Bird Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Bird Kingdom, also known as Niagara Falls Aviary: Birds of the Lost Kingdom, is an aviary
(or bird
zoo
) located in the tourist district of Niagara Falls, Ontario
, Canada. The building previously housed the Niagara Falls Museum. Re-opened as a free flying aviary in May 2003, it is now one of the largest indoor aviaries in the world, encompassing approximately 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²), and it houses over 300 individual birds, a majority of which come from Australia
, South America
, and Africa
. In addition to birds, it also houses mammals, insects, and reptiles, and even an amphibian-the dyeing poison frog
. Bird Kingdom was voted Niagara Falls Attraction of the Year four times.
. By that time of that discovery, however, the museum was closed and the mummy back in Egypt
.
The museum was operated by the Sherman family until 1999, when the maintenance of the building and artifacts became too costly. Most of the artifacts were sold or returned to their place of origin. Larry Vann, a resident of the Niagara area, purchased the museum building. Over the next few years, $15 million dollars was spent on renovations to the building. The renovations included a large addition to the south side of the old museum building. In June 2003, the building re-opened as Bird Kingdom at the Niagara Falls Aviary.
This section of the aviary houses smaller birds, some of them so small that six of them can be held on a person's hand. The Small Aviary houses over fifty types of birds, among which are some endangered and rare species. It overlooks the Niagara Gorge
, a well known bird watching spot and bird breeding ground.
feedings are done at various times during the day.
, take guided tours, and meet the curator of the museum.
In addition to the house itself, this part of Bird Kingdom includes a Bromeliad and Orchid exhibit.
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
(or bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
) located in the tourist district of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
, Canada. The building previously housed the Niagara Falls Museum. Re-opened as a free flying aviary in May 2003, it is now one of the largest indoor aviaries in the world, encompassing approximately 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²), and it houses over 300 individual birds, a majority of which come from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. In addition to birds, it also houses mammals, insects, and reptiles, and even an amphibian-the dyeing poison frog
Dendrobates tinctorius
Dendrobates tinctorius, also known by the common name dyeing dart frog, is a species of poison dart frog. It is the third largest species, reaching lengths of...
. Bird Kingdom was voted Niagara Falls Attraction of the Year four times.
History
In 1908, the Spirella Corset Company built a four-story concrete building on the current site of the aviary. By 1958, the company had shrunk in size, resulting in the company's moving their location to a smaller facility. The building was purchased that year by Jacob Sherman, who owned the Niagara Falls Museum. Sherman then renovated the building extensively, adding a five-story viewing tower while also moving 700,000 artifacts to the building. It was discovered later that the museum had been home to the actual mummy of King Ramesses IRamesses I
Menpehtyre Ramesses I was the founding Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt's 19th dynasty. The dates for his short reign are not completely known but the time-line of late 1292-1290 BC is frequently cited as well as 1295-1294 BC...
. By that time of that discovery, however, the museum was closed and the mummy back in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
The museum was operated by the Sherman family until 1999, when the maintenance of the building and artifacts became too costly. Most of the artifacts were sold or returned to their place of origin. Larry Vann, a resident of the Niagara area, purchased the museum building. Over the next few years, $15 million dollars was spent on renovations to the building. The renovations included a large addition to the south side of the old museum building. In June 2003, the building re-opened as Bird Kingdom at the Niagara Falls Aviary.
Small Aviary
Niagara Gorge
Niagara Gorge is a gorge carved by the Niagara River along the US-Canadian border in New York and Ontario. As Niagara Falls recedes upstream toward Lake Erie, the river has gouged the hard dolomitic limestone of the Niagara escarpment to form the gorge...
, a well known bird watching spot and bird breeding ground.
Reptile Encounter Zone
The Reptile Encounter Zone contains a wide collection of reptiles from around the world. It holds lizards, snakes, tortoises, spiders, and scorpions. Some of the animals in this exhibit are able to be touched and held by visitors to Bird Kingdom.Nocturnal Zone
The Nocturnal Zone is built to resemble an ancient jungle ruin where many nocturnal animals reside. The exhibit is kept dark during the day and bright during the night to ensure that visitors see the creatures when they are most active. Bats, owls, and other animals inhabit this area of the aviary. Fruit batFruit Bat
Fruit Bat can refer to:* Megabats, a species of bat which eats fruit* Les "Fruitbat" Carter, guitarist of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine* Fruit Bats , an American band...
feedings are done at various times during the day.
Main Aviary
The $16 million section of Bird Kingdom consists of 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) of rainforest and houses almost 400 birds. Those birds represent approximately 80 species from around the globe, which live in the tropical environment maintained at 76 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to the birds, there is also a 40 feet (12.2 m) tall waterfall. Visitors are able to feed LorikeetsLorikeet
Lories and lorikeets are small to medium-sized arboreal parrots characterized by their specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar of various blossoms and soft fruits, preferably berries. The species form a monophyletic group within the parrot family Psittacidae...
, take guided tours, and meet the curator of the museum.
Javanese Tea House
Bird Kingdom also houses the only authentic Javanese nobleman's house in North America. The house was hand carved with solid teak wood and constructed without nails. In the 19th century, houses like this were for the aristocratic class. The front door of the house faces south, supposedly facing the sea. The intricate carving on the roof shows visitors that the house was for a nobleman. The tea house also serves food and beverages on weekends.In addition to the house itself, this part of Bird Kingdom includes a Bromeliad and Orchid exhibit.