Houston Zoo Welcomes Four Extremely Rare Baby Birds, Accomplishing Something Never Done There Before
Four baby Madagascar sacred ibises at the Houston Zoo are out with the adults and already begging for their next meal. Visitors can see them now in the African Savanna Aviary at Birds of the World.
The zoo announced on October 19 that all three breeding pairs are raising their own chicks this year and shared that it is the first time that has happened at the zoo.
These birds are endangered, with only about 2,300 to 3,000 left in the world, according to the zoo. They live in Madagascar and a few islands in the Seychelles, and are threatened by habitat loss and poaching.
The zoo said its four chicks are more than all Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities had produced for this species in previous years combined. Houston has now successfully hatched six chicks.
Keepers Had to Raise the Zoo’s First Chick
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Houston’s first chick hatched on September 3, 2023. At the time, no other North American zoo had successfully hatched one of these birds, according to the zoo.
Keepers had noticed the eggs weren’t being incubated properly, so they took one and placed it in an incubator. They planned to return the chick to its parents. But the parents abandoned the nest, leaving staff to raise her.
The chick was kept in a quiet area, and staff covered their faces when they cared for her. They also put a crocheted ibis in with her. The team wanted her to eventually join the other birds in the flock.
She was named Vorotsara, which means “beautiful bird” in Malagasy. Dr. Jonah Ratsimbazafy, the zoo’s conservation partner from Madagascar, chose the name during a visit. Another chick hatched in 2024 and also needed to be raised by staff. This year’s parents incubated the eggs and have been caring for the chicks themselves.
Visitors Can See the Chicks With the Flock
The zoo says keepers’ notes on the chicks could someday help with rescue, rehabilitation and release work in the wild. The breeding season is over, but the adults are carrying sticks around the aviary again. The zoo said they might nest before year’s end if the weather stays favorable.
The ibises share their aviary with grey crowned cranes, vultures and hamerkops. Adult ibises have white feathers, black heads and blue eyes, and can stand two to three feet tall.
Birds of the World opened in August 2024. Its other two aviaries have birds from North American woodlands and South American wetlands, where visitors can walk among Chilean flamingos. There’s no separate admission charge for Birds of the World. It’s included with a zoo ticket and is free for members.
