AMBASSADOR ANIMALS

BIRDS

A close-up of an owl with yellow eyes and mottled brown and cream feathers, looking to the side against a blurred green background.

Pharaoh Eagle-owl

Buddy came to WPZ in 2013 when he was a year old. He was raised by a company that trains birds-of-prey to scare off smaller birds that eat crops.

Close-up of a brown hawk with sharp features, intense brown eyes, and a curved beak, facing slightly to the right against a dark blurred background.

Red-tailed Hawk

As a young bird in the wild, Gunnar was hit by a car. Luckily someone took him to a rehabilitation facility where he recovered except for permanent blindness in his left eye. Unable to survive in the wild, he’s made a home at Woodland Park Zoo since 2009. Although he’s blind in one eye, he can still demonstrate natural raptor hunting behavior by flying and catching stuffed squirrels on the ground.

A hawk with brown and white feathers spreads its wings wide while flying between two tree trunks, staring directly at the camera with sharp yellow eyes.

Aplomado Falcon

Lola used to work on a blueberry farm, chasing away birds who ate the crops, but she wanted to hang out with the farmers instead of doing her job! Now she interacts with guests at the zoo. Although she likes people and demonstrating her amazing flying abilities, Lola can be quite protective of her territory, the Wildlife Theater.

Spectacled Owl

Coba hatched at Woodland Park Zoo in 1992. He’s been “training” new staff and volunteers how to work with raptors for over two decades.

Coba is laid-back and has an easy personality, which is why he often works with new staff. He likes to eat dead mice and quail, and he loves it when his keepers give him head scratches.

A close-up of a brown and gray owl with large dark eyes and distinct black facial markings, facing the camera against a blurred natural background.

Milky Eagle Owl

Jibini hatched in January 2020 and has been growing fast—he already has a 5-foot wingspan. This easy-going bird loves to participate in training sessions and is a quick learner. He also loves taking baths in the Seattle rain!

Close-up of a kookaburra, a bird with brown and white feathers, a large beak, and dark markings around its eyes, looking slightly to the right against a blurred background.

Laughing Kookaburra

Flick is very independent. Sometimes during training, he purposely choses to do the direct opposite of what a keeper asks for, and then “laughs” with pride. His keepers know he is expressing his right to choose what he wants to do, and they admire him for it!

Close-up of a hawk with brown and white patterned feathers, a sharp yellow and black beak, and keen eyes, set against a blurred green background.

Ferruginous Hawk

Cree hatched in the wild in 1991 and was caught by a licensed falconer. She worked in falconry (hunting with a trained bird of prey) until she was donated to the zoo in 1999.

Cree loves to fly loops around the Wildlife Theater, sometimes soaring close to unsuspecting guests as they walk past. Keepers often work with her to be patient and wait—she’s full of energy and ready to go!