Ruddy ducks are thick-necked diving ducks that can be found in wetlands and lakes across North America. When males are in breeding plumage, they sport bright blue bills and deep chestnut bodies.
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One of North America’s most abundant birds, red-winged blackbirds are named for the signature red patch on the males’ shoulder. Only northern populations migrate south, joining with other birds to form enormous flocks.
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The plain chachalaca is a long-tailed bird that lives in North and Central America, spanning from Texas to Costa Rica. Distantly related to chickens and turkeys, these birds are named after their unique call, which sounds like „cha-cha-LAW-ka“.
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Always free of charge, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is one of Washington D.C.’s, and the Smithsonian’s, most popular tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors from all over the world each year. The Zoo instills a lifelong commitment to conservation through engaging experiences with animals and the people working to save them.
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The critically endangered gharial is easily distinguished from other crocodiles, because of its long, slender snout.
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Rock hyraxes, also called rock dassies or rock rabbits, are small, stub-tailed, rabbit-like animals native to Africa. Though rock hyraxes resemble rodents, their closest living relatives are actually elephants and manatees.
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The smallest of the three white geese species in North America, Ross’s goose is known for its tendency to form flocks of hundreds or even thousands of individuals—sometimes mixing with snow geese.
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Wood ducks are primarily found in eastern North America, as well as some parts of western North America. They have crested feathers on their heads. Males have iridescent green, blue and purple feathers, as well as two white lines that run from the bill around their red eyes to the back of their head.
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Tall birds with strong legs, wild turkeys are fast fliers and residents of the eastern United States. Wild turkeys were domesticated in Mexico more than 2,000 years ago, although many members of the species remain wild. At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C., visitors can see a breed of domestic turkey (which is the same species as the wild turkey) called the standard bronze turkey.
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The Smallwood’s anole is a green lizard with blue spots. It is native to Cuba, where it spends time hunting the trees for insects, grubs and frogs.
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