Birds – Big, Bold and Beautiful
The birds at Mountain View are mostly larger species like the ostriches, condors and the cranes. As an interesting contrast, ostriches can't fly but are the fastest two-legged running creatures, while the Andean Condors can soar over high mountains for hours, often flying as far as 250 km in search of carrion.
 | ABYSSINIAN GROUND HORNBILL The Hornbill’s eyelashes are unusually long to protect their eyes from sand. They are protected as a totem in some areas of Africa. LEARN MORE» |
 | ANDEAN CONDOR Andean Condors mate for life. Their normal life expectancy is 50 years, with the oldest known to be 72 years old. LEARN MORE» |
 | BLUE OR STANLEY CRANE The Blue Crane is the national bird of South Africa. It is renowned for its elaborate courtship dance. LEARN MORE» |
 | BLUE-NECKED OR SOMALI OSTRICH The Ostrich can run faster than any other two-legged creature. Reaching speeds of over 70 km per hour for up to half an hour, they can outrun a horse. LEARN MORE» |
 | EMU Male Emus incubate the eggs, which may be from several females, and raise the young chicks until they are about 7-8 months old. LEARN MORE» |
 | HYACINTH MACAW The Hyacinth Macaw is the largest bird in the hookbill category. It grows to over three feet long, with a wingspan of more than five feet. LEARN MORE» |
 | MAJOR MITCHELL'S COCKATOO Native to Australia. Their white and pink plumage and spectacular red, pink and yellow crests are magnificent. LEARN MORE» |
 | RED VENTED or PHILIPPINE COCKATOO Populations have decreased dramatically due to illegal trapping for the cage-bird trade since the 1950s, with chicks being taken from virtually every accessible nest. LEARN MORE» |
 | SAKER FALCON Saker Falcons are fierce hunters and often attack prey that is bigger than they are themselves. LEARN MORE» |
 | SARUS CRANE Sarus Cranes are the world's tallest living flying bird. On average the male can attain a height of approximately 200 cm (6.6 ft), with a wingspan of 250 cm (8.5 ft). LEARN MORE» |