A fabulously majestic resident of tall, dry, primary, and secondary forests of the Indo-Malayan region, the Great Argus forages solitarily for fruit, seeds, flowers, and invertebrates on the forest floor. The bird’s taxonomic and common names both derive from Argus, the hundred-eyed giant, from Greek mythology (a reference to the many eye-like spots on the Argus’s wings and tail). Male Great Argus put on quite a courtship show on their “dancing grounds”: they carefully clear an area of all debris, then march in circles and stomp their feet loudly in front of the female. Then, he’ll show off his feathers in an incredible display, with wing feathers fanned out around his body and his two long tail feathers high up above him. The male’s call is a very loud and startling, “Kwow-wow!” Habitat loss from legal and illegal logging and hunting and trapping threaten the future of this remarkable pheasant.

Green Woodhoopoes are very social and extremely curious about their environment – known to probe their long, curved, bright red bill into cracks and crevices in search of insects. They use their bill to pry apart bark and buds, gaining access to the food within. 

Woodhoopoes all have striking iridescent green, blue, and purple plumage, long curved bills, and long tailfeathers. When they fly, they have two or three bright white stripes on their wings. 

In total, there are four species of Woodpoes, and an additional four species of closely-related Scimtarbills, all in the “Phoeniculidae” family.

The Green-winged Macaw (also called the Red-and-green Macaw) is a large parrot, second only to the Hyacinth Macaw in size. This species range is also large, spanning eastern Panama to Paraguay. The Green-winged Macaw’s band of green feathers on its wings and the presence of fine, tiny red feathers on its white face distinguish it from the similar Scarlet Macaw. It has an extremely powerful bill, which it uses to easily crack open hard-shelled nuts like Brazil nuts. Unlike many parrot species, Green-winged Macaws are not great imitators. Although not globally threatened, the Green-winged Macaw is generally uncommon, with pairs frequently solitary and dispersed. This species has a shrinking range, with population declines at the edges of its range.

The Grey-capped Emerald Dove, also called the Asian Emerald Dove or the Green-winged Dove, is found in a wide range of forest types, including rainforests, mangroves, and bamboo forests, throughout Southeast Asia. This “pretty pigeon” has very bold, irridescent green wings. Males have a distinctive grey crown and shimmery wings, while females are duller. They have a patch of white feathers on the bend of their wings that serves a social signaling function—it can be concealed (when the bird is relaxed) or made very obvious, when the bird is approaching competitors or rivals.

The Grey-capped Emerald Dove is not globally threatened, but predation by rats and feral cats poses a danger.

The Grosbeak Starling, also known as the Finch-billed Myna, is endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia where it inhabits forest edge and open woodlands. It is also very common in modified habitats such as plantations. The Grosbeak Starling often forages in large groups with other Grosbeak Starlings high in the canopy where it consumes fruits, seeds, insects, and nectar. This species is highly gregarious and also nests colonially. The Grosbeak Starling population in Sulawesi is very seriously impacted by the removal of large remnant trees often used for nesting following logging or land clearing for cultivation. In addition to their attractiveness for the pet trade, some Grosbeak Starlings are killed because of a case of mistaken identity—they are mistaken for a local agricultural pest species, the Short-tailed Starling.

The Guam Kingfisher is small by kingfisher standards. Males average only about 58g (two ounces) and 24 cm (9 inches) long, making them less than half the size of North America’s Belted Kingfisher. Both male and female Guam Kingfishers have an iridescent blue-green back, a disproportionately very large, slightly crested, rust-colored head, and a long, stout, pointed bill. Males have cinnamon-colored underparts, while the underparts of females and juveniles are whitish.

After World War II, the accidental introduction of brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis) to Guam resulted in the extinction of nearly all of the island’s dozen species of native land bird by the late 1970’s. Biologists realized that drastic action was needed if there was going to be any hope of saving what was left of Guam’s native birds. In 1984, when the Guam Kingfisher received “Endangered” status from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, fewer than 50 were estimated to remain in the wild. Twenty-one of these were captured and transported to U.S. zoos; eight more birds were imported in 1986. The last sighting of a Guam Kingfisher in the wild was in 1988.

Encouragingly, the population of Guam Rails in human care has continued to grow. The world’s population of Guam Kingfishers, and the future of the species is in the hands of zoological institutions, including the National Aviary, which is proud to participate in and contribute to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the Guam Kingfisher.

