Philadelphia Zoo on a mission to save birds

By Jon Hurdle

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters Life) - One of the world's rarest birds sits on a perch in an enclosure at Philadelphia Zoo's new McNeil Avian Center.

The Micronesian kingfisher, now extinct in its native Guam, is one of just 103 known to exist worldwide. All are in zoos, which are trying to rebuild the population to the point where some birds can be reintroduced to the wild.

The tiny blue and gold kingfisher is one of about 120 birds to occupy the new center in a permanent exhibition that encourages visitors to protect common birds by showing them the wonders of about 60 exotic species from around the world.

"We hope that we get people engaged enough that they will look at the most common birds in a different way," said Andrew Baker, the zoo's chief operating officer.

He believes birds, 12 percent of which are now classified as threatened worldwide, represent a special opportunity for conservationists to establish a link between visitors to zoos and the wild creatures they have come to see.

The $17 million center, a rebuilding of the zoo's old bird house dating from 1916, contains notices detailing how visitors can protect birds. They include keeping cats indoors, planting native species of plants that birds can feed on, and installing feeders away from windows to avoid the collisions with glass that kill or injure many birds.

The conservation message is reinforced by "green" aspects of the new center's construction, including 52 geothermal wells that aid heating and cooling, sustainably harvested wood and an emphasis on natural light.

The 12,000-square-foot center, which opens on May 30, contains many spectacular birds that occupy the simulated forest and savannah habitats and can be seen just feet away from visitors.