Grasslands

Grasslands Presented by Vitro Architectural Glass

The Grasslands Presented by Vitro Architectural Glass is an indoor habitat where small songbirds from around the globe fly freely around you. This recently renovated habitat is a serene, quiet space where the soft chirps, trills, and songs of finches and sparrows surround you. Natural light filters in through skylights above you.

You may see beautiful Green Singing Finches gathering nesting material, or catch the inquisitive Owl Finches peering at you from the branches of trees. Shaft-tailed Finches land on perches close by. A Red Siskin’s red feathers make them stand out as they fly overhead.

The habitat is also home to a grassland icon, a Southern Three-banded Armadillo! With a tough exterior, surprisingly quick movements, and a strong sense of smell, armadillos are perfectly adapted for life in warm climates such as forests, savannas, and grasslands. These habitats provide an abundance of insects – a staple of an armadillo’s diet – as well as workable ground material that’s ideal for digging with their strong claws.

A vibrant male Red Siskin perched on a tree in the Grasslands

In 2024, the Grasslands was beautifully revamped, featuring new and improved roofing, additional lush plants and greenery, and new skylight glazing that maximizes UV transmittance for our birds. The National Aviary, including this recent renovation, is supported in part by the taxpayers of Allegheny County through a public grant from the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD). RAD works here.

The National Aviary is part of global collaborative program to help save this endangered species, native to Venezuela, and boost the population. All of the Red Siskins living in the Grasslands habitat were born in our state-of-the-art Breeding Center!

The plantscape of the Grasslands incorporates inspiration from grassland habitats around the world.

Safeguarding Grasslands

Visitors to Canary’s Call can learn how to be good stewards of our planet, including the conservation of crucial grassland habitats. In addition to carbon storage, these habitats – whether the savannah in Africa, prairies in North America, or downs in Australia – allow rainwater to penetrate into the ground, helping to prevent flooding and maintaining critical water sources for flora and fauna alike. However, grasslands face largely human-caused threats like unsustainable farming practices. Learn how YOU can help protect them, thanks to tips and tricks from the National Aviary Green Team.

Learn More

Thank You to Our Grasslands Sponsor:

In The News

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These Plants Can Turn Your Yard into a Hummingbird Haven (Featuring Insight from National Aviary Ornithologist Bob Mulvihill) | A-Z Animals

According to Bob Mulvihill, a Lead Ornithologist at The National Aviary, hummingbirds and flowers have spent millennia shaping each other.

Peregrine falcons start incubating clutch of 4 eggs in Cathedral of Learning nest | WPXI

The National Aviary says Carla started incubating her eggs after laying a third one on Sunday afternoon.

4 Common Materials That Could Be Harming Your Backyard Birds – And What to Provide Instead (featuring insight from Dr. Pilar Fish) | Homes and Gardens

From dryer lint to loose yarn, these damaging materials could be hiding in plain sight

Peregrine falcon clutch of eggs growing in Cathedral of Learning nest | WPXI

The clutch of peregrine falcon eggs is growing up high on the Cathedral of Learning.

Peregrine falcons on Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning lay first egg of season | CBS News

The National Aviary, which runs a livestream of the nest, said Carla laid the first egg around 4 a.m. on Wednesday. It's the first of up to six, though the average peregrine falcon clutch is four.