Why are umbrellabirds (and cotingas in general) rare in captivity? Is it due to husbandry problems, importation problems, or is there just no demand for them? How common are they in range country zoos? Also, when I combine the words "umbrellabird" and "captivity" in the Google search bar, why does it translate "umbrellabird" as "dolphin"?
To question 1: I presume it's a mix of all of them. to question 2: Because fanatic animal rights activists don't care about umbrellabirds in captivity/human care but do about their "holy cows" dolphins (as the most linked animal with the word "captivity").
Cotingas form one of my favourite bird families. I remember the bare-throated bellbird at London Zoo until 1996, a long-wattled umbrella bird and scarlet cock-of-the-rock in Blijdorp in 1982 and an Andean cock-of-the-rock at the RSCC last year.
In the US, there are a few (Andean?) cock-of-the-rocks in other zoos, but the Dallas World Aquarium harbors the vast majority of cotingas: a large number of Andean CotRs, all of the Guianan CotRs, the only umbrellabird(s), and the only calfbirds. It appears the last unbrellabird in Europe is a male at Walsrode.
DWA has over 50 Andean cotrs, an astronomical number. The other US holders are Bronx, Brookfield, Cincinatti, Honolulu, Houston, San Diego, Toledo, and Woodland Park Zoo. DWA has about 30 Guianan cotrs, and recently put them on exhibit for the first time. They aren't the only holder, though; San Diego has 2.2 on exhibit. I'm not the most sure on umbrellabirds, but it seems you're right that DWA has the only ones. They have long-wattled on exhibit (after I moved away ) and previously had Amazonian on exhibit (they are still behind the scenes). DWA has the most calfbirds (around 20) but not all. Cincinatti has one, Bronx has two, and San Diego hatched a chick for their first time since the 1990s a couple months ago, bringing their numbers up to 3.
