and nape yellowish-green with dark striping to feathers; dark brown patches below and behind eye; breast and abdomen pale brownish-green; lower back orange-red with each feather tipped brown-black; under wing-coverts orange-red; underside of flight feathers with yellow banding; tail bluish-green with black tip and orange-yellow barring on inner web of each feather; iris dark brown; feet dark grey; long curved bill brownish-grey.
Female has shorter and less curved bill.
Immatures as adult, but with yellowish skin to periophthalmic ring, cere and base of lower mandible, feet yellow-brown. Adult plumage attained at 18 months. Natural History:
Small groups of up to 10 birds outside breeding period; in autumn young birds form flocks of up to 100 individuals; playful; prefers to live on ground; confiding and inquisitive; can be handfed; causes considerable damage to vehicles (rubber seals and tyres), camping sites and huts; seasonal migration; some birds live above snowline; good flier; call sounds like "kea".
Personal History:
Ike
Sophia
Sorento
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 Bird: Marabou Stork
(Leptoptilos crumeniferus)
Range:
Marabou storks are found throughout Africa, south of the Sahara Desert, although they have become rare in the country of South Africa due to habitat destruction. They prefer arid conditions and will temporarily move during the rainy season.
Size:
Diet:
Although marabou storks are not related to vultures, they often act as scavengers, soaring above the ground looking for carcasses to feed on, and often find themselves in the company of vultures. In areas where there are large human populations, marabous make frequent visits to the local garbage dump. They can become quite tame, waiting at slaughterhouses for the workers to throw them scraps. Marabous also eat live prey, including termites, flamingos, fish and small mammals.
Description:
Unlike the typical vision of storks as beautiful white birds, marabou storks are strangely unattractive, more resembling vultures than storks. Marabous have the long legs typical of storks, with long, broad dark grey or black wings with white edged feathers. They have a grizzled red, naked neck with a pouch hanging from the throat, a mottled red and black featherless head, a massive, wedge-shaped bill and short toes for walking on dry land. Females are similar to males in appearance, but slightly smaller.
Natural History:
The unsightly appearance of marabou storks, combined with their unsanitary habits (their legs are usually covered with excrement, and their necks, heads and bills are covered with blood from poking around in carcasses) make them an unattractive target for hunters. These birds are not completely unappreciated, however. Some residents in towns where they dwell appreciate marabou storks' willingness to eat carcasses and garbage, thereby removing it from their area and reducing the number of rodents and risk of disease.
Personal History:
Bonnie & Clyde - Aquired in 2005 as eggs. Hatched at NEI's Training Facility in Winter Haven, Florida.
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Bird: Pigeons
(Columbia livia)
Range:
Size:
Diet:
Description:
Natural History:
Personal History:
Back
 Bird: Red-crested
Turaco
(Touraco erythrolophus)
Range:
Endemic resident of Angola, in West-central Africa.
Found in evergreen and gallery forests from the lower
Zaire River to the Cambo River, Upper Cuanza River,
along the escarpment south to Chingorsi. Common in
forests at Gabela and Salazar. Occurs in gallery
forests at Menguage River, Quissama National Park,
and in ecotones between forest and Brachystegia woodland
near Salazar.
Size:
Length: 40-43 cm
Weight:210-325g
Wingspan:
Diet:
Description:
The adult male has lores and cheeks which are white or greyish white. The nostrils
are round rather than oval and covered by feathers. The bill is yellow and
greenish around the nostrils. The crissum is yellow rather than red. There
is some crimson in the chest feathers, which are white tipped. This species
overlaps with two races of Green Turaco which have green heads and crests,
red bills, and black and white marks around the eyes.
Natural History:
Personal History:
Azul
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Bird: Rhode Island Red Chickens
(Gallus gallus)
Range:
Size:
Diet:
Description:
Its feathers are maroon bordering the black. They have the color red-orange eyes and yellow feet. Chicks are a light red to tan color with two dark brown bars running down their backs. They have red beaks.
Natural History:
The Rhode Island Red was originally bred in Adamsville, a small village which is part of Little Compton, Rhode Island. In 1925 the Rhode Island Red Club of America donated funds for an elegant monument to the Rhode Island Red in Adamsville, near the baseball field and across the street from what used to be Abraham Manchester's restaurant. (The monument is now on the National Register of Historic Places.) A competing monument to the Rhode Island Red, claiming its creation not for the poultry fanciers, but for the farmers who grew them commercially in great numbers in Little Compton, was erected by the state in 1954 a mile or so south of Adamsville.
Rhode Island Reds are tough birds, resistant to illness, good at foraging and free ranging, and are typically docile, quiet and friendly, though males can be considerably aggressive. Although they are widely known as good layers through cold periods, if the coop temperature drops below freezing their output drops considerably and the tips of their combs become very susceptible to frostbite.
Personal History:
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Bird: Silver Gulls 
(Larus novaehollandiae)
Range:
The Silver Gull is a common sight at virtually any watered habitat throughout Australia and is rarely seen far from land. Birds flock in high numbers around fishing boats as these leave or return to the coast, but seldom venture far out to sea. The Silver Gull is also found in New Zealand and New Caledonia.
