LOL, we do need Coati...
Analyzing required animals by Taxonomical group
I did. It's so unimportant a coyote is better (I'm sorry, I had to)
Yeah, coatis are important as well and deserve a slot
Oh also, now that my personal agenda has been taken care of, I'm more okay with retroactively saying that the Japanese serow would be a solid enough pick lol
How I think we're doing with critical, essential, important/strong (at least for their clade), and nice-to-have species listed.
- Elephants: More than done. Almost nobody wanted a third elephant.
- Canines: Done, but there are still some solid choices if Frontier needs a few more to help sell packs. A true jackal, like the black-backed jackal, seems most pressing taxon-wise. Actually, the grey fox is most unique in that regard, which I would like, but I don't think non-NA players would have the patience for another NA canid right now. The bat-eared fox and a canid for Europe, either a wolf subspecies or the golden jackal, seem decent.
- Antelopes: Done, but there are still some decent and somewhat popular options. The greater kudu is the most popular right now and my personal favorite. Gerenuks would be cool only if they have a browsing enrichment item. Elands, duikers, and hartebeests are rather unique. Impala, SH oryxes, and waterbucks seem ok, too.
- Musteloids:
- Badgers/Badger-likes: Done! I have very little interest in the NA badger or grison. Neither is popular, nor are they common in zoos.
- Procyonids: The South American Coati is still glaringly absent. The white-nosed coati is somewhat popular, and I actually wouldn't mind a second coati. Kinkajous and ringtails could be neat oddballs.
- Otters: The sea otter is critical for any coastal pack, but less so otherwise. The Eurasian otter seems like a good option, but not one I would call necessary. I think it has a good chance of making many players happy, and a cold-tolerant freshwater otter would be good, too.
- Skunks: Done! One was great and enough.
- Martens/Ferrets/Weasels: A pine marten seems like a strong candidate for a European arboreal critter. Yellow-throated martens are pretty and popular. I like the black-footed ferret as one of few PZ-viable, ongoing conservation icons for NA. Stoats and weasels seem too small. I
- Deer:
- Old World Deer: Mostly missing a muntjac or maybe a tufted deer. The axis/hog deer branch and the sambar deer would not be totally useless, but they seem far from essential. Wapiti are the 2nd most popular NA mammal and beloved by some NA players.
- New World Deer: The caribou and moose are kind of weird oddballs. Pudu are another rather unique species but less useful than the muntjac. We're also missing at least one 'classic' New World deer. I would nominate the white-tailed deer for the best candidate for this with its popularity, common presence in zoos, cultural significance, status as the national mammal for two Central American countries, range on both continents, and range across many biomes. To me, it is a bit more essential and much more useful than the wapiti, but I think more people care about the wapiti. I still hope for both a bit. SA has another branch within this, and a taruca or marsh deer seem fine, too.
- Not Quite Deer: Musk deer and especially chevrotains seem at least a little interesting but not very likely.
- Old World Monkeys:
- Macaques/Baboons/Mangabeys: Done taxon-wise, but the Barbary macaque is Europe's only monkey, and the gelada is rather popular.
- Guenons: There are a ton of great options that are common in zoos. It is an odd hole in the roster, but not as obvious to me as tamarins. A guereza would satisfy most people's requirement for at least one small, African monkey. Still, the De Brazza's guenon, patas monkey, Wolf's mona monkey, red-tailed monkey, grivet (or vervet) monkey, and Diana (or Roloway) monkey would all be great options.
- Langurs: Still missing a 'classic' langur, like the grey, Francois', or Javan. Also missing a colobus monkey, with the guereza as the most popular. The golden snub-nosed monkey is popular and rather critical for Chinese zoos.
