National Aviary

In the world of bird rehabilitation, conservation, and education, there are places that really stand out. The National Aviary in Pittsburgh is one of those places.  Their residents are birds that were rescued and are considered to be "unreleasable" due to handicaps that would prevent them from surviving in the wild.  Other resident birds at the aviary were rescued from the exotic pet trade and would also be unable to survive in the wild at this point in their precious lives. These magnificent creatures are used to educate the public and bring awareness to the plight of birds from all over the world due to pollution, hunting, poaching and habitat loss.  On a visit to the National Aviary yesterday, I was able to photograph several of their beautiful ambassadors.  Some of my favorite shots are posted below.

Victoria Crowned Pigeon (New Guinea)

Steller's Sea Eagle (Russia)

Northern Bobwhite (United States and the Caribbean)

African Penguin

Eurasian Eagle-Owl

American Flamingo

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (United States and Central America)

Wattled Curassow (South America) - It is believed that less than 10,000 of these birds still exist in the world today.

"As human population grows, more plants and animals are becoming extinct.  Today, more than 1,300 bird species are under threat of extinction.  That amounts to 13% of all birds now living on Earth. Let's work together to share our planet -- with each other and with all living things around the world." ~ excerpt from a plaque in the National Aviary