When the weather outside is frightful, the Houston Zoo Bird Department is so delightful! Of course, you already knew that, right?
With wintry conditions barreling across Houston last week, the birds at the Houston Zoo were prepared for the frosty air, thanks to some hard work and foresight from staff.
In the fall, far before our humid city shakes off the last shackles of summer, the bird department begins preparing the outside exhibits for colder weather. We gather and hang heat lamps, which cast an eerie red glow, make sure all the heaters are in working order, and begin to put up ‘winterizing’.
The red glow of heat lamps in our Birds of the World exhibit
We have heavy duty plastic sheets, specifically fitted and designed to act as a covering for our off-exhibit enclosures. These serve to keep the heat in and the cold wind and rain out. As Houston weather can vary from one end of the thermometer to the other in a matter of mere minutes, this covering can fully, or only partially extend over the enclosures, according to need.
Winterizing encasing our Off Exhibit Facility
Our hornbill exhibit, all wrapped up against the cold!
The on exhibit birds are outfitted with windbreaks and heat lamps and each exhibit also has a night shelter, which provides extra protection from the elements. On rare occasion, we will bring a bird inside when needed, but our winterizing is usually more than sufficient. In some cases, the cold weather makes the birds more active. There’s nothing more magical than watching our pair of Red-crowned Cranes frolic in fresh snow!
We hope you kept yourself warm and safe during the freeze last week, just like the pampered animals at the Houston Zoo!