- Elephants - Absolutely finished, 2 was enough a third is overkill and a 4th would leave me speechless
- Canines - Also got plenty there really isn't a need for anymore although I might forgive a jackal in a safari pack I really wouldn't choose it
- Antelope - We don't need anymore of them but there are a couple I wouldn't mind
- A larger antelope my first choice would be the Greater Kudu which is one of my favourite species of antelope irl however the Common Eland would also be fine
- Another small antelope, the Dik-Dik was great and largely filled this niche but a Duiker would also be kind if nice
- Deer - pretty much done now, getting an endemic Asian deer filled the biggest gap but there are still some holes that could be filled although much less urgent now
- A small Asian deer is probably the biggest hole in my eyes either the Muntjac or Tufted Deer would be appropriate
- A tropical Asian deer might be nice but its niche has been somewhat filled by the 2 antelope in this pack
- A South American Deer, the Pudu has quite a nice size variation when the game is quite lacking in small ungulates plus its another South American animal so always a win
- Mustelids - In a decent spot now but I would like the Yellow Throated Marten
- Old World Monkeys - The last few packs have done wonders for the primate roster but this group is still lacking
- An Indian Monkey is now the lowest priority but something like the Hanuman Langur would still be alright
- A more generic and common SEA monkey would be cool something like the Javan Langur
- The Golden Snub Nosed Monkey would be a solid pick but I don't really need it
- An African Monkey this is the biggest gap in the old world monkeys at least 1 smaller tropical African Monkey is needed but we could easily get a few of them. The Mantled Guereza is my top choice but other animals like De Brazza's, L'Hoest's, Collared Mangabey, Roloway Monkey would also be fine choices
Ok, here's my take:
- Musteloids:
- The sea otter as well as a temperate/cold climate otter would both be welcome. Ideally I would take the Eurasian otter for the second one, but North American otter could work as well even though it would make for a lot of American otters. Maybe a species from Africa could be nice as well, but four is already a lot.
- I would appreciat the American badger as well as at least one species of hog badger (maybe the greater hog badger?) but I don't see them as essential.
- At least one marten would be welcome, with the yellow-throated, beech and European pine martens being the most interesting candidates imo.
- The tayra could be a fun option, though I don't see many people talk about it.
- At least one mustelinae would be greatly appreciated. The stoat, black-footed ferret or least weasel for instance.
- I don't think we need another mephitidae.
- A coati is absolutely needed, but I couldn't chose one over the others. It would be nice to get an olingo as well.
- Antelopes:
- The impala should be added eventually.
- The suni, kilpsringer or maybe Bate's pygmy antelope would be nice additions if we want a small sized antelope, but I don't think either of them is mandatory. The royal antelope would be more important in my opinion.
- I know we already have plenty of oryxes, but I would still greatly appreciate the Arabian oryx.
- Giant eland and greater kudu are both must haves in my opinion.
- Elephants:
- We absolutely don't need another elephant, but I would take the African forest elephant over any new Asian subspecies.
- Canines:
- The African or ideally Ethiopian wolf would be welcome additions, though not the most needed. I'd rather not get a new grey wolf subspecies, but if it's on the table I guess the Indian or Arabian wolf are the most interesting options due to being adapted to different biomes compared to the timber wolf.
- The short-eared dog and crab-eating fox could be interesting additions with their relatively unusual morphology, but not mandatory.
- We need at least one jackal, ideally the black-backed jackal. The golden jackal (technically closer to wolves and dogs) could also be interesting.
- I would really like the grey fox to be added as well, mostly because it can climb.
- Deer:
- I still think we need the wapiti and at least one roe deer (ideally the European roe deer) and the water deer. They are the most important additions in my opinion.
- With the addition of the Père David deer, the sika deer and chital are less essential but would still be appreciated.
- I would also like the key deer and a pudu in the game.
- Old-world monkeys:
- There's still quite a few Asian monkeys that I think should be in the game. The Rhesus monkey, to begin with, which might seem generic but that's precisely the reason why it's needed in my opinion, as a very common animal in South and East Asia including in urban areas. The Northern plains grey langur would also be much appreciated. There's also obviously the golden snub-nosed monkey is also a very popular pick that should probably be added.
- Among the African monkeys, I think we need a second baboon (ideally the olive baboon) and we should also get the mantled guereza or another colobus, as well as the vervet monkey (for the same reasons as the Rhesus monkey, not really exciting but a must have).
