IUCN: Endangered

White-headed Duck

White-headed Ducks lay very large eggs in relation to female body size. In fact, egg mass in the genus Oxyura (estimated at 13.7% of the female body mass), is the highest value recorded in the “Anatidae” family. 

These birds are unique in that the females look different than the males, showcasing the beauty of dimorphism. But that’s not all – their prominent bills and gorgeous plumage make them a sight to behold.

White-headed Ducks are also impressive divers! They engage in extensive feeding at night, feasting on mideg larvae, and can remain underwater feeding for up to a minute before resurfacing! 

White-headed Duck

Palearctic

Habitat

Open water and marshes, both freshwater and brackish

Diet

Feeds mainly on the larvae of midges (Chironomidae), which it dives under the water to reach. It also eats crustaceans, zooplankton, other aquatic invertebrates. Other foods include seeds and the green parts of aquatic plants.

Status

Endangered

Breeding

Clutch size is 5-10 eggs, laid in a well-concealed cupped platform of stems and leaves. Hatching occurs after 25 days of incubation by the female. She broods and cares for the chicks for up to another three weeks.

Masked Bobwhite Colinus virginianus ridgwayi

FUN FACT

Masked Bobwhites that hatch in human care are provided with a “foster parent,” usually an adult male Northern Bobwhite, which helps the juveniles learn skills needed to successfully adapt to life in the wild when they are released.

The Masked Bobwhite is a member of the New World quail family. A subspecies of the Northern Bobwhite, the Masked Bobwhite is distinguished primarily by the male’s striking appearance—it has a mostly un-patterned black head and throat and rich cinnamon-colored underparts.  Female Masked Bobwhites are very similar to females of the other subspecies.  Masked Bobwhites have a very restricted range including only a few locations in extreme southern Arizona and central Sonora, Mexico.  These populations were historically very vulnerable to overgrazing, habitat fragmentation, and drought. Today, only about 200 Masked Bobwhites live in the wild, but an active captive breeding and release program is helping Masked Bobwhites raised in human care to begin to repopulate their scrubby grassland habitat.  Masked Bobwhites have a very short nesting season because they will breed only when humidity is high, and this occurs naturally only in association with the seasonal monsoon rains.

Masked Bobwhite

Colinus virginianus ridgwayi
Nearctic

Habitat

Semi-desert, subtropical grassland regions of southern Arizona and central Sonora, Mexico

Diet

Seeds, leaves, and insects

Status

Endangered

Breeding

Both male and female Masked Bobwhites help to build the nest, which is a shallow depression lined with leaves and well-hidden from view. A clutch of 10-20 eggs is incubated over a period of 21-23 days.

Scaly-sided Merganser Mergus squamatus

FUN FACT

Scaly-sided Mergansers rely on aquatic prey that can only live in clean water, which makes them a good bio-indicator (an organism that can indicate the health of an ecosystem) of water quality.

The Scaly-sided Merganser is a diving duck that breeds in Siberia, northern China, and Korea, and winters in southern China and in Russia. This species makes its home along clear, fast-flowing mountain rivers and forested streams in the taiga, a swampy coniferous forest between the tundra and the steppes. Scaly-sided Merganser females sometimes end up caring for two or even three times the number of their chicks through a process called “brood amalgamation,” where other females’ chicks get absorbed into a different brood. The species is endangered, and is harmed by logging, dam construction, gold mining, and recreational water use.

Scaly-sided Merganser

Mergus squamatus
Indo-Malayan

Habitat

Predominantly found along clear, fast-flowing mountain rivers and forested streams in the taiga; some birds use brackish and marine water during their molt-migration in fall

Diet

Small fish and aquatic invertebrates

Status

Endangered

Breeding

Scaly-sided Mergansers nest in tree hollows. Females incubate 10-11 eggs for 32 days. Hatchlings leave the nest after 48 hours, but females continue to care for them for up to eight weeks.

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Mariana Fruit-Dove Ptilinopus roseicapilla

FUN FACT

Adult Mariana Fruit-Doves are very bright and colorful, but they don’t start out that way. Juvenile Mariana Fruit-Doves are entirely green!

The Mariana Fruit-Dove is a beautiful bird from the Pacific islands. This species is found in various types of forested habitat, but prefers mature native forest where it typically feeds on fruits in the canopy, but may descend to feed in bushes, or even on the ground. They are a secretive species, rarely spotted, and nearly always solitary. The Mariana Fruit-dove has been extirpated (locally no longer present) from Guam and is threatened on Saipan by the introduced brown tree-snake.

In 2020, the National Aviary welcomed its first ever Mariana Fruit-Dove fledgling! The hatching of this beautiful little chick is an important step for securing a brighter future for Mariana Fruit-Doves.