The Guam Rail is a small, ground-dwelling bird, inhabiting forests, mixed woodland and scrub, fern thickets, and grasslands. They move quickly through thickets and grasses. It is most active at dawn and dusk.

In the late 1980s, the presence of an invasive species, the brown tree-snake threatened the survival of bird species on the island of Guam. The Guam Rail was nearly driven to extinction, but biologists managed to rescue the remaining rails and bring them into human care. The species was listed as Extinct in the Wild for over 30 years. Careful coordination between zoos helped this species survive and breed in human care. Gradually, the species was released on the islands of Rota and Cocos near Guam, where released birds themselves have since successfully reproduced! In 2019, the Guam Rail became only the second bird species ever to be upgraded from “Extinct in the Wild” to “Critically Endangered.”

The National Aviary played a vital role in the reintroduction of Guam Rails. More Guam Rails have hatched at the National Aviary than at any other North American zoo. Read more about the remarkable recovery of this Critically Endangered species!

The shimmery feathers of the Hadada Ibis isn’t the only attention-grabbing feature of this bird: its loud call can be heard echoing through the Wetlands! Hadada Ibises are found in sub-Saharan Africa in a variety of habitats and often in close proximity to humans. This medium-sized ibis uses its long, curved beak to probe the ground for insects and the occasional small frog or reptile. Their populations are not globally threatened and in fact may even be increasing with the spread of agricultural development and irrigated land.

The Hamerkop is a mostly brown bird of the wetlands of Africa and Madagascar, and are known for the huge stick nests which they build – sometimes make several or more each year! Hamerkops are found in a variety of wetlands, including estuaries, and lake margins, but they also require nearby trees important for roosting and nesting. Like other marsh-dwellers, Hamerkops consume frogs, fish and large insects. This species can be locally common and is not currently considered to be threatened.

Although the Harpy Eagle is massive, weighing 17–20 pounds, it is built very differently from many other large raptors. Despite their weight and the enormous size of their legs, feet, and talons, Harpy Eagles actually have a relatively short wingspan compared to birds like the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle. This compact wing structure is an adaptation for navigating and hunting within dense tropical forest canopies rather than soaring in open skies. Because of this, they rely less on gliding and more on powerful, controlled flight through trees. 

Like most eagles, the female Harpy is significantly larger than the male; sometimes nearly twice the size. Their physical strength is most evident in their legs and talons, which are among the largest and most powerful of any eagle. The rear talons can reach 4-5 inches in length, comparable to the claws of a Grizzly Bear, and are capable of exerting tremendous pressure. This allows the Harpy Eagle to be a highly efficient and formidable predator in their environment, often catching (and lifting) prey nearly equal to its own body weight. 

The journey to adulthood for Harpy Eagles is gradual, with juveniles going through four molts before reaching full adult plumage at four years of age.

Harpy Eagles are the National Bird of Panama and are an Ecuadorian symbol of biodiversity (alongside Andean Condors!). However, their wild populations are dwindling due to human activities such as deforestation and pesticide usage. 

The Peregrine Fund, a fellow conservation organization, launched the Harpy Eagle Release Project in 1989, working in collaboration with accredited partners to house these magnificent raptors. As part of this effort, a bonded pair was sent to Zoo Miami, where they hatched a chick in 2025. That chick – now full-grown – resides in The Charity Randall Foundation Eagle Hall at the National Aviary, representing a meaningful step forward in the conservation of one of the world’s most unique birds of prey. She’s the ONLY Harpy Eagle to reside in the United States’ Northeast.

Harris’s Hawks are a deep chestnut brown with yellow markings that make them stand out. They are a very social species, and have been observed raising young and hunting—an unusual trait for a raptor species! While on the hunt, a group of Harris’s Hawks will descend on their prey and flush it. Harris’s Hawks can be found throughout Mexico and parts of the southern United States.

The Hooded Merganser is a showy diving duck with a distinctive head crest and bright eyes. The smallest of the three merganser species found in North America, the Hooded Merganser is found throughout most of the continental United States and southern Canada. The serrated edge and hooked tip of its bill helps the Hooded Merganser seize its prey, and its eyes are adapted to help it see underwater. Sometimes other duck species will lay their eggs in Hooded Merganser nests, a breeding strategy called “nest parasitism.” Hooded Mergansers, too, will lay their eggs in other bird’s nests. This species is not threatened but can be vulnerable to pesticides and contaminants and habitat degradation.