- Aside from that there's a lot of "wants" but not necessarily "needs". I won't make a full list, but I'd like at least the Barbary macaque (only one to have a presence in Europe in the wild).
Last edited:
Musteloids: Coati is a must have, no way around this. It is incredibly common in zoos. I would also love a Sea Otter, but it is not as important to me as a Coati.
Antelopes: I am honestly fine with the representation now. There are few I would not mind, like Generuk or Eland, but they are nowhere near essential or needed to me.
Elephants: We are fine.
Canines: As a huge dog fan, even i have to admit that with the Racoon Dog, I am very pleased with the representation at this point. I would love to get a Black-Back Jackal and Bat-Eared Fox, but other animal groups are way more important now.
Deer: While the Pere Davids Deer is nice, I still think the Reeves Muntjac would add alot to the game as it very different from the other deers.
Old-world monkeys: I would still love something like a Gray Langur for Asia. And I absolutely think we need a tropical African monkey like a De Brazza Monkey or Colobus Monkey.
Antelopes: I am honestly fine with the representation now. There are few I would not mind, like Generuk or Eland, but they are nowhere near essential or needed to me.
Elephants: We are fine.
Canines: As a huge dog fan, even i have to admit that with the Racoon Dog, I am very pleased with the representation at this point. I would love to get a Black-Back Jackal and Bat-Eared Fox, but other animal groups are way more important now.
Deer: While the Pere Davids Deer is nice, I still think the Reeves Muntjac would add alot to the game as it very different from the other deers.
Old-world monkeys: I would still love something like a Gray Langur for Asia. And I absolutely think we need a tropical African monkey like a De Brazza Monkey or Colobus Monkey.
Bustards
- Kori Bustard
- Greater Roadrunner
- Guira oo
- Lady Ross's Turaco (found at my local zoo so I am biased here)
- Keel-Billed Toucan
- Toco Toucan
- Bearded Barbet
- Green Aracari
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Laughing Kookaburra
- Lilac-Breasted Roller
- Carmine Bee-Eater
- Green Wood Hoopoe
- Victoria Crowned Pigeon
- Luzon Bleeding-Heart Dove
- Zebra Dove
Let's see
- Elephants: Done it. We know that there was no need for a third elephant. I respect those who wanted the arrival of Bornean Pygmy Elephant, but I can't see it with the same eyes (and I say it being the admirer #1 of the elephants)
- Musteloids: the Honey Badger was a great inclusion. However, the niche to an otter of a temperate atmosphere still remains (in case of North American River Otter, the Sea Otter is also good). And don't forget the Coati
- Antelopes: It is curious, as, although a point of the tiredness of so many antilopes arrives, I still want them to arrive more. And honestly, I am divided between the Great Kudu and the Impala
- Canines: The Tanuki was the only canine that I lacked from my list, so I am well with that they don't come more canids. Of course, if another comes, good
- Deers: There is still a representation of this group. since the Tropic like the Sika or Axis Deer, or in the American Forests like Elk and White-Tailed Deer
- Old-World Monkeys: I appreciate that from the Zookeepers Pack, we have had at least 1 primate, helping to grow their presence. Hopefully we can see primates, such as the Gelada, Mantled Guereza and the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey
My 2 cents, ranking the groups more than the individual species - Critically lacking, lacking, covered with non essential gaps, extensively covered
Musteloids
Personally don't have the Coati super high on my wishlist but I recognise it's a must have. Also wouldn't mind a Sea Otter or even a Weasel
Antelopes
Done extensively now. Eland, Kudu, Impala are possible additions but I'm not going to mind if they aren't included
Elephants
Was already extensively covered prior to Bornean. Just hope they added deep diving mechanics with this.
