But if you feel moving too much is for the birds and prefer a more serene experience, The National Aviary at 700 Arch St. offers an immersive and open rendezvous with 500 birds of all shapes, sizes and rarity levels. One of the true hidden gems of Pittsburgh, the country’s largest indoor aviary is found via a 0.7-mile walk northeast of Acrisure Stadium inside Allegheny Commons Park, where it will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the third day of the draft on Saturday.
“We’re the only aviary in North America with that national designation,” explained Jenny Walsh, manager of behavioral husbandry and training. “Several of the species we have can’t be seen readily in other zoos. You’re going to get to see lots of different types of birds you would rarely see anywhere else in the country.”
In addition to showcasing rare species such as the Andean Condor, theextinct-in-the-wild Guam Kingfisher and the criticallyendangered Vietnamese Pheasant and African Penguin, the aviary — itoperates sans cages for many of the small to mid-sized birds — offers handnectar feedings and other intimate encounters with various species.
“What’s great about us is you get a lot of opportunities to get a lot closer to the birds than you might at zoos,” Walsh said. “We have lots of interactive feedings where we are inviting the birds down to really get close to people…. Lots of ways to get nose to beak with animals.”
Admission runs $20.95 for adults, $18.95 for seniors, and $17.95 for children ages 2 to 12. Admission is free for CCAC and CMU students and children ages 2 and under.