Diet:
As with many other gull species, the Silver Gull has become a successful scavenger, readily pestering humans for handouts of scraps, pilfering from unattended food containers or searching for human refuse at tips. Other food includes worms, fish, insects and crustaceans., With increased access to a wide-range of dietary items, the Silver Gull has been able to increase its population in areas of human activity. Available nesting grounds appear to be the only limiting factor to population increases.
Description & Size:
The Silver Gull has a white head, tail and underparts, with a light grey back and black-tipped wings. In adult birds the bill, legs and eye-ring are bright orange-red. This colouration and its relatively small size (40 - 45 cm) easily distinguish it from the other two resident gulls in Australia(the Pacific Gull, L. pacificus (63 cm), and the Kelp Gull, L. dominicanus (58 cm)). Some smaller vagrant species are found in Australia from time to time, but have distinctly different plumages to the Silver Gull. The most common call is a harsh 'kwee-aarr'.
Natural History:
Personal History:
7 Aquired as babies in 2007.
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 Bird: West African Crowned Crane
(Balearica pavonina pavonina)
Range:
Size:
Diet:
Omnivorous diet of plants, worms, snails, insects, frogs, lizards, mice, and young birds. They feed throughout the day.
Description:
Natural History:
Personal History:
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 Bird: White-faced
Whistling Duck
(Dendrocygna viduata)
Range:
A resident species south of the Sahara, they are
common in lowland tropical regions, less so in the
highlands. They are generally absent from forested
Zaire and western regions south to the western Cape,
with the exception of sporadic visits by individuals
and small groups. They are the most abundant resident
duck in Nigeria. They are regular passage migrants
in eastern Zaire and Burundi, Ruzizi marshes, Kafue
Flats, and Zambia. They are numerous in Zululand,
Witwaterstrand, and Transvaal. Flocks are often seen
on large rivers, lakes, dams, estuaries, floodplains,
and sewage-disposal dams. They spend most of their
time on shorelines or sandbanks.
Size:
Length: 48 cm
Wingspan: 46 - 50 cm
Weight: Male 637 g ; Female 614 g
Diet:
A herbivore which eats mostly grass and seeds.
Description:
The adult's entire frontal half of the head from well beyond the eyes, the
chin, and the throat are white. The rest of the head to the middle of the neck
is black. There is a variable black strip seperating the white throat and the
chin. The lower neck and breast are rich chestnut and the upper back is olive-brown
and transversely barred rusty. The scapulars are greyish olive-brown and edged
rusty. The lower back, rump, and uppertail coverts and the tail are black with
a blue sheen. The underparts from the lower breast and over the entire medial
plane to the tail is also black with a blue sheen. The lateral surfaces of
the breast and flanks are white, washed with ochre, and boldly transversely
barred black. The upperwing lesser coverts are deep chestnut and the remainder
of the coverts are dark bluish grey with an olive overlay. The remiges, the
axillaries, and the underwing coverts are black. The eye is brown, the bill
is black with a transverse bluish grey bar near the tip, and the legs and feet
are bluish grey. Juveniles are similar to the adults but are duller in color.
They lack the white face and black head and belly. They get their adult plumage
at approximately 4 months of age.
Natural History:
They are a highly vocal species and their vocalizations consist of a three
note whistle repeated after breif pauses. The whistle is a loud, shrill 'swee-swee-sweeoo'.
Vocalizations are usually made by individuals as a contact call, as well
as by flocks while feeding, before flight, and in many other situations.
If birds are disturbed, they may fly around while repeating a single 'wheee'
note. They are a gregarious species when not breeding and their preferred
habitats include large water sources with emergent and surface vegetation.
They mainly forage 2 hours after dawn and before dusk, but will casually
forage at other times of the day. They obtain their food by dabbling in a
marshy or partly flooded grassland, sometimes on open water, with their head
emersed. They may also dive for their food and can remain underwater for
5 - 10 seconds. However, they do not move laterally underwater. In shallow
water, food is usually obtained by filtering or grubbing in various feeding
zones according to season. They prefer to walk or stand rather than to swim,
regardless of the habitat. Flocks of up to 400 have been seed feeding offshore
and groups of 2 - 11 have been seen at shorelines. This species may become
aggressive towards others during the non-breeding season and, in doing so,
may jump at others with spread wings and an open bill while whistling. They
nest singly on the ground, over water, or, exceptionally, in trees above
water. The nests are at least 75 m apart. Mutual preening between pairs and
within flocks is common and copulation occurs in the water. When the male
mounts the female, the female is almost totally submerged. The nests are
built in long grass 15 - 45 m away from water or 0.2 - 1.0 m above shallow
water in sedge. Nests are constructed of vegetation and are well concealed
when on the ground. If nests are over water, the surrounding vegetation is
pulled down to conceal the nest. The female lays 4 - 13 small, smooth, oval,
creamy white eggs. Incubation is mainly done by the male and lasts 26 - 30
days. The chicks leave the nest within 48 hours of hatching but are attended
by both parents and kept in dense cover until they are free-flying. If disturbed
while near water, ducklings will dive and surface some distance away while
the parents flap across the water in a 'broken-wing' display or fly around
calling. The juveniles will tend to remain in family groups with the parents
during the non-breeding season.
Personal History:
Approx. 15 - Acquired by NEI in 1998 at a year old.
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