Canines
Bat Eared Fox, Ethiopian Wolf are possibilities that I could see happening but we've well and truly covered all essentials a while ago
Deer
Not absolutely required but imo another 'basic' deer like White Tailed Deer would be nice contrast. But not essential
Old-world monkeys
Primates are unbelievably behind where they need to be. I'd argue that a bare minimum of 3 old world are still needed, with probably another 4 new world. The most likely possibilities include Gelada, De Brazza's Monkey, Mantled Guereza, Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey, Hanuman Langur
Musteloids
Personally don't have the Coati super high on my wishlist but I recognise it's a must have. Also wouldn't mind a Sea Otter or even a Weasel
Antelopes
Done extensively now. Eland, Kudu, Impala are possible additions but I'm not going to mind if they aren't included
Was already extensively covered prior to Bornean. Just hope they added deep diving mechanics with this.
Canines
Bat Eared Fox, Ethiopian Wolf are possibilities that I could see happening but we've well and truly covered all essentials a while ago
Deer
Not absolutely required but imo another 'basic' deer like White Tailed Deer would be nice contrast. But not essential
Old-world monkeys
Primates are unbelievably behind where they need to be. I'd argue that a bare minimum of 3 old world are still needed, with probably another 4 new world. The most likely possibilities include Gelada, De Brazza's Monkey, Mantled Guereza, Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey, Hanuman Langur
Back to birds. The Colorful bird discussion is still open, per usual, but I'm also going to start #4 - Birds of prey to use the heightened ativity in the forums.
Groups to discuss with wikipedia links:
- Owls
- Diurnal birds of prey (hawks, eagles, vultures, kites, buzzards...)
- Falcons (and caracaras)
- Mousebirds
Finally, birds of prey.
Now raptors are the main reason why I'm also on the flying birds train. And while I also enjoy and want and need smaller colorful birds, they can be contained by small aviaries and/or mixed in tropical houses and walkthrough exhibits. While raptors, for me, are what beasts and ungulates are for mammal roster. They can command attention on their own, and they need separate, large, dedicated habitats. So immediately to start off, I think essential number of raptors must be large. Not beasts and ungulates large, but almost similar to that, relative to the amount of flying birds we get. So there's gonna be a lot of essentials.
Owls
Let's start with two easy candidates. Snowy Owl is almost a guaranteed pick, due to it's unique looks and habitat. Also it helps that it isn't exclusively nocturnal. Next, Eurasian Eagle Owl has extensive range and is huge in size. It's very common in captivity and in wild. An absolute must. Those two are both essential for large owls. Then there's third one, my favorite, Great Grey Owl. I wanted an excuse to call it essential, but the truth is it doesn't bring nothing new that last two don't. It's similar in size to Eagle Owl and it's has similar range to Snowy Owl. So can't call it essential, but it's still fantastic pick. Not only does it look cool, but could also serve as a diversity alternative for either or both of aforementioned ones.
Moving on to more medium owls, I think Western Barn Owl would be also essential. It isn't that exotic, but solely for that reason it can be mixed and matched with bunch of different themes in zoos. Not to mention that it covers three continents.
For smaller owls, I think Burrowing Owl is an obvious choice. It's not only really popular, both irl and in communities around the game, but also affords creativity potential in habitat design. One oddball I would mention is Eurasian Scops Owl, just because their call brings me back in childhood, and I would love to hear it in game. It would also be a cute filler for Mediterranean areas.
And there's a lot of other different owls, but these are ones important to me, so I'll let others flesh out other continents.
Hawks, Kites and Buzzards
Not gonna lie, Hawks aren't the most inspiring group to me, so I'll single out some unique species. I don't think any hawk is essential. Gabar Goshawk covers Africa and Arabia, and has pretty plumage. Black faced-hawk has interesting face markings and lives in tropical South America. Mantled Hawk could be and equally interesting alternative for Black faced one. Madagascar harrier-hawk represents unique Madagascar ecosystem, and also stands out in looks department. Kites and Buzzards are even less interesting for me, there are also no essentials there.
