The final habitat in the Houston Zoo’s massive, multi-year transformation initiative takes flight this week.

The new Birds of the World exhibit includes multiple habitats featuring bird species stretching around the globe, from the African savanna to the South American wetlands.

Birds of the World is the final animal addition to the 55-acre zoo’s Keeping Our World Wild campaign that launched in 2018. The campaign has helped realize several major additions such as the Galapagos Islands exhibit and the South American Pantanal area—each an immersive experience where guests can view animals in a re-creation of their natural habitat.

There are three separate aviaries included in the two-acre, $13.5 million Birds of the World exhibit. Species such as grey crowned cranes, Chilean flamingoes and blue grosbeaks mingle with other types of birds native to their individual regions in the large aviaries.

The project also includes a new Avian Conservation Environment (ACE) building, a state-of-the-art facility providing updated spaces for the Zoo’s bird care professionals, including breeding programs for critically endangered species. The ACE building underscores the Houston Zoo’s leadership in the care and conservation of a wide range of birds.

One of the most popular attractions in Houston and most-visited zoos in the nation, the Houston Zoo is home to more than 6,000 animals. The institution also supports 49 wildlife conservation projects in 27 countries around the world.

According to visitor location data analyzed by Houston First, most of the out-of-town visitors to the Houston Zoo last year were from elsewhere in Texas, followed by Louisiana, Florida, California and Oklahoma. The top out-of-town Texas markets that drew visitors to the zoo were Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Forth Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Waco.

Written by A.J. Mistretta

Pictured: Grey Crowned Crane, a resident of the new exhibit