We visited the Zamboanga City Aviary which is located at Pasonanca Park.
The Aviary is not very large and the choices are not very varied, but the place is in a natural environment with lots of old trees and ferns and with a creek flowing by.
Here is some data taken from the Internet.
Pasonanca Aviary
One of the newest interesting sites in Zamboanga City is the aviary at Pasonanca Park, located around 7.5 kilometers north of the city proper. It showcases different species of domestic and imported birds. It has become a favorite place for families and tourists. Pasonanca Park is roughly a 15-minute ride from City Hall.
The place is good for family bonding and also educational for kids.
Come follow us...
We are now on our way to see the birds in these cages.
Here are some of the birds.
It is not easy to photograph the birds because they are in cages.
As we go on to the other parts of the Aviary.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary
The cassowaries are ratites, very large flightless birds in the genus Casuarius native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands and northeasternAustralia.[2] There are three extant species recognized today. The most common of these, the Southern Cassowary, is the third tallest and second heaviest living bird, smaller only than the ostrich and emu.
Cassowaries feed mainly on fruit, although all species are truly omnivorous and will take a range of other plant food including shoots, grass seeds, and fungi in addition to invertebrates and small vertebrates. Cassowaries are very shy, but when disturbed, they are capable of inflicting serious injuries to dogs and people.
I really took extra effort to take the pictures of the Cassowary because his back was facing us.
Look at the feathers of the Cassowary which look like hair.
Females are bigger and more brightly coloured. Adult Southern Cassowaries are 1.5 to 1.8 metres (4.9–5.9 ft) tall, although some females may reach 2 metres (6.6 ft),[5] and weigh 58.5 kilograms (129 lb).[6]
All cassowaries have feathers that consist of a shaft and loose barbules. They do not have retrices (tail feathers) or a preen gland. Cassowaries have small wings with 5-6 large remeges. These are reduced to stiff, keratinous quills, like porcupine quills, with no barbs.[6] A claw is on each second finger.[7] The furcula andcoracoid are degenerate, and their palatal bones and sphenoid bones touch each other.[8] These, along with their wedge-shaped body, are thought to be adaptations to ward off vines, thorns and saw-edged leaves, allowing them to run quickly through the rainforest.[9]]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary
All three species have horn-like but soft and spongy crests called casques on their heads, up to 18 cm (7 in).[8]These consist of "a keratinous skin over a core of firm, cellular foam-like material".[10] Several purposes for the casques have been proposed. One possibility is that they are secondary sexual characteristics.
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.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary
A cassowary's three-toed feet have sharp claws. The second toe, the inner one in the medial position, sports a dagger-like claw that is 125 millimetres (5 in) long.[6]This claw is particularly fearsome since cassowaries sometimes kick humans and animals with their enormously powerful legs (see Cassowary Attacks, below). Cassowaries can run up to 50 km/h (31 mph) through the dense forest. They can jump up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft)[citation needed]and they are good swimmers, crossing wide rivers and swimming in the sea as well.[7]
But we couldn't see the feet of the Cassowary, which were dipped in the creek water.
There were indeed news early this year that the Cassowary did cause harm to policemen trainees when the bird escaped from the Aviary.
Must have been a case of an Angry Bird...
We are now on our way home.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary
Cassowaries have a reputation for being dangerous to people and domestic animals. During World War II American and Australian troops stationed in New Guinea were warned to steer clear of them. In his book "Living Birds of the World" from 1958, ornithologist Thomas E. Gilliard wrote:
- "The inner or second of the three toes is fitted with a long, straight, murderous nail which can sever an arm or eviscerate an abdomen with ease. There are many records of natives being killed by this bird."[18
Here we are outside the Aviary.
It was a happy day!!!
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