Transformation Coming to the National Aviary’s Historic Wetlands Habitat
Renovation with sustainable, state-of-the-art features including bird-friendly glass, a beautiful sculptural tree, energy efficient upgrades, and new bird species and plants will enhance the home of flamingos, pelicans, and other wetland species
(Pittsburgh) June 8, 2022 –At a kickoff event today, the National Aviary announced plans for exciting upgrades to its largest and second oldest habitat, the Wetlands. Sponsor and funders gathered at the National Aviary for a peek of the new habitat design. The habitat will undergo a transformation that includes new bird-friendly glass, energy efficient air circulation and water filtration systems, many new plants, a new walkway, and the addition of a beautiful sculptural coastal tree that provides perching for birds and interactive elements for visitors.
“It’s fitting that the transformation of the historic Wetlands, one of the National Aviary’s oldest and best loved habitats, comes as we celebrate a major milestone: our 70th anniversary,” says Cheryl Tracy, Executive Director of the National Aviary. “This renovation enhances the immersive experience the Wetlands is known for while prioritizing sustainability and the comfort, needs, and preferences of the more than 140 birds who call this iconic habitat home. The renovated Wetlands will provide a beautiful setting for visitors to be truly immersed in the world of birds like flamingos, pelicans, and herons as they express their natural behaviors.”
The habitat redesign includes the replacement of more than 20,000-square-feet of glass from Vitro Architectural Glass with Walker Glass bird-friendly glazing. Two styles of glass—one fully etched to create a frosted look and the other etched with a naturalistic grassy pattern—are specially designed to prevent window strikes by birds. Vitro Architectural Glass is a sponsor of the Wetlands habitat renovations. The project also includes the addition of a large coastal tree, sculpted with branches that provide perching and roosting opportunities for birds, and roots that form benches for Aviary guests. New mechanical systems for air circulation and water filtration will improve the energy efficiency of the habitat. The Wetlands beach will be revamped with white pebble substrate, and new grasses and other plants will add to the habitat’s coastal wetland appearance.
Built in 1969, the Wetlands is an expansive habitat surrounded by walls of paneled glass. The habitat has a warm, tropical feeling, with lush plants and a pond that spans the length of the room. The Wetlands habitat is home to diverse species, from familiar species like American Flamingos and Brown Pelicans, to lesser-known birds like Boat-billed Herons and Sunbitterns. It is also home to a number of species that are vulnerable to extinction, and its naturalistic features support the natural courting and nesting behaviors of species like the Endangered Scaly-sided Merganser.
“Vitro is proud of its longstanding relationship with the National Aviary, having, in the recent past, donated glass to the renovation of the Tropical Rainforest habitat and The Garden Room,” says Ricardo Maiz, President of Vitro Architectural Glass. “The Aviary is one of Pittsburgh’s jewels and Vitro is honored to contribute more than 20,000-square-feet of STARPHIRE glass, which will allow the Wetlands habitat to shine for years to come.”
Visitors can see wetland species in other habitats at the National Aviary, and in new immersive daily programs throughout the summer that offer chances to get close to birds like American Flamingos during Wonderful Waterbirds as they strut right by guests in the theater. A grand reopening of the Wetlands is expected before the end of this year.
The renovation of the Wetlands habitat is sponsored by Vitro Architectural Glass, with support from the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), Buhl Foundation, Caroline Fredricka Holdship Charitable Trust through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee, and Walker Glass Company Ltd. This Project was financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Financing Authority.