This brilliantly-colored orange and black songbird has a clear, flute-like whistle that varies based on the individual. Common in forests and fields in eastern North America during spring and summer. Females build bag-shaped nests that hang from tall, leafy trees.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Males and females have different
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.
Shoveler Ducklings For the first time since 1908, northern shoveler ducklings have
We’ve answered some of the most-searched questions about ostriches to get you better acquainted with these big, flightless birds.
Scientists have seen ostriches run continuously at speeds of 30-37 mph and sprint
Meerkats are active carnivores that live in burrows in Africa. These social animals live in groups, called mobs, with as many as 30 individuals that keep watch and scare off predators or other meerkats.
Description A member of the mongoose family, meerkats (also known as suricates) have
A special delivery of cheetah milk recently arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s milk bank (the largest milk repository in the world). Find out what researchers hope to learn from this unique milk sample.
Izzy was also raised by keepers, and they have spent years training her to voluntarily
Vostok is a new face at the Zoo’s Great Cats exhibit. Explore how animal care staff helped him adjust to his new home.
Image: Smithsonian/Charlie Shaw “You have to let them talk back to you with their
While Sumatra doesn’t have the cold weather that we have here, our Sumatran tigers
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.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Wild turkeys have long, strong
A cousin of the mockingbird, these medium-sized gray songbirds are common across the warmer parts of North America, where they are frequently heard (but less often seen) in backyards and parks. They often return to the same summer territory year after year.
They can have a repertoire of up to 100 different syllables and their songs can last
The Zoo cares for five female Asian elephants from a few different family groups. Luckily, there are a few things that keepers can do to encourage them to build positive relationships. Learn more in this update from keeper Kayleigh Sullivan.
Bozie (left) and Shanthi (right) may be from different family groups, but they have
