Avian
Parrots | Macaws | Raptors | Owls | American
Kestrel | Ravens, crows, magpies and jays
Anywhere you look at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, you're bound to
see one of our feathered friends - in the wild, perched on a fence, or
in an enclosure. The zoo is home to numerous chickens, peacocks -- including
Mr. White, the all-white peacock, parrots and raptors.
Parrots
 While
parrots are tropical birds, they can become acclimated to live outside
all year in this area.
As early as pre-Colombian times, these beautiful birds were valued as
companion animals for humans. Unfortunately, as demand has grown worldwide,
parrots are smuggled out of their natural forests in central and South
America to supply the "pet trade." Because of this, some species
have become endangered or extinct.
If you are seeking a pet, make sure your parrot has been hatched in
captivity. Be aware that parrots are extremely long lived and if trained
improperly by humans can be loud, destructive and aggressive toward members
of their human family.
Parrots living at the zoo include Luther, Andy and Larry Bird.
Andy
Mealy Amazon
Amazona farinosa
Andy is a beautiful green color and can be seen in a quiet spot in the
exhibit.
 Luther
Blue front Amazon
Amazona aestiva
To identify Luther, look for his handsome yellow-feathered eye rings.
A former pet, he is a Blue Front Amazon. Luther has a small human vocabulary,
but he usually speaks very quietly. Listen carefully!
Larry
Double-yellow head Amazon
Amazona ochrocephala oratrix
Parrots can be very demanding pets. Many parrot owners find themselves
unable to cope with this behavior and seek new homes for their birds.
Unfortunately, the zoo has limited room for these high-maintenance ex-pets.
Macaws
 Colorful
macaws are the largest members of the parrot family. They live in large
flocks in South American forests. Long lived and intelligent, macaws
can be agreeable pets if an owner is properly educated and experienced
with caring for large parrots.
Macaw House
If trained improperly by humans, they can also be jealous of, and dangerous
to other family members, as well as aggressive, loud and destructive.
Like all parrots, macaws have a voice box called a syrinx, so they can
mimic sounds. Males and females are colored alike.
 Increasingly
endangered, many wild birds die in smuggling operations to supply the
pet trade. If you purchase a pet bird, you can help save the species
by making sure your bird was bred in captivity.
The zoo's macaws Bill and Bingo, who have respiratory ailments due to
smoke and bad air, now have a new climate and air quality controlled
home.
The $25,000 macaw home was funded by The Friends of the Folsom Zoo.
Raptors (birds of prey including eagles, hawks,
and owls)
Golden eagles
aquila chrysaetos
 Stretch
your arms as wide as you can. Unless you are a very tall basketball player,
you won't match the 7-foot wingspan of the Golden eagle. These strong
wings let the bird soar high on thermal updrafts. Keen eyes can spot
prey a mile away. Powerful sharp talons (claws) catch and hold mammals
and other birds. These large raptors are named for their golden neck
feathers.
Golden eagles mate for life. Eagle nests can be huge (as big and heavy
as a small truck) with the pair adding new material for many years. Both
parents incubate the 2 or 3 eggs and work together to raise the young.
Eggs are incubated immediately upon laying, so chicks hatch at different
times. Often the larger chick predominates and smaller chicks don't survive.
Golden eagles are exhibited with the permission of the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service.
Red tailed hawks
buteo jamaicensis
Red-tailed hawks belong to a group of birds known as raptors, as do
falcons, eagles and owls. All raptors grasp prey with strong feet equipped
with sharp claws called talons. The curved beak is designed to tear food
from prey animals like small mammals and snakes. These birds also help
control rodent population.
The rusty red tail and flat silhouette distinguishes the soaring red
tailed hawk from the v-shape of the turkey vulture. Males and females
are the same color, but as with most raptors, the females are larger.
