Tracy Aviary

On Tuesday, I took the girls to Tracy Aviary using our Pass of all Passes. We got there just before the bird show was beginning. The bird show seemed fairly short, but it was fun. They showed two ducks and a very cool bird with red on the underneath of its wings whose name means "bitter bird" (I think that is right?...or something like that...the bird eats poisonous berries which makes it taste terrible to predators...and humans). They also showed a hawk that swooped overhead. We didn't get great seats, so the girls were a little disappointed. But it was still interesting.


Then we wandered around and saw the other birds. My favorite bird was the Reeve's pheasant. It had gorgeous feathers...almost like a tiger print. So beautiful.



The Seriema was fascinating. It really looked like it was dead. I was pointing out one sitting on a branch when one of the girls said, "Uh, mom, is that other one dead." I looked over and there it was on the ground, and it did look dead! I walked closer and then I noticed the sign. It wasn't dead; just sunbathing! Thank goodness!


Michelle really liked the King of the Andes...the Andean condor. In fact, when she realized that I'd taken a picture of the sign but not the actual bird, she insisted on going back to get the picture. The Andean Condor is 53 years old, and has lived at Tracy Aviary for 52 years. While talking about that, I realized and told my girls that their grandma might have seen that same condor when she was Michelle's age. Pretty cool!


Ella really liked the flamingos. And the scarlet ibis. Both of which have beautiful coloring due to the crustaceans they eat.


Gabby liked the toucans. She liked their long, colorful beaks.


It was sunny and hot, and the kids got hungry (even though I bought them Arby's before we went.) So there was a bit of whining. But they enjoyed playing in the sand with the different bird "beaks" and we learned about some interesting birds. It was worth the trip.