White-faced Whistling Ducks

There are eight clearly defined whistling-ducks in the world today. I say clearly defined because, due to some anatomical and behavioral similarities, the African white-backed duck is considered a close relative.

For now, I’d like to introduce you to a species that is found in both our South American and African aviaries. The white-faced whistling duck can be easily recognized from other waterfowl species thanks to their (surprise!) white face, black nape and distinctive whistle-like calls. Only the fulvous whistling-ducks’ distribution can compete with the white-faces’, whose range includes most of South America, Africa and Madagascar. They inhabit open wetlands – not forests or wooded areas – and prefer to perch on flat land surfaces instead of trees.

White-faced whistling-ducks have stable numbers in the wild. In fact, they often gather in huge flocks of thousands of birds on the S.A. llanos. During the rainy season, the white-face tend to make their nests in the long grasses and reeds in marshlands, though they will occasionally use tree hollows or low forks. Parents are very protective of their young, often feigning injury to lead potential predators away from their offspring.

All whistling-ducks are basically built the same with slender, almost upright bodies and long, lanky legs. Although some species do comfortably perch in trees (hence the name "tree-duck,") others rarely do. But all the species, however, are very vocal and do have distinctive, high-pitched "whistle-like" calls. These melodic vocalizations have endeared them to aviculturists, and all eight species have been bred in captive collections.

On your next visit to the Park, be sure to stop in either the South American or African aviary and take a few minutes to find these personable birds!

Babies are Hatching at the Park!

Spring has sprung, summer has begun and love is in the air at SHWP. Everywhere you look, pairs are nesting and babies are hatching. Here is a look at some of our most exciting hatches at the Park…

First and foremost, we are proud to announce the successful hatching of a lesser flamingo chick. This past winter, pairs were enclosed in the exhibit’s breeding area, a small building located in the back. This "love nest" has proven to be especially important for the successful breeding of lesser flamingos in captivity. The area was thoughtfully designed by our General Curator, Brad Hazelton, to encourage the pairs to nest.

In the wild, flamingos nest in HUGE colonies, sometimes with up to a million birds! So to simulate this huge number in captivity, the walls of the nesting area is lined with mirrors. The nest area itself is composed of a nice muddy area, which the birds work with their beaks and feet to form mud mounds on which they lay a single egg. Temperature, lighting, and humidity were carefully monitored and at the beginning of May, the animal care staff was rewarded for their efforts with the hatching of the Park’s first lesser flamingo chick.

It is very rare for birds to breed the first year in new captive surroundings, and it is a credit to the Sylvan Heights staff that this chick was produced. The chick and its parents are now on display in the main exhibit area and we hope you all get a chance to stop by and get a closer look!

Also, a pair of masked lapwings (Vanellus miles) in our Australia exhibit has successfully hatched 4 eggs. Found throughout northern, central, and eastern Australia, these birds may nest at any time of the year when the conditions are favorable. Both sexes work at building the nest, which is a simple scrape in the ground away from any vegetation. Egg incubation and chick-rearing duties are also shared by both parents. The precocial chicks are able to leave the nest and feed on their own within just a few hours of hatching. To get a look at these tiny and adorable chicks, visit our Australian exhibit, where they can be found wandering close to their parents. But they grow up fast, so don’t wait too long!

The park also has a number of nesting ducks, swans and geese. In particular, the park’s swans have been a big crowd-pleaser. Visitors have enjoyed watching the fuzzy little cygnets that have hatched from our pairs of black-necked swans, whooper swans and black swans. If you happen to see a pair on the water with babies, be sure to check the parent’s back as sometimes the cygnets get a bit sleepy and like to take a little ride!

No Crocodile Tears Here...

Let me introduce you to two new additions to the Park’s Education Program – American Alligators!

Okay, so they’re not waterfowl – nor even remotely avain in nature, but they are a great tool that our education staff can use to talk about the diversity of wetlands. Native to America, North Carolina is the northern most tip of their range. They are fantastic creatures who are located at the top of the food chain in wetland habitats.

Although they are not crocodiles, they are in the crocodilian family. Only two species of alligators exist in the world, the American alligator and the Chinese alligator, which is much smaller and very endangered. Other crocodilians include crocodiles, caimans, and gharials. However, they all share similar characteristics.

These predatory reptiles are cold-blooded, which means that they cannot control their body temperature the way mammals and birds do. Instead, they rely on their environment to warm or cool them. They are most active in the hot summer months, which isn’t saying a lot, because these cunning animals spend the majority of their time being very still. They use the ambush method to catch their prey, which requires very little movement and a good amount of patience on their part. Since they spend most of their time in the water hunting for food, their body is designed to help them camouflage in their environment. All of the senses that they need to catch a good meal, are located on top of their head – sight, hearing, and smell. This way they can submerge the rest of their body beneath the water keeping it hidden from their alert prey. When a bird or mammal gets close enough…SURPRISE! The alligator quickly snaps it up into its wide mouth and gobbles it down whole. If the prey happens to be too large to swallow, the alligator is equipped with about 80 teeth and incredible jaw strength to tear it into bite-sized pieces.

