Striped Mud Turtle

Pluff is a striped mud turtle, a Maryland native turtle that is known for three stripes that travel along the length of their shell. This is the second smallest species of turtle ...

Northern Shoveler

Northern shovelers are very easy to identify thanks to their uniquely large and spoon-shaped bill. Like most ducks found in Maryland, they have a different plumage (feather ...

Great White Pelican

 As a species, great white pelicans are migrators. Many populations spend winter in sub-Saharan Africa and migrate to parts of Europe and Central Asia to nest. Other populations ...

Spur-winged Lapwing

Spur-winged lapwings reside primarily in the sub-Saharan belt of central Africa but are also native to some Middle Eastern and east Mediterranean countries, including Greece, ...

North American Ruddy Duck

Ruddy ducks are one of the smallest (and roundest) ducks found in Maryland, and are named for their “ruddy,” or reddish-brown, color. They have a very unique swimming posture ...

Marbled Teal

Populations of marbled teal are scattered throughout the Mediterranean basin and into Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and northwest India. This species ...

Wood Turtle

Wood turtles are native to southeastern Canada and the northeastern U.S., including Maryland.  They usually live in woodlands bordering open meadows or pastures, and inhabit ...

Wood Duck

It’s hard to miss a wood duck with their exceptional feather colors, or plumage. From March to June, male wood ducks have a green crested head, bright red eyes, and dramatic ...

White-Breasted Cormorant

The white-breasted cormorant is an African sub-species of the great cormorant. White-breasted cormorants are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, occurring in both coastal and ...

Trumpeter Swan

Bonded pair Scuttle and Buttercup have been at the Maryland Zoo for many years. They have been excellent parents, raising numerous clutches in their large nest in the Zoo’s ...

Saddle-billed Stork

Saddle-billed storks live throughout tropical Africa south of the Sahara, mainly in open or semi-arid country near sources of water. They forage and nest along rivers, lake ...

Red Crested Pochard

Red-crested pochards have an extensive but scattered range that includes parts of North Africa as well as Europe, the Middle East, Russia, India, and much of Asia. This species ...