CARE OF CAPTIVE ANIMALS — WALKER 349 



LOONS (GA\^rFORMES, GAVIIDAE) ; GREBES (CX)LTMBIFORMES, COLTMBIDAB) 



In the wild these birds eat mainly fish and small aquatic animals. Although 

 common in the wild, they are so rare in collections as to indicate that the 

 proper procedure for successfully keeping them has not been hit upon. It is 

 possible that if they were supplied with large tanks or pools in which they 

 could feed on small live fish, and perhaps were given some finely chopped or 

 ground green material, such as lettuce or kale, they might be kept successfully. 

 Most of the loons that are brought into zoos have been captured on the ground 

 where they have failed in making migrations. Therefore, it is possible that 

 these captives are injured or in poor health. If healthy birds were captured, 

 or young taken, they might be kept successfully. 



ALBATROSSES, SHEARWATERS, PETRELS, AND THEIR ALLIEB 

 ( PROCELLARIITORMES ) 



These are oceanic birds that fly a great deal and obtain minute crustaceans 

 and perhaps other small life from the surface of the ocean. The albatrosses 

 are, to some extent, scavengers and will devour refuse from ships' galleys after 

 the manner of gulls. They are almost never kept in captivity. If one would 

 attempt to keep these birds in captivity, he should provide them with a pool 

 of salt water in which to swim, and offer them meat, shrimp, crab meat, cray- 

 fish, or other Crustacea, all finely ground, fed to them on the water. They might 

 be induced also to take other foods, as is suggested by the observations that the 

 albatross will feed on ships' refuse. It should be remembered, however, that 

 the mouths of all the birds of this group are small, and food for them must 

 be in very small pieces. 



TROPIC-BIRDS, PELICANS, GANNETS, FRIGATE-BIRDS ( PELECANIFORMES ) 



TROPIC-BIRDS (Phaethontidae). Feed small fish, or strips of fish, dipped 

 in cod liver oil. Provide them with a pool of water. Do not allow to be chilled. 



PELICANS (Pelecanidae). Thrive on a wide variety of fish, either small 

 ones weighing about a pound, or pieces of large fish cut up. They take the fish 

 freely from the hands or when tossed to them, and will also take them from 

 the water. The average pelican will eat from 3 to 4 pounds of fish a day, but 

 care must be taken to prevent them from overeating and 1 day's fast a week 

 is desirable to keep them in good condition. Pelicans should have a good- 

 sized pond for swimming and bathing, and some ground area. They will nest 

 and rear young. Do not subject to freezing. 



BOOBIES and GANNETS (Sulidae), CORMORANTS (Phalacrocoracidae), 

 SNAKE-BIRDS (Anhingidae). Feed small fish whole thrown into the water, 

 or pieces of larger fish cut into strips roughly an inch in cross section and 3 

 to 4 inches long. Provide with pools or tanks with a little land to rest upon, 



FRIGATE-BIRDS (Fregatidae). Powerful fliers of the high seas, rarely kept 

 in captivity. Most likely to thrive if kept in a large flight cage containing a 

 pool of water. Can be fed on the wing by tossing to them fish which they will 

 catch in midair. If such a cage cannot be provided, it is sometimes necessary 

 to hand-feed them, or they may take the fish from the surface of the water. 



HERONS, STORKS AND THEIR ALLIES ( CICONIIFORMES ) 



HERONS, BITTERNS (Ardeidae). Feed fish, frogs, meat, mice, some 

 ground bread and green food. These are wading birds that obtain much of 