They also eat a lot of fish and turtles, so to aid them in their underwater dining, crocodilians have three eyelids – one on the bottom and one on top (like us,) but they also have a third one underneath these and it is clear. Called a nictitating membrane, this third eyelid is clear and allows the alligator to see underwater while protecting its eye from debris and such.

While a mother alligator is one of the fiercest animals on the planet, she is also one of the most gentle. Before laying her clutch of 30 to 50 eggs, the female carefully makes a nest of soil and rotting vegetation. Heat from the decomposing matter incubates the eggs for 60 to 70 days and the sex ratio depends on the temperature inside the nest. Eggs incubated at higher temperatures will turn into male alligators, while cooler temps produce females.
The mother will guard their nest until the babies begin to hatch. When she hears her babies making "chucking" sounds and digging their way to the surface, she will help dig up the eggs. If any are having trouble hatching, the female will carefully take the egg into her mouth and carefully break open the egg without harming the baby inside. Once the babies have hatched, she will take them into her mouth or onto her back and carry them down to the water. Many hatchlings will stay with their mother for up to a year for protection from larger predators.

To learn more about these fantastic creatures, call the Park and register for any of our summer camps, education or family programs to meet our scaly friends….

Business After-Hours at Sylvan Heights

On Thursday, April 30th 2009, almost 200 people attended a Business After-Hours Event for local businesses, their employees and families. Hosted by Halifax Electric, guests visited the park between 5:30 and 7:00 pm, and enjoyed an evening of dining and giveaways, while exploring the Park. Guests also enjoyed a "sneak peek" of the progress being made in our Phase II expansion project area. For some, it was their first chance to enjoy all that the park has to offer. Dinner was provided by Mike Butts’ Famous Roast Beef, and it was excellent! Thank you, Mike!

Coming up on Saturday, May 30th, Sylvan Heights will be having its annual "Duckling Day" event from 10 am to 2pm. Members who have joined at the Aviculturist and higher levels are invited to our members-only brunch and behind-the-scenes tour. Start the day off with a delicious meal in our Golden Leaf room and then enjoy a special tour of the Park’s Breeding Center that is not open to the public. You’ll get an up-close look at some adorable ducklings, goslings, cygnets and more in our very busy nursery area. Learn about the endangered species being worked with at the Park and see how the breeding areas are set up. This special treat is our way of saying "thank you" for all of your support. We hope to see you all there!

Education Program

Please help a child enjoy nature and learn about conservation at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park.

Sylvan Heights educators are passionate about giving children hands-on, outdoor experiences that will open their eyes to the beauty and wonder of nature. But in these tough economic times our public schools and youth organizations need a hand to make educational outings and adventure-learning possible for more children.

We offer two ways for you to make a real difference in a child’s life and in the future of conservation:

1. Sponsor the group of your choice. Your $500 sponsorship will provide program and materials, Park admission and transportation for up to 35 kids and their teachers or chaperones. When you sponsor a group, we’ll send them a letter informing them of the opportunity you provided. We’ll also send you an update describing the group’s visit and the difference your generosity made for the children.

2. Make a donation of any amount for supplies and materials. We need everything from arts and crafts supplies to wheelchairs for special needs students.

Your donation, along with donations from others, will help fill these needs.To help with a tax deductible donation in support of Sylvan Heights education programs, please call us at 252-826-3186.

New Projects

We’ve been very busy completing projects and starting new ones within the Waterfowl Park. Please plan a trip to the park to see what we're working on.

We added a new exhibit that houses Stella’s Lories, Rainbow Lories, Red-crested Wood Partridges and Sun Conures. The construction of the flamingo shelter was also completed and considerable progress has been made on the final touches to the Avian Winter Quarters.

Currently, we’re working on three new exhibits – two for swans and one for cranes. Construction on these enclosures will be ongoing for some time but, when completed, they will allow us to exhibit every species of swan, as well as an additional, spectacular species of crane.

We look forward to seeing you out at the Park soon and appreciate your comments about the progress that we are making on the grounds.

Animal Adoption Packages Now Available

Do you love animals? Do you want one of your own, but just don’t have time to put in all the work that goes into actually feeding and cleaning up after it? Then Sylvan Heights has the perfect solution for you!



Animal adoption baskets are now available in the gift shop. For $25.00, you can currently "adopt" either a swan or flamingo. Each package comes with an official adoption certificate, fact sheet on that species, a 4" x 6" photo, and a plush swan or flamingo. The actual birds themselves stay exactly where they are in the park, so you don’t have to shop for food or lift a finger (or rake or hose!) to clean up after them. Proceeds from animal adoptions go towards their feeding and care, so you can feel the satisfaction of helping to make their lives better through your generous purchase.

These baskets make wonderful birthday and anniversary gifts, and are a super way to help support the care of these animals in the park. Each adoption is good for one year. Adoption packages for other species may be made available later in the year.