Mariana Fruit-Dove

Ptilinopus roseicapilla
Oceania

Habitat

Various types of forested habitat, but prefers mature native forest; uses heavily grazed forest on Agiguan; openings in scrubland of introduced Leucaena trees on Tinian; formerly (Guam) in mangroves

Diet

Frugivorous; typically feeds on fruits in the canopy, but may descend to feed in bushes, or even on the ground

Status

Endangered

Breeding

Mariana Fruit-Doves build a flat platform nest of small twigs in the fork of a tree branch. They lay a single egg, which is incubated for 17-18 days.

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Saipan White-eye Zosterops saypani

FUN FACT

While populations of this bird are relatively large, their very restricted range puts them at risk of extinction due to invasive species.

Like the Golden White-eye, the Saipan White-eye, also known as the Bridled White-eye, is a small, understory specialist. Restricted to the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, this species occurs in a wide variety of wooded and semi-wooded habitats, including native limestone forest, scrubby secondary growth of disturbed habitats, and even urban areas. The Saipan White-eye consumes a generalized diet of insects, including caterpillars, ants, and grasshoppers, as well as small snails, seeds, fruits, small berries, and nectar. Although still locally common, the introduction of the brown tree snake on Saipan has put this bird at extreme risk.

The National Aviary is a partner with the Marianas Avifauna Conservation (MAC) Project, which is working to save this and other species in the region from extinction. Although the population of this species still numbers in the hundreds of thousands, the introduction of the brown tree snake on Saipan puts this bird at extreme risk; consequently, it is considered endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Saipan White-eye

Zosterops saypani
Oceania

Habitat

Found in a wide range of habitats from native limestone forest to scrubby secondary growth of disturbed habitats and even urban areas; less common in swordgrass savannah

Diet

Various insects, including caterpillars, ants, and grasshoppers; also small snails, seeds, fruits, small berries, and nectar

Status

Endangered

Breeding

This species builds a woven cup nest from fine grasses, roots, cobwebs, and wool in the fork of a branch as high as 13 feet above ground. Their clutch size is usually two eggs.

Red Siskin Spinus cucullatus

FUN FACT

Images of the Red Siskin are common throughout Venezuela, and they even appear on some Venezuelan bank notes.

The Red Siskin is an Endangered species owing to its popularity as a cage bird. The Red Siskin is a vibrantly colored finch that was once plentiful in Venezuela and so recognizable that their image is printed on Venezuelan banknotes, written into poetry, and appears in works of art. Native to the northern regions of Venezuela and Columbia, the Red Siskin inhabits dry deciduous woodland in the lowlands and foothills, as well as scrub or grasslands with scattered trees, and the edges of evergreen forests. Siskins are mostly granivorous, foraging on the seeds of various grasses, forbs, and trees, but they will also consume fruit and berries. Although legally protected, the cage bird trade continues to impact this species. Throughout the 20th century the birds were trapped and exported as part of the illegal wildlife trade, and were highly prized for their coloring and were bred with canaries. Their numbers dwindled almost to the point of extinction. Now Endangered, fewer than 7,000 Red Siskins remain in the wild in small, isolated populations.

Red Siskin

Spinus cucullatus
Neotropical

Habitat

Lowlands or foothills in dry deciduous woodland (also lowland humid forest in Venezuela), edge of evergreen forest, and scrub or grassland with scattered trees

Diet

Mostly seeds of various grasses, forbs, and trees; also fruit, berries, and some nectar

Status

Endangered

Breeding

The Red Siskin's nest is a deep cup of fibrous bark or grass strips, lined with fine plant fibers, and placed high (up to 25 meters) up in a bromeliad clump or the fork of a tall forest tree. Females incubate a clutch of 3-5 eggs for 11-13 days; young fledge at 14-16 days.

Golden White-eye Cleptornis marchei

FUN FACT

The Golden White-eye’s song is a rambling warble, which sounds like it is singing, “see me? Can you see me? I can see you. Can you see me?”

A small, understory specialist, the Golden White-eye is an Endangered bird restricted to the islands of Saipan and Aguijan in the Northern Mariana Islands. This species occurs in a wide variety of wooded and semi-wooded habitats, including suburban areas where it pursues a generalized diet of berries, seeds, nectar, and flower parts, as well as flying insects and other small invertebrates. Although still locally common, the introduction of the brown tree snake on Saipan has put this bird at extreme risk. The National Aviary is a partner with the Marianas Avifauna Conservation (MAC) Project, which is working to save this and other species in the region from extinction.

Golden White-eye

Cleptornis marchei
Oceania

Habitat

Understory of a wide variety of wooded and semi-wooded habitats, including suburban areas; generally absent from sword-grass savanna; more common in native limestone forest than in disturbed habitats

Diet

Generalized diet of berries, seeds, nectar, and flower parts; also small invertebrates, including flying insects

Status

Endangered

Breeding

Golden White-eyes build a cup-shaped nest of Casuarina needles, grasses, and vines up to 6.5 meters above ground in a tree. Both sexes incubate a clutch of 2 eggs for 14 days. Fledging occurs 10-12 days after hatching.

