And yet most of the zoos have off-show areas for birds, where the cages aren't much bigger. Off shows are first and foremost about functionality, not appearance. That 2x2x2 cubic cages are pretty much standard thing...The smaller one in the middle (2x2x1) is not probably ok, but as a temporary solution, it can work. Yeah, I can't imagine either that they are moving 50 or so birds from and back to exhibit every day.
Just because it is standard doesn't mean it's adequate. I can understand using them for quarantine or other temporary holdings, or for keeping small songbirds, but not as long-term enclosures for birds the size of seriemas. The only reason I dared to call Beauval out on something I wasn't sure about (and I'm still not sure of!) is because it happens so often. Note that I have worked with birds in such off-show cages. I know they're commonplace, and I accept them as temporary holdings, but not for long-term husbandry of larger birds (which, again, I'm not sure happens in Beauval). My thoughts exactly.
I see Beauval has quite some birds mixed with hoofstock, which is pretty much a no-go for a modern zoo imo. This is common practice in the US, is it so in Bronx as well?
Only a few examples around the Bronx Zoo. Grey crowned crane & Marabou stork are mixed with Nyala. A pair of swans live with the Pere Davids Deer. Ostrich and giraffe live together. Blue-winged goose & blue crane used to live with Thomson's gazelle. I don’t know if that still occurs. These are the only examples I can think of. Technically also the tapir are in the free flight aviary in Jungleworld, and mouse deer live in World of Birds with tawny forgmouth and other species.
Yes - in fact you just need to subscribe to the Beauval newsletter and agree to getting email notifications and they send you pretty in depth emails about it.
Such birds are hardly more than ornamentals. Breedig results are poor to non-existent for most species, except ratites. And there is a high risk of such birds being killed by hoofstock.
I appreciate that the vote is now closed, but, to add my thoughts as someone who has been to both collections relatively recently… Birds are certainly a strength at Beauval. The fact that the place started as a bird collection is still apparent. The large greenhouse near the entrance – the one that dear old @amur leopard got himself into such a twist about - is a little rambling, but full of interesting things. The bird show, as much discussed elsewhere, is absolutely spectacular (although the concerns about what happens to the birds when they are not showing are certainly valid). There are some other pleasing avian areas within the zoo. In short, had Beauval been up against 90% of major zoos in the world, they would have done very well in this category. However, in the Bronx, they were up against a place where the bird collection, and the display of that collection, are, simply, extraordinary. The World of Birds has a claim to be the best birdhouse in the world – a great collection, fantastically displayed, and with wonderful, iconic architecture. The aquatic birds house, as mentioned above, could do with some TLC, but is still exceptional. The Pheasantry, likewise, on my last visit looked as if it needed some love, but if it were picked up and plonked in to, say, London zoo, would stand out as one of the best things there. And, of course, there are lots of other smaller bird areas as well (I’m not sure whether anybody has mentioned the children’s zoo, but some really good stuff in there).
