No ticket, no problem

Let’s talk about animals at the Zoo. Not the majestic lions, the sleepy sloths, or the meerkats standing around like they’re waiting for a wild encounter to start. No, we’re focusing on the real resident animals: the local birds who never bought a ticket, never bothered to check the Zoo map, and definitely didn’t read the posted “No Trespassing” signs.

To native birds, the Zoo isn’t a conservation facility. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet, spa, and luxury retreat all rolled into one. Think about it! The Zoo’s Bird Team spends months designing the perfect habitats: custom plants, misting systems, and hand-selected perches. It’s basically interior design, but for Bruce’s green pigeons with very strong habitat preferences. Every detail is crafted to keep the Zoo’s feathered friends happy, healthy, and living in what is basically bird paradise. So really, can you blame the local birds for moving in? If someone built you a luxury house with free snacks and daily bath service, wouldn’t you move in too?

Meanwhile, the storks are thinking, “We’ve trained in this habitat. We’ve nested here. We’ve committed. And Tony the hawk just flies in like he owns the place?”. Yes, Tony does. Because here’s the kicker:  Tony knows his rights. Legally, we can’t remove the native birds if we wanted to. Nope. Not even a polite shoo or strongly worded letter. Protected by federal law, these feathery freeloaders are untouchable. They can waltz into the aviary, help themselves to some specially curated grub, and nest wherever they please. No questions asked.

So, what can we do about it? Honestly, not much except lean into it. We ignore the uninvited guests and adjust our birds’ diets to account for extra beaks floating around. At this point, it’s less about control and more about cohabitation.

In the end, zoos may have been built for conservation, but they’ve unintentionally become the most elite, feathery hangout spots in town. So next time you visit the Zoo, look up. The bird chilling on top of the barn? He’s not lost. He lives here. He’s on a permanent vacation.

Kelsey K.
Senior Keeper, Birds