Rare Zoo Newborn

The unexpected birth of a white-crested laughing thrush came as a surprise to zookeepers this March.

Syracuse’s Rosamond Gifford Zoo keepers named the rare bird “Zephyr”.

It’s one of only three white-crested laughing thrushes that survived nesting in the United States in the past year.

These birds are commonly found in Southern Asia, East India, and South China, and are born with limited flying ability, attributing to their non-migratory status.

Importation of these birds stopped when officials feared the spread of avian influenza, a disease in birds that could potentially be spread to humans.

The Syracuse Zoo has owned two of these birds for 11 years and a third for nine years, never before experiencing a successful birth.

Question is, which two birds are the newborn’s parents? Zookeepers find it nearly impossible to distinguish the males from the females.

Increasing the mystery, these birds are cooperative breeders, meaning more than just the parents help in fostering the young. 

Image by BirdFinders