Eagles
Now the main course. These could and should be the second most numerous raptors in game. There's so much iconic species to choose from. Bald Eagle is the easy slam dunk, national US bird, iconic white head, extensive range. Essential. Next essential eagle for me is Steller's Sea Eagle. One of the largest species out there, beautiful color combination. Range all over north pacific coast in Asia, but can also find its way to American continent. It's also very popular in European zoos (or was I haven't been for quite some time) If it wasn't for cultural impact of Bald Eagle, I would say Steller's is number one pick. Next, Harpy Eagle. Also essential. Whole new continent, whole new biome (compared to what usually comes to mind when you mention eagles). Unique diet. Magnificent feather crown, magnificent size. Now for some European diversity, I would actually pick either White Tailed Eagle or Eastern Imperial Eagle over much more favorite Golden Eagle. I know latter one has much better range, but it's also more duller compared to the first two. Either way, at least one of those three European species is essential.
Those were essentials and now for some great additions, that could serve to diversify tropical eagle roster: African Crowned Eagle and Philippines Crowned Eagle. First one has many pros that Harpy has, but brings the range of African forests. Second one does the same for South-east Asia, but also carries important conservation factor (CR).
And for the end, another great addition would be Wedge Tailed Eagle. It's a great addition, but I believe is essential for Aussie players. It's stands out enough with it's dark coloration to stand alongside other brown eagles.
Vultures
Vultures are the reason why I hesitated in asking for eagles to be most numerous. There's so much variety among them, that many can easily acquire essential status.
Let's start with Old World.
Bearded Vulture is the easiest pick for an essential spot. It flies over three continents, it stands out with its looks and it has unique bone diet. It's also very common in zoos. Next one is very similar in range, but very different in looks: Egyptian Vulture. Visual distinction is my only reason for essential pick, but overlap in range with Bearded carries a lot of bonus points. Now for more classic looking vultures, even tho they look similar I'd say both Ruppel's and Eurasian Griffon vultures are essential. Ruppel's is an icon of African savannah and is critically endangered, while Eurasian Griffon offers more flexibility in range and is more common in European zoos.
Those are all essential and now for two great additions I would candidate Cinereous Vulture and Red Headed Vulture. Cinereous could be great alternative to Egyptian or Griffon in range, and Red Headed, while more limited, is critically endangered and visually striking.
Now for the New World.
I think both Condors are easily essential. While Andean is larger and more present in zoos worldwide, Californian has important conservation story, so I say both have strong reasons for spots in game.
So is King Vulture which would be a fantastic addition to represent tropical vultures. Appearance ranks it high, while range only helps. Haven't seen them a lot in Europe, but that's a minor issue.
Not sure about other great additions and oddballs. Rather I'm not that familiar with New World Vultures. Would love to hear how American players feel about Turkey Vultures, are they zoo animals, or only pests? They aren't essential for me, but wouldn't mind them in game.
Falcons and Caracaras
About Caracaras I don't know mush, they're exotic enough for me, so at least one could be essential. Classic Crested Caracara to be exact. But others looks distinctive enough that I wouldn't complain about one more, but deffo not essential.
Falcons, I also don't find as essential zoo animals. Peregrine Falcon has enough cultural impact to make it into a game, and its range is impressive. I'd say it's a great addition. One fun little oddball that I find interesting is Gyrfalcon. It has coloration similar to Snowy Owl and it matches the range. Arctic falcon would be a cool oddball addition to have.
Mousebirds I'm really not familiar with, nor do I remember seeing them in zoos, I guess either way with them.
Oh yeah, Mr. Krabs. Ahhhhhhh
Ok, now that I'm clam, let's begin:
Owls
So many owls to choose from. A very unique looking group, we have classics like the great horned owl, some inspiring legends like the barn owl, and cute little goobers in the burrowing owls.
In my opinion, I would be satisfied with 4 or 5 species:
- Great horned owl - it's an iconic species, to be honest
- Snowy owl - a lovely Arctic owl
- Barn owl - these silent birds coild have their chilling screech
- Burrowing owl (any species) - just a unique bird thay lives underground. That alone makes it a worthwhile addition
You can't talk raptors without mentioning the secretary bird. It's theoretically doable bow, but for the sake of discussion I will bring it up. A popular choice, partly due to nostalgia. Among other raptors, we have vultures, eagles, ospreys, hawks. The list goes on. Here's what I think is worth an addition:
- Bald eagle
- Osprey
- King vulture
- Andean condor
- Californian condor
- Secretary bird
- Golden eagle
- Griffon vulture
- Lammergeier
Ah, falcons. Quite a majestic bird, like all birds-of-prey. I know that the peregrine falcon is popular, both because of movies, books, and in falconry. I haven't actually seen falcons in captivity myself, though, but I bet that they'd be popular
Mousebirds
Look, I have no idea what these are, so I can't give a fair assessment
I don't know my birds of prey super well, though possibly better than most birds, so I'll try my best.
