S. M. Garver - Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens - Jacksonville, Florida
Page 2 of 13

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Wild wood storks began nesting in the trees inside the zoo within the last two decades. They'd been there so consistently that the zoo erected a sign for this 'exhibit'. Black vultures are also native to the Jacksonville area and inhabit the exhibits in the park on a drop-in basis. Additional bird species stop at the zoo on a passing-through basis.

These trees are near a water area in the Plains of East Africa section of the zoo.
[Two large trees above a junction between the ground and an algae-covered pond hold at least 25 wood storks. The mostly white wood storks contrast the greenery of the trees.]

The young birds stand in their nests. Some are old enough to fly while others are waiting for food from the parents.
[One long, skinny-legged wood stork stands in a nest in the middle of an image facing the camera. Several other lone young ones stand in other nests facing different directions. A wood stork is visible in the upper left as it comes in for a landing.]

This young one with its fuzzy head and neck chose an interesting rest position. (The black bird is a black vulture.)
[A wood stork with a grey downy head and neck stands on one leg on a large branch. It has its other foot wrapped around the straight leg. A black vulture is perched on a nearby branch with its back to the camera.]

The 'flasher' pose is believed to help kill parasites as it exposes them to the sun's heat.
[There are at least six wood storks in the three different nests in the trees. One stork stands with its wings held out to the sides similar to someone wearing a trench coat who has opened it exposing what is or is not worn under the coat.]

As this bird matures it will lose all the feathers on its head and the ones on its neck will become white.
[A close view of all of a young wood stork except for its feet. It is standing in the grass. Its head has grey-brown down on it and its throat is very fluffy with feathers. Its bill is completely tan-colored.]

This adult has no feathers on its head or neck.
[A view looking up at a wood stork on the overhead platform. Its head has a greyish hard covering on it and its upper chest at the bottom of the neck is very fluffy with feathers. The part of the bill closest to its head is also grey.]

I believe this little cutie is calling for food. It was very vocal!
[A close view of a very young wood stork in a nest with its wings up, its head turned toward the right, and its mouth fully open. Its head and neck are grey down.]

Parent and youngster simultaneously being vocal.
[A close view of a very young wood stork in a nest under the right side of its much larger parent. Both birds have their mouths fully open. The parent's head, neck, and beak are a featherless dark grey. The youngster's beak is light yellow and its head and neck are covered in white down.]

These still have lots of fuzz on their heads.
[Three young wood storks share the same nest. One is standing with its back to the camera. The other two are sitting with one looking to the left while only the back of the third is visible. The heads of all three are downy white. They do have a few black feathers which will become the underside of their wings as they mature.]

This young stork has a 'baby bonnet'.
[Close view of the face of a very young wood stork. There is a band approximately one and half inches wide of white feathery fuzz from its neck across the top of its head and down the other size of the neck. This bird is seen through the branches of a tree as it sits in its nest.]

There are no signs for a black vulture exhibit in the Plains of Africa section of the zoo, but there are always many of these local native birds there.
[Three black vultures stand on the grass while a fourth stands on a stump. The one on the stump faces the camera with its wings outstretched while another one with its back to the camera has its wings outstretched. These birds are all black except for about a half dozen white feathers on the ends of its wings.]

Vultures have no feathers on their heads.
[Close view of the upper two-thirds of the bird. Its head and upper neck have no feathers and is a greyish color.]

Green-winged teal, visiting for winter, swims in the water in the Plains of Africa exhibit.
[This duck has a brown head with a wide green swatch from its eye to the base of its neck. It has a white patch on its body with the rest of the body as shades of grey. The beak is black. The water in which the duck swims is covered with floating algae.]

Blue-winged teal, either visiting for winter or migrating, swims in the water in the Plains of Africa exhibit.
[This duck is swimming toward the camera. It has a white stripe on its face which extends from one eye to the other eye by going under the bill. Most of its feathers are brown and white. There is a blue feather visible on the right side of the image. This duck swims right at the edge of the clear water and the algae-covered water.]

This rock pigeon was on a post near the wood storks.
[The pigeon is mostly dark grey with constrasting light grey on some feather edges and the upper part of its tail. The pigeon has its back to the camera, but its head is turned toward the right exposing the white bar across its dark bill.]

This molting cardinal was near one of the great ape exhibits.
[The right side of the cardinal faces the camera as it faces the righ while perched on a wooden post. The cardinal has great feathers on its back and side mixed in with the red.]

Continue to big cats at the zoo. (page 3 of 13)

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