Conservation Stories

illustration of birds

The National Aviary, along with Project Principalis, is delighted to announce that we have made available to the public the results to date of our search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. A paper titled, “Multiple lines of evidence indicate survival of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Louisiana” co-authored by Steven Latta, Mark Michaels, and eight other Project…

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A Bridled white-eye perched on a tree branch

Meet Tasi, a tiny bird with a bubbly personality. Tasi is a Saipan White-eye, also known as a Bridled White-eye, a Critically Endangered species native to the Northern Mariana Islands. This species is threatened by the encroaching presence of an invasive snake–the same invasive snake species that ravaged the populations of Guam’s native birds, including…

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Jenny Owens and staff and volunteers of VulPro

When the call came in that a concerned South African citizen had found two vultures down on the ground, unable to take off, Jenny Walsh sprang into action. As the birds were brought in, Jenny looked them over, assessing for injuries. One bird was very thin—she observed its lack of coordination while walking. A blood…

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Stanley and Dottie cuddling together

How the Aviary’s expert team, and a loving mate, helped one African Penguin recover from a long illness.

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Guam Rail walking on the ground

Guam Rails are small, flightless, and if you blink, you’ll miss them. They dart in and out of the foliage of the Tropical Rainforest at the National Aviary. But great things come in small packages, and in late 2019, Guam Rails made a huge leap forward when their IUCN status changed from “Extinct in the Wild” to “Critically Endangered.”…

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American Flamingo preening itself

A Flamingo Rescue Halfway Around the World When more than 1,800 baby Lesser Flamingoes were abandoned by their parents due to a severe drought at the Kamfers Dam in South Africa in 2019, the National Aviary’s Teri Grendzinski was among the first to arrive on the scene. Teri Grendzinski made the journey to South Africa equipped with medication and veterinary supplies,…

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In The News

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Striped skunk sisters arrive at National Aviary | Observer-Reporter

The National Aviary is welcoming two new furry animal ambassadors to its collection of 500 birds and mammals -: striped skunk sisters.

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Is It OK to Befriend a Crow? We Asked Bird Experts | Martha Stewart

Here in the real world, these super-smart birds are unexpected stars of social media, where users on CrowTok show off the ways they connect with their local corvids.

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Little Stinkers: The Aviary Welcomes Baby Skunks, and You Can Help Name Them | Pittsburgh Magazine

The striped sisters will follow in their mother’s footsteps to become animal ambassadors.

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You can name National Aviary’s new skunks, but there’s a deadline | USA Today

The pair of striped skunks, born in the spring, arrived at the aviary in Pittsburgh over the summer. The skunks are nearly identical, though the white stripes along the top of their heads are unique, with one reaching a narrow point while the other curves toward one side of her nose.

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The National Aviary Welcomes Two Striped Skunk Sisters—And You Can Name Them! | Table Magazine

Two striped skunks have joined the Aviary’s menagerie, added to the North Side institution’s roster of non-avian species. While birds are the main attraction at the National Aviary, adding other animals helps develop biodiversity and more natural habitats.

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