Yellow-naped Amazon Amazona auropalliata

FUN FACT

Mated pairs of Yellow-naped Amazons give vocal duets on their breeding territory, which is thought to enhance territory defense from other amazons.

The Yellow-naped Amazon is an Endangered species of the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America. It inhabits semi-arid woodland, arid scrubland and pine savannas, and treefall gaps in tropical deciduous and swamp forests. Often found in large and noisy flocks, they feed on a variety of seeds and fruits. They nest in hollows of trees. The Yellow-naped Amazon suffers from extensive poaching of nestlings for the pet trade, perhaps more than any other Amazona parrot, and its population is in steep decline.

Yellow-naped Amazon

Amazona auropalliata
Neotropical

Habitat

Inhabits semi-arid woodland, arid scrubland and pine savannas, treefall gaps in tropical deciduous and swamp forests; occasionally in second growth in otherwise agricultural areas

Diet

A variety of seeds (including from pine cones) and fruits; often observed in large, noisy flocks

Status

Endangered

Breeding

Yellow-naped Amazons nest in the unlined hollow of living or dead trees. They lay 2–3 eggs, but little is known about their incubation and fledging. In one study, nest success rates were very low -- only about 12%.

African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus

FUN FACT

African Grey Parrots are highly intelligent and are considered by many to be perhaps the most intelligent parrot species. American scientist Irene Pepperberg’s work with “Alex” the African Grey Parrot showed his ability to learn more than 100 words and to differentiate objects, colors, materials, and shapes!

African Grey Parrots, a medium-sized parrot native to the forests of central Africa, are some of the best mimics in the bird world. In the wild, this species often copies the sounds of other animals in the forest. Around people, they may learn to copy a variety of sounds including laughter, a phone ringing, whistling, human speech, and many other sounds. Two African Grey Parrots roosting in Zaire were reported by researchers to have a repertoire of over 200 different sounds, including nine imitations of other wild bird songs and even one of a bat! This species is widely believed the be one of the most intelligent bird species. African Greys can live to be 60 years old. While their charismatic personalities and mimicry make them popular, they can be very challenging to keep as pets. This species is vulnerable to the illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss and destruction.

African Grey Parrot

Psittacus erithacus
Afrotropical

Habitat

Lowland primary and secondary forest, forest edges, forest fragments, and forest clearings, gallery forest, savanna woodland, farms, plantations, and mangroves

Diet

Fruits, seeds, nuts, and leaves

Status

Endangered

Breeding

African Grey Parrots are monogamous and not much is known of their courtship displays in the wild. They make their nests in hollow tree cavities and generally lay between 1 and 4 white eggs. The eggs take approximately 28 days to hatch and the young birds remain with their parents for 4 months or more.

Gray Crowned-Crane Balearica regulorum

FUN FACT

Gray Crowned-Cranes have long hind toes that enable them to roost in trees—along with the Black Crowned-crane it is the only species of crane able to do this.

Native to East Africa, the Gray Crowned-Crane is featured on Uganda’s coat of arms and flag and is the country’s national bird; this bird also is a sacred symbol for Kenya, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa. The Gray Crowned-Crane is unique among the cranes in being one of only two species capable of perching in trees, owing to their having a long hind toe useful for grasping. Although this species has historically favored wetlands and open grassland or savannah, it is now found mostly in human-modified habitats, such as pastures, croplands, and ranches. Here the Gray Crowned-Crane feeds on seeds of sedges, fresh tips of grasses, crickets, locusts, and other insects and small animals. To hunt for food, the Gray Crowned-Crane stamps its feet on the ground to cause bugs to run out of the grass. This crane nests in or along the edges of their wetland homes, but young birds do not fledge for almost 100 days. The Gray Crowned-Crane has suffered a massive decline in population resulting from a plethora of impacts of human population growth and expansion of agriculture resulting in loss of wetlands, sedimentation, and contamination.

 

Gray Crowned-Crane

Balearica regulorum
Afrotropical

Habitat

Mixture of wetlands and open grassland or savanna. In East Africa, now found mostly in human-modified habitats, such as pastures, croplands, and ranches. One of only two cranes that roosts on above ground perches such as trees or posts

Diet

Feeds on seeds of sedges and fresh tips of grasses; grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, and caterpillars; opportunistically on small animals, such as frogs, lizards, and crabs

Status

Endangered

Breeding

The Gray Crowned-Crane nests in or along edges of wetlands (very rarely in trees). The nest consists of uprooted grasses and sedges, piled and flattened into circular platform and concealed by surrounding aquatic vegetation. A clutch of 1–4 eggs is incubated 28–31 days. This species has a protracted fledging period of up to 100 days, although hatchlings are precocial and can walk within hours of hatching. Young are not sexually mature until three (rarely two) years.

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