Maryland Zoo: Marsh Aviary

The Maryland Wilderness is a area where the zoo and the surrounding woods really intersect well.  The opportunity to spend time birding is really as good as the chance of seeing the animals whose habitats are found in this area of the zoo.  It is also an area that is very kid friendly.  Interactive sculptures of turtles and bird nests, huge "lily pads" to jump across, turtle shell forms large enough to climb inside, a giant tree that you can climb up to the top from inside and then a choice of slides to come sailing back down to terra firma on.  And ALL of this is closed, roped off, even removed completely.  Casualties of the pandemic virus.

Along with the playground-esque amenities, most of the animals are also off view, their habitats too intimate to allow for guests to enter.  One of the exceptions is the Marsh Aviary; however, even there things are not normal.  Traditionally the home to 14 species of birds, it is noticeably without.  In the two visits I have had since the zoo reopened (June 24--the first day it opened--and July 5), I have only seen 5 species--and on my first visit, there were only 4.  I am curious as to why, but my request for information from the zoo has gone unanswered.  Never-the-less, I know I see more birds than most people do who are now wandering through!  The Sandhill Cranes are large and easy to spot.  The brilliant blue of the canvasback duck's beak also make them eye-catching.  And the fact that they are the only ducks present--when formerly there 5 different species--also helps.  Our Black vulture is there, but she is super shy and you'd have to know where to look to see her.  The area she calls home is not part of any natural sight lines.  There were once 4 species of herons/egrets in the aviary.  Now there is just one.  And they are masters of camouflage calling the many redbuds home.  Building their nests and then just disappearing into the foliage. 

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax