Dancing, somersaults, eating on fly all part of aviary job (Today)

Tag : How to Make Bird Seed

Dave Miller knows how to make flamingos dance.
At the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, the daily dance of the pinkbirds is always a big hit, but audience participation is needed.Mr. Miller also knows how to get children and adults to "honk" andclap to get the dance started.
Mr. Miller, of Chartiers in Washington County, trains and cares forthe birds who live in the Wetlands of the Americas exhibit -- oneof the most popular because the birds fly free in the wetlandshabitat, a happy sight for bird-lovers.
Aviary visitors walk along a paved path, while Mr. Miller and otheraviary employees discreetly watch to make sure that everything goeswell.
"Limit your movements," he tells visitors, "because the birds arewatching you."
His comments come as a group of children, moms and dads assemble at1 p.m. for the regular afternoon feeding.
"Every day we have to find every bird in this room to make surethey are healthy. The best way to do that is to call each one," Mr.Miller tells the audience.
More than 100 birds live in the aviary wetlands, representing 50species. While he tells the audience what will happen during theshow, birds circle over his head because they know what's coming.
Mr. Miller stands next to a food cart that contains live wax wormsand meal worms, fruit, sunflower seeds and sardine-size raw fish.
A young boy named Ian volunteer to pick up a slimy fish. FollowingMr. Miller's instructions, he holds the fish above his head. AnInca tern flies over, grabs the fish and flies on without evenslowing down.
A golden conure named Woodstock comes when she is called andperches on a tree branch. She gets a treat for that. Woodstock doesa somersault, much to the delight of the audience, and gets asunflower seed.
Other birds are weighed -- and rewarded -- during the show to makesure they have not lost or gained weight.
"Have you ever seen flamingos dance?" Mr. Miller asks. Members ofthe audience follow him to the railing that overlooks the pond.Five flamingos look up at him expectantly.
"We are going to honk like flamingos to try to make them dance,"Mr. Miller says.
Mr. Miller gets the children and adults to step up the honking, andthen he leads them in a round of rhythmic clapping.
The flamingos start by picking their feet up and down. Then, nearlyin unison, they spread their wings, wave and end by doing whatlooks like a group bow to the audience.
The dancing is actually a ritual the birds use to attract mates,explains Erin Estell, manager of community outreach and education.The Aviary flamingos do not breed because flamingos need to be partof a very large flock to breed and reproduce, she says.
The flamingos are rewarded with food from the audience, while ayoung brown pelican named Ralph looks on. Mr. Miller supplies thekids with fish, which the children throw to Ralph.
"Every experience these birds have with the public makes their lifea little more interesting," Mr. Miller says.
He has worked for the Aviary for nearly eight years, and he clearlyloves his work.
"I never have a bad day with the animals. Every day I feelfortunate," says Mr. Miller, who attended Robert Morris Universityand Miami University.
For information about daily feedings, outdoor shows and otherevents, see the Aviary Web site at www.aviary.org or call 412-323-7235.