- Owls:
- I'm going to be very original and say the Eurasian eagle-owl and the snowy owl are both must haves, and we should certainly get at least one barn owl species.
- The burrowing owl would also be a nice addition, and is actually the only one that could be included without necessitating flying animations due to its mostly terrestrial lifestyle and unique long legged morphology.
- Aside from that, an owl from southernmost regions could be nice eventually, maybe a boobook or a bay owl?
- Diurnal raptors:
- Let's start with the secretary bird. Just like the burrowing owl mentioned above, it could be included in the game as is and is technically a raptor. Already a very requested animal and for good reasons.
- I don't know much about hawks, kites or buzzards, none of them really screams "must have" to me but it would be nice to have at least one of each.
- The bald eagle and golden eagle are both very obvious picks, though I wouldn't be against curve balls here. The Philippine eagle and harpy eagle would both be very appreciated, and the martial eagle or a crowned eagle would also be cool.
- An African vulture, like the Cape or white-backed vultures would be essential to represent the Old World in my opinion. The bearded vulture, egyptian vulture and red-headed vulture would also all be very important additions (I especially like the bearded because of its unique look and alimentation).
- Among the New World vultures, I think the king, turkey and black vultures would all be amazing additions, but more importantly we would need at least one condor (possibly both). I would tend to favor the Californian condor for what it represents in terms of conservation.
- The osprey would be neat.
- Falcons:
- The peregrine falcon sounds like the obvious pick, for its range, look, recognizability and also the fact that it might be the fastest living animal when stooping. Other options that I could see include the common kestrel and saker falcon. Honestly though, I don't see many zoo including them unless they are specifically dedicated to birds/raptors or there are falconry spectacles.
- Just like for the hawks, kites and buzzards, I don't have any strong feelings regarding the caracaras though I have to admit some of them are gorgeous and would be nice additions.
- Mousebirds:
- If I'm being entirely honest, I had never heard of those before today so again a group that I have no strong feeling about. Judging by the pictures, I guess the blue-naped and white-headed are the most cool looking ones but I wouldn't call them essential.
Honestly this is a long conversation that I am very late too, but I have one underrated choice for an Owl. The Great Horned Owl I think is one of the better choices for an owl species, and very underrated IMO.
On the base level it the Eurasian Eagle Owl has everything it does, the tufted ears, the feather pattern, and it’s bigger. However, the Great Horned Owl has one thing above it. Amazing range and habitat compatibility.
It would have an amazing temperature range, and would be comfortable in all of these habitats:
Also the Burrowing Owl is super cool too, and is one of the last quintessential aspects of the American Prarie not available to us in game, so I want them as well.
Its range is also super impressive, and is also wonderful for the Americas and representation. Also in a habitat it can use the burrow which is super cool!
On the base level it the Eurasian Eagle Owl has everything it does, the tufted ears, the feather pattern, and it’s bigger. However, the Great Horned Owl has one thing above it. Amazing range and habitat compatibility.
It would have an amazing temperature range, and would be comfortable in all of these habitats:
- Deserts
- Rainforests (Tropical)
- Temperate
- Taiga
- Mountains
- Wetlands
Also the Burrowing Owl is super cool too, and is one of the last quintessential aspects of the American Prarie not available to us in game, so I want them as well.
Its range is also super impressive, and is also wonderful for the Americas and representation. Also in a habitat it can use the burrow which is super cool!
