The dances of spring

Pollen … I mean, spring is in the air! The temperatures are rising, the flowers are blooming, the air is a cloudy haze of yellow, and the birds seem to be singing and dancing with joy. Springtime at Zoo Atlanta is a pretty special time of year, as it means the cold months are finally behind us and breeding season is coming into full swing. With over 40 species of birds, each exhibiting their own unique rituals, it’s like the aviaries transform into stages for beautiful feather displays and elegant dances, each more precise than the last. Where the birds build delicate yet magnificent works of art impressing not only their potential partners but their care team members and guests as well! There is a melodious effect as a euphony of bird calls float through the pathways while you wander through the Zoo with your family and friends.

Since many of the birds have moved into their spring homes, lots of things have been changing in the aviaries to help them into the limelight. Nest boxes and platforms have been hung by keepers, birds have begun building their own nests, and some eggs have even started to appear.

The Living Treehouse has been buzzing with activity! High up in the trees, the male Taveta golden weavers have been tightly flapping their wings to capture the attention of the females and weaving nests with grasses and leaf blades. The females will choose the mate with the best woven nest to lay their eggs! Hammy the hamerkop has been hard at work creating what is arguably the centerpiece of the entire habitat. Hamerkops are compulsive nest builders, and now that he’s out of his winter home and back in The Living Treehouse, he’s been constructing an impressive nest high atop a platform in the middle of the aviary. Their nests can sometimes be more than four feet across and strong enough to support the weight of an adult person!

Meanwhile, down on the ground the male golden pheasant has been dancing around the females, drawing golden neck and cheek feathers across his beak like a cape while making high-pitched metallic sounding chirping noises. After courting, the females will nest in tall grassy areas in shallow depressions in the ground where their plumage will blend in. It’s here they’ll lay their many, many eggs! Up to 12 to be exact!

Over in Flamingo Plaza, the Chilean flamingos have been putting on quite the show. Both the males and females perform a variety of rituals to attract a mate, including body stretching, preening one another, head flagging (stretching their necks up and swiveling their heads from side-to-side in tandem), and wing salutes (where the wings are repeatedly opened and closed). When two flamingos are interested in each other they will vocalize in unison often and spend most of their time together! In the back of the habitat you can watch males and females building pillar-shaped mud mounds to lay their eggs.

There are so many incredible songs and dances to describe I could honestly go on and on … but now that I’ve hopefully caught your attention with these previews, maybe you should just come discover them for yourselves. Happy birding!

Abbi E.
Keeper I, Birds