Iridescent starlings now shine at Zoo Vivarium Darmstadt!

Iridescent starlings now shine at Zoo Vivarium Darmstadt!

There is exciting news at the Zoo Vivarium Darmstadt: a trio of colorful ones Iridescent starlings has just arrived from Copenhagen. These lively birds from West Africa are now expanding the zoo's colorful bird world and are doing great in the new aviary they have created with the From the ceiling Tokos and the cuddly oneKirk dik dikssplit.

The iridescent starlings are an impressive 18 to 19 centimeters tall and not only have bright colors, but also an interesting way of life. They live together in small groups or flocks and reproduce in open areas with sparse stands of trees. In contrast to the native starlings, they usually only lay three to four eggs per clutch, which makes their survival in captivity a little more challenging. The breeding of small birds in European zoos has declined sharply over the past 20 years, which could pose a worrying threat to biodiversity. That's why we're thinking about breeding offspring in the vivarium.

The bird world in the vivarium

In addition to the iridescent starlings, the vivarium offers a platform for the presentation of other exotic bird species. In Africa, on the other hand, there is an almost endless variety of birds that can be found in different habitats. Lively rascals like that Pinzones andFire weaver birdsare just some of the more than 420 identified bird species that live in southern Africa. Especially in national parks like Etosha or Chobe you can find a dazzling range of these animals.

The Iridescent Starling, a native bird of the West African savannas, feeds primarily on fruits and insects and shows aggressive behavior during the breeding season. In its new home at the zoo, visitors can now experience first hand how this bird group dynamic works and are invited to observe the colorful companions in their new home.

Threats to biodiversity

Despite their strong presence, the iridescent starlings are not in the safe zone. If species extinction in Africa continues, this species could be considered endangered within the next ten years. The trend towards increasing specialization in European zoos, which aims to preserve and display as many species as possible, is therefore seen as fundamentally important. The Vivarium in Darmstadt is committed to documenting biodiversity and thus making a valuable contribution.

The colorful new additions not only enrich the vivarium's wildlife, but also arouse the interest of visitors. If you want to find out more about these fascinating birds and their exciting way of life, you should definitely plan a visit to the zoo! Maybe there will soon be offspring among the iridescent starlings.