Okay let's go
Owls: I'm so tempted to just say "load us up". There's seriously so many good owls, even relative to other birds of prey. But if I were to prioritize them, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl easily comes out on top. It's a great "generic" looking owl, and is super common in zoos. Without actually thinking too hard on it, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the most commonly represented European species in US zoos. Next would be the Snowy Owl, super iconic, striking coloration, and its cold climate affinity would make for some unique ways to exhibit it. I think those two would make up a good baseline owl collection, but I can and will keep going. Third in line would be the Barn Owl - another iconic and unique-looking species, and one with an incredible range if treated as a single species (and even if split into three, they're visually similar enough to use them interchangeably in my eyes). Fourth priority is the spectacled owl - a fun tropical species, incredibly cool and distinct looking, decently common in zoos. And then we come to the burrowing owl, no doubt the most behaviorally unique of all. The fact that such a fun little species ranks so far down the list is truly a testament to how much potential there are with owls. And while I think those five are in a league of their own in terms of what they offer, there's also plenty of nice North American owls - the Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, and a screech owl species would all bring something to the table. So I guess, load us up.
Eagles: Conversely, I think there's really just three eagles worth mention. First would be the Bald Eagle, which admittedly I don't even care for that much, but they're exceptionally common in captivity (even outside of North America, somewhat to my surprise) and perhaps more than any other bird, would probably leave a lot of people feeling personally slighted were they to be absent. Personally, I'd prefer the Steller's Sea Eagle, with its jaw-droppingly impressive beak, but if I'm being honest, the Bald Eagle is sort of untouchable in its category. Either way, I think it would be nicely complemented by the animal nerd's favorite Harpy Eagle. These are incredibly cool birds, visually distinctive, not exactly common in zoos but I think desirable enough to offset this as a solid oddball pick.
Hawks: Oh no, here we have another situation where there's a notable real-world America vs Europe split between the Red-Tailed Hawk and the Common Buzzard. They're very similar looking and would fill pretty much the same exact purpose within a zoo. I think we do need a hawk, but definitely do not need two species that are so similar, so I'll selfishly prop up the Red-Tailed Hawk simply due to personal (American) preference. And also Animorphs.
Vultures: I feel like it would be very easy to give these things some disproportionately high representation. I think at minimum we need one old world vulture and one new world... and perhaps two new world. Personally, most of the old world vultures are largely interchangeable to me, with no real defining features to elevate one about the other, so I'll suggest Ruppell's Griffon Vulture as a nice classical-looking vulture to tick that box. For the new world species, I think we absolutely need a condor. The Californian Condor is notable for its size and especially its conservation success story, but the Andean Condor is considerably more common in captivity so I think it would be my preference. I also think the King Vulture would be an incredible inclusion as a rare colorful bird of prey. So yeah, I think I'd be good with three vultures.
Falcons: Easiest answer ever: the Peregrine Falcon, no notes. Iconic for its dive speed, found all over the world, no other falcons would be necessary.
Caracaras: Crested Caracara might be neat, they look cool and are decently well-represented in zoos, but I don't think they're essential by any stretch.
Mousebirds: bro thinks he's on the team
Owls: I'm so tempted to just say "load us up". There's seriously so many good owls, even relative to other birds of prey. But if I were to prioritize them, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl easily comes out on top. It's a great "generic" looking owl, and is super common in zoos. Without actually thinking too hard on it, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the most commonly represented European species in US zoos. Next would be the Snowy Owl, super iconic, striking coloration, and its cold climate affinity would make for some unique ways to exhibit it. I think those two would make up a good baseline owl collection, but I can and will keep going. Third in line would be the Barn Owl - another iconic and unique-looking species, and one with an incredible range if treated as a single species (and even if split into three, they're visually similar enough to use them interchangeably in my eyes). Fourth priority is the spectacled owl - a fun tropical species, incredibly cool and distinct looking, decently common in zoos. And then we come to the burrowing owl, no doubt the most behaviorally unique of all. The fact that such a fun little species ranks so far down the list is truly a testament to how much potential there are with owls. And while I think those five are in a league of their own in terms of what they offer, there's also plenty of nice North American owls - the Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, and a screech owl species would all bring something to the table. So I guess, load us up.
Eagles: Conversely, I think there's really just three eagles worth mention. First would be the Bald