What makes a flamingo’s bright coral color, how fast does a penguin swim, and which species only has six remaining birds in the wild? Photographer Michael Santiago takes you to the National Aviary to check in with our feathered neighbors.
A Victoria Crown Pigeon, the largest pigeon species in the world, walks through the Canary’s Call, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, at the National Aviary in the North Side. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)American Flamingos in the water in the National Aviary’s Wetlands habitat. Flamingos’ iconic coral color comes from the teeny-tiny shrimp and algae in their diet. The brightness of the pigment can show how well the flamingo was eating as it was growing its feathers. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)An American Flamingo sticks his head in a bowl of food held by Cathy Schlott, curator of Behavioral Management and Animal Programs, in the National Aviary’s Wetlands habitat. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)Malayan Flying Foxes rest in the trees of the National Aviary’s Canary’s Call. Also know as the Large Fruit Bat, these animals are found in tropical habitats where they play an essential role in pollinating and spreading seeds for large tropical trees. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)An African Penguins swims in the National Aviary’s Penguin Point exhibit. These non-flying birds are native to the inshore islands of the southwestern coast of Africa and can swim up to 15 mph using their small wings as paddles. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)Hyacinth Macaws named Benito and Sapphira sit on a tree in the Tropical Rainforest exhibit, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, at the National Aviary in the North Side. Like other parrots, he bird is known for its intelligence, which measures up to about that of a human toddler. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)A Bali Myna hangs out with other birds in the National Aviary’s Wetlands habitat. Bali Mynas are coveted for the cage bird trade and their native habitat in Bali is shrinking, making them a critically endangered species. In 2001, says the Aviary, only 6 individuals were left in the wild. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)An Inca Tern grabs a fish held by Cathy Schlott, curator of Behavioral Management and Animal Programs, in the National Aviary’s Wetlands habitat. The birds nest in coastal cliffs and fissures, burrows, caves and cavities, and sometimes adapt to the old nest of a Humboldt Penguin, or an abandoned building. (Michael M. Santiago/Post-Gazette)
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