Birds at Philadelphia Zoo and Bird Migration, Too
There is a wonderful educational movie about bird migration at the Philadelphia Zoo. You can see it in the McNeil Avian Center building. It stars a cartoon oriole named Otis. He is a funny yellow bird who starts off in Cape May, New Jersey talking to a heron. She tells him that he really can’t hang around in Cape May; he needs to migrate down to South America.
On the way he meets a lady oriole – she warns him not to fly down into what we know is a big city. Maybe the big city is in Texas. Otis is tempted by all the shiny lights. Bang! He flies right into a shiny, reflective tall building. He also finds out there is little food in this shiny, bright city.
It all ends happily – he makes it down to South America, finds the lady oriole, and at the movie’s end, they are building a nest together back in the north.
At the avian center there is a section of African Savannah birds – this is an African Starling. Doesn’t look like the starlings we see in North America, does it?
Another African Savannah bird: here is an Egyptian plover. An Egyptian plover has a black crown and underparts of pale orange. It was quite warm in this part of the avian center – I suppose all these African Savannah birds would prefer a climate warmer than that of Philadelphia.
The black birds above were not part of any exhibit of birds at Philadelphia Zoo, but they were not afraid of the crowd at the zoo.
If you don’t watch where you are going at the zoo, you might run into a peacock.
Should I count this upside-down bird on the carousel as one of the birds at Philadelphia Zoo?
I learned at the bird migration movie that cardinals, unlike orioles, do not migrate. So if I keep feeding the cardinals in my backyard, maybe they will stick around all summer.
• • •
What do the birds in your area do? Do they hang around all winter or do they migrate? Do you know? How could you find out?
For more Nature Notes:
Eileen says
Leora, lovely collection of birds. I enjoyed the Philadelphia zoo, it is very nice!
leoraw says
The avian center was my favorite part.
Lorri says
I love the bird photos, each one lovely on its own.
Cardinals are year-round, indeed. When I lived in the mid-atlantic for two years, I loved seeing them in my yard, in between the bushes and at the bird baths I had. They were hysterical when they bathed. Unfortunately, it is very rare, for cardinals to be seen in SoCA, if ever. ): Robin read breasts are never a sight in SoCA.
That starling is so rainbow colored!
leoraw says
I'm a big cardinal fan. Go, cardinals (to my bird feeder, please).
Lorri says
Oops... I do get a lot of finches(house, pine) and the American Goldfinch. Woodpeckers, hummingbirds, wrens, crows, sterlings, sparrows, chickadees, thrushes, mourning doves, and more, all frequent my back yard, where the feeders are.
At the lake one can see loons, pelicans, herons, egrets, ducks, geese, mud hens, swans, and various other water-based fowl.
leoraw says
Thanks for the local list.
Michelle Banks says
didn't want you to miss this about your hummer question..
Leora..I will write a post on this.. you could put a hummer feeder on your window like your other feeder and no squirrels will be interested....
http://www.amazon.com/Aspects-407-Window-Hummingbird-8-Ounce/dp/B003E5X9GK/ref=pd_sim_lg_4
or you can get one and hang it.
http://www.amazon.com/Aspects-ASPECTS430-HummZinger-High-View/dp/B0080DJNFW/ref=sr_1_10?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1365956143&sr=1-10
You fill it with a sugar and water mixture and there is a moat around the feeder that is filled with water to keep ants out of it. The hummer mixture is just 4 parts water to one part plain white sugar mixed up. It does have to be changed every 4 days in the summer as it can get moldy.
leoraw says
Hm, it says "Nectar Guard tips" but you say I can just feed em sugar water? Every four days - sounds like I should wait on this one.
RamblingWoods says
Well this post made me smile..what a great idea to have a movie like that. I love all your photos too. It is shocking to think that 80% of birds that migrate do not make it back again. It is a tribute to all these little flying wonders especially the tiny hummingbirds that travel up from south america...love this post..michelle
leoraw says
Happy that my husband saw the movie, because he tends to absorb info view movies, more than I do, so he could easily become an expert if I took him to lots of bird movies.
I'm glad my daughter and her friend sat contentedly through it as well.
Your 80% fact is not a fun one.
Jeri says
Between working in the Everglades long ago, and having lived in the South for the past two years, I have really grown to love all the variety of birds down here. Leaving all the variety of birds behind will be one of the things I'll miss when I move up north again.
leoraw says
Would love to hear more about the birds you have seen, Jeri.
Carver says
Wonderful shots of the birds. The movie sounds like a great educational tool.
leoraw says
It was a good movie - won't get an Oscar, but it had a cute Otis.
Tina´s PicStory says
pretty birds! the first one looks magical :)
leoraw says
They don't look real, do they? I wonder why colorful birds tend to live closer to the equator.
NatureStop says
Love the first shot!Have a great day!
Shantana
leoraw says
Glad you like it.
Karen says
Love the African birds!
leoraw says
I had more African bird photos, but I didn't want to overwhelm the post.
Laura Hegfield says
wow Leora, that African starling is gorgeous!!!
leoraw says
We just get duller ones at home, though I don't think the male cardinal can be accused of dullness.
Rebecca says
I think I wouldn't mind if that variety of starling visited my feeders! Great bird tour of the zoo! :)
leoraw says
Cute guy, huh?
Hannah says
I think I'd enjoy the film. It sounds very educational.
leoraw says
It was nicely done - you learn while watching cartoon birds do their thing. No one complained it was boring.
Hannah says
I wonder if it is easier to remember facts seen in a film or read on a museum wall..
leoraw says
People have different learning styles. Some are more auditory, some prefer visual. But if a movie scene is well-done, many of us will remember it for years to come, right?