Redford
Even though he can fly to the high perching spot preferred by hawks,
because of wing injuries, Redford isn't capable of the sustained flights
vital for the wild survival of this hunting bird. He arrived at the zoo
in the late 1970's.
 Dakota
Dakota could not manage to survive in the wild because of a broken wing,
possibly from a gunshot. Hawks are frequently shot by people who wrongfully
believe they are harmful. He moved to the zoo in the 1970's.
Phoenix
Red-tailed hawk Phoenix was found injured in 1991. His broken wing was
repaired but he also had damage to his tail. A bird uses its tail for
steering and stopping. Since his tail doesn't function properly, Phoenix
needed a permanent home.
 Sedona
Sedona's fractured left wing was amputated. His white feathers indicate
that he is a light color morph. Sedona was hatched in 1998 and as he
matures, he may – or may not – have a red tail. Note the
spotted "cummerbund" or belly band, typical of red-tailed hawks.
Owls - silent hunters of the night
Owls can see three times better in the dark than humans can. But owls
hunt mostly by listening. Their big, round faces gather sounds and direct
them to their ears. One ear is set high on the side of the head and one
is set low. Owls move their heads until the sound of the prey animal
is equally loud in both ears. They glide silently on soft, fuzzy feathered
wings and capture their meal with sharp, hooked claws.
 Owls
usually eat food whole. Some unused parts – like fur, feathers
and bone – are compressed into a soft pellet which the owl coughs
up. You can find these under trees or in barns. By gently pulling them
apart, you can see with the owl has been eating. A Great Horned owl's “horns” or “cat
ears” are really tufts of feathers.
The owls living at the zoo are Aerial (Great horned owl) and Grayson
(Barn owl).
Feathers
All native birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Act of 1918. It
is unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture or kill; attempt to take,
capture or kill; possess, offer to or sell, barter, purchase, deliver
or cause to be shipped, exported, imported, transported, carried or received
any migratory bird, part, nest, egg or product, manufactured or not.
Only Native Americans with federal permits may legally possess eagle
feathers which are used for ceremonial purposes. There is a stiff fine
for illegal possession of raptor feathers.
American Kestrel
falco sparverius
 How is a kestral like a football player? Both football players and kestrels
can keep their eye on the ball – or mouse – due to the black
stripe under their eyes which cuts glare.
Kestrels are small falcons. (Falcons are one of the fastest birds, with
the peregrine falcon reaching speeds up to 200 mph in a dive, or stoop).
You'll often see this small raptor sitting on utility lines watching
for unwary crickets, small rodents or birds. They also hover for short
periods. Females are generally larger than males, males have slate blue
wings; females have barred tails. For proper nutrition and mental well-being,
zoo diets must duplicate a wild diet. We feed the kestrels mice, quail
and crickets that have been commercially raised and humanely killed.
MB
Injured in the wild, this kestral was named in honor of M.B. Goodier,
a founder of the Sacramento Wildlife Care Association. Even slight wing
damage like his makes wild survival impossible.
Ravens, crows, magpies, jays
Ravens, crows, magpies and jays all belong to the intelligent family
Corvidas. You can tell a raven from a crow by its larger size, wedge-shaped
tail, shaggy throat feathers and heavy, curved beak. Ravens live mostly
in mountains and along seashores. Highly social, ravens are often seen
congregating with wolves at kill sites. After feeding, the birds have
been seen playing tag with, or teasing the wolves. People have observed
ravens guiding wolves to potential prey, knowing some meat will be left
for the birds.
Ravens eat a wide variety of foods, including meat, insects, small mammals,
birds, eggs, shellfish and fruit. They are part of nature's clean up
crew, with carrion a significant part of their diet.
Sam, Diego, Mariposa and Canyon
Ravens Sam, Diego Mariposa and Canyon love quail and mouse treats to
eat. You might confuse smaller female Diego for a crow. But notice that
she has typical raven features: a heavy, thick bill, shaggy throat feathers
and wedge-shaped tail.
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