Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion and Questions 2024

The second photo is a Pink-headed fruit dove and I can't exactly tell what species the first photo is of

 

Thanks!

I forgot, the only noticeable thing I noticed last week was, the small Komodo Dragon, was wearing somekind of a white tag? I couldn't get a decent picture, and it was quite crowded at the time around the enclosure so I didn't manage to stay for longer.
Just thought it was a curious thing to see on an animal.

 

It would have been obscured by the crowds as well but there's a sign to explain this - the zoo are running a study on sleep and activity periods of the young dragons to compare against data from wild individuals - the device is collecting the data.

 

Oh OK, thanks! Yeah, I probably completely missed this sign then due to it being quite crowded at the time yes.

 

Hey all. Was scrolling through the Chester Zoo 2023 stocklist earlier and came across a few things of interest. Apologies if they've already been covered, and apologies for constantly asking so many questions. Anyway:

Birds of Prey: obviously Chester has some owls on show, namely Spectacled, White Faced, Lowland Scots, and Brown Wood Owl, as well as the European Black Vultures.
However on their stocklist I came across Verreaux's Eagle Owl, as well as African White Backed Vulture, Hooded Vulture, White Headed Vulture, and even Secretary Bird. I'am assuming all of these birds of prey will be part of Heart of Africa?

Passerines: as well as all of the waxbills, weavers, bishops and relatives which are offshow right now (and I'm assuming will make their presence known in Heart of Africa), there were a few that caught my eye:
- Montserrat Oriole: haven't seen this onshow in a few years so hopefully it'll return soon
- Blue Necked, Scarlet Rumped, and Brazilian Tanagers: only ever remember Brazilians at Chester - have the others ever been onshow at all?
- African Montane White-eye: saw this once in Tropical Realm last year but never since, another Heart of Africa species maybe?
Anyone know if any of these will be onshow when Heart of Africa is complete in some the newly available spaces/aviaries etc?

Parrots and such: obviously again, Chester has some parrots on show (e.g. Mitchell's Lorikeet, Mindanao Lorikeet, the new Derbyan Parakeets, Blue Crowned Hanging Parrots, Purple Naped Lorys, and the macaws [Great Green and Blue Throated]) but there were a few more that got my attention:
- Scarlet Breasted Lorikeet
- Grey Breasted Parakeet
- Red Vented Cockatoo
Also:
- Hyacinth Macaws: been offshow for quite a while now
- Lilacine/Ecuadorian Amazons: don't know what's up with them given the Derbyan Lorikeets now occupy their old area which was previously offshow for 18 months
The three above I have never seen or heard of at Chester before, so anyone have any insights there?

Cranes: Now again, rather logically, I'm assuming that the East and West African Grey Crowned Cranes that are listed will be part of Heart of Africa, but it also says that Chester has some Wattled Cranes offshow? Anyone know where they might be put?

And I think that's about it. Again, sorry to bombard with so many questions and such a long message, but I'm not very clued in with Chester at the minute (hopefully that'll change soon though), so was hoping someone may know about some of it on here.

Thanks, and sorry once again,
Oscar

 

I have a feeling the various tanagers are in the upper avaries of the Tropical Realm and because of the fire risk in that part of the building you can't view them anymore. Green aracaris which are also held up there are often fairly visible if you look carefully.

 

The other birds of prey are off-show and planned for Heart of Africa.

Most of the other parrots are off-show behind where the Derbyan's are currently, this is a breeding area and there is no plans to bring any of the species on show as far as I know. I'm pretty sure the Ecuadorian Amazons have moved there, not too sure about the hyacinths.

The wattled cranes used to be next to the Tsavo aviary alongside the other cranes, I assume they will move back once construction is done.

As for the passerines, I struggle to remember myself but I think what @Prochilodus246 said about the tanagers is probably correct. As for the others I couldn't tell you but I'm sure someone else knows!

 

Oh interesting! I hadn't thought of that. I've booked a early morning bird photography experience for early July and as it will be just me (I think) I'm hoping they might let me up there as in the unlikely event of a fire I'd be able to get out no problem. I do see the Aracaris whenever I'm in there though, but can't ever see anything else, other than the occasional trogon, fruit dove, or Javan Green Magpies in the first corner aviary.

Thanks for the parrot info, I had no idea. Interesting about the Wattled Cranes as well as whenever I went past that huge aviary it was either empty or housed Grey Crowned Cranes. Either way I'd never seen the Wattled Cranes at Chester.

Good to know anyway, thanks both of you!

 

As it happens I actually took a picture of the sign yesterday: Explanatory Sign for Komodo Dragon Tracker at Chester, 18th April 2024 - ZooChat

 

Does Chester have secretary birds? ZTL says that they do. Have they been off-show?

 

Verreaux's Eagle Owl arrived 2022, offshow and probably for Heart of Africa.Previously kept at Chester in the owl aviaries 1990-2002. No breeding.

African White-backed and White-headed Vultures arrived in 2020. Offshow. For Heart of Africa.

Hooded Vulture arrived 2023, Chester is looking to import more specimens. Offshow. For Heart of Africa.

Secretary Birds, a pair offshow. For Heart of Africa, species formely kept in an aviary, the site of which is now part of Asian Plains, and later in one of the bird of prey aviaries which used to stand on the north bank of the canal.

The Montserrat Orioles, now down to a single specimen arrived in 2003. they used to live in Islands in Danger, where they bred.

The Blue-necked Tanager has died. The other species were (as previously posted) kept in the upper level aviaries in the Tropical Realm.

The elderly remaining White-eye has died. They were in the Tropical Realm free flight where they bred once.

Scarlet-breasted Lorikeet arrived in 2020, this species has never been on show at Chester.

Grey-breasted Parakeet arived in 2005. They used to be housed in the now demolished round aviaries, and are now in the offshow parrot breeding centre. Chester has bred this species.

Red-vented Cockatoo arrived in 1992 and a pair once lived in the 1960s Parrot House. they were moved to the Parrot Breeding Centre, but have only ever bred once at Chester.

Hyacinth Macaws have been kept fairly often at chester. They were last kept on the aviary now housing Buffon's Macaws. Hyacinth Macaws were also kept in the 1960s Parrot House and the large aviary (now Spectacled Owls) next to the Cheetah. I think only 2 chicks were reared at Chester.

Wattled Cranes arrived in 1992. They have been housed in various paddocks in west zoo but have never bred at Chester.

 

Wow thanks @bongorob! Shame about the White-eye and Blue Necked Tanager but good things don't last forever. Do you happen to know where the Montserrat Oriole is now kept given that Islands in Danger doesn't really exist anymore, not as a proper standalone exhibit anyway.

 

Sorry I missed out the Amazons. First arrived in 1982 and were kept in the old Oakfield Aviaries. Later moved to the Parrot Breeding Centre where they bred many times, latterly to order. They were quite showy until the aviary was redesigned to look like their natural habitat. I hardly ever saw them after that. Ohter species housed with them were Elegant Crested Tinamou, White-tailed Jays and Yellow Cardinal, though not all at the same time.

 

The Oriole is probably in the offshow zoo, I don't really know.

 

Interesting, thanks.

Fair enough, thanks.

 

They are off-show. They will go on-show for Heart of Africa.

 

They're both Pink Headed Fruit Doves, just male and female as they're sexually dimorphic.

 

I have discovered the reason the restaurant hasn't been started yet in HoA. They have canceled it, plans instead to build a education building on the same site, keeping the small animal area in front and the upstairs is now a viewing deck with seating, plans just appeared on planning portal.

 

Given the space available, I think this is probably for the best. That central section was always hard to visualise as anything other than chaotic!

 

That also explains why bembe is closing for a major refurb shortly for seven weeks, although from what I understand you will no longer be able to enter the bottom end of it without going into the zoo now. Which will mean the end of the award winning dementia cafe held in that part of bembe, surely a very negative step in the long term good will the zoo gets from the locals.