Zombie Parent's Guide: National Aviary, Pittsburgh

Thursday, July 30, 2026

National Aviary, Pittsburgh

The National Aviary in Pittsburgh is a zoo devoted to birds. Not far from the sports stadiums, it is nestled among other museums and educational attractions across the river from downtown.

Entrance

On the walkway from the parking lot

The main attraction that lured us there was Birdly, described as a "full-body flight simulator." Patrons put on 3D goggles after laying down on a contraption where they can simulate flapping wings and directing their flight through a virtual landscape. Options include current-day New York City or Jurassic lands, among others. When we got to the Aviary, we discovered Birdly was not working. They are waiting on some replacement parts. So we only looked at real birds.

Birdly flight simulator

Our first visit was to the Tropical Rainforest area, featuring many exotic birds. The tree canopy overhung the walkway, so we could have touched the birds (if that was allowed) or they could have touched us.

The Southern bald ibis watched us from on high. It's from South Africa (so, very southern), more from mountainous regions. I found it a little scary-looking.

Southern bald ibis

The Victoria Crowned Pigeons live up to their regal name (yes, named after Queen Victoria). It hails from New Guinea.

Up in a nest

Showing some plumage

A left-wing bird

Demonstrating how to bow to royalty

The Hyacinth Macaws hail from South America and seemed ready to chew on anything. We noticed some of their branches had rope twined about it, maybe a human intervention to help the tree stay healthy.

Macaws hanging around

Being upside-down seemed natural for them

Showing off

Looks like that other bird is on his shoulder

The Great Argus has the longest tail feathers of any wild bird and loves to show off in mating season. It definitely was not shy about walking around in front of us.

Extra-wide shot

The Canary's Call area has lots of smaller birds on display, though the most fearsome were the Malayan Flying Foxes, a bat species from Southeast Asia. They were still because we were there in the afternoon.

Bats are birds too?

Burrowing Owls like dry, desert-like habitats and are one of the few owl species to be active during the day and at night.

Burrowing Owl

The Bearded Barbet gets its name from bristles that grow on its lower beak. Both the males and females have the bristles!

Bearded Barbet

We continued on to Penguin Point where the Antarctican birds were very active and entertaining.

Swimming like a pro

Relaxing on a stone

Hiding in a hollow

The habitat includes both dry and wet areas, along with a tunnel underneath where shorter (or more limber) visitors could get in the middle of the action.

Hanging around

My daughter in the display!

My son joins her

In its own habitat is the Harpy Eagle. Named after the Greek mythological horrors, the Harpy Eagle weighs around 20 pounds with a wingspan that is short compared to other eagles. It lives in tropical forests, hunting down medium-sized mammals (monkeys, sloths, anteaters, etc.). No wonder it has to stay by itself!

Harpy Eagle

In the Grasslands exhibit, a lot of tiny birds are on display. The Cuban Grassquit is from Cuba, though biologists have set up some colonies in The Bahamas to protect the species.

Cuban Grassquit

Island Canary from (you guessed it) the Canary Islands

More food than bird!

Peeking out

The Wetlands habitat has plenty of large and recognizable birds. The Roseate Spoonbill uses its bill to scoop up crustaceans from the shallow water where it walks. Like the Flamingo, it gets its pink color from its diet.

Roseate Spoonbill

Pink Flamingo

Typical curly-neck pose

Typical one-leg pose

Who's pinker?

Making an escape?

Maybe that lady should be more worried than she looks!

We paid a little extra so the kids could feed the Rainbow Lorikeets. They are kept in their own room in Canary's Call. Our kids had small cups full of nectar that the Lorikeets would land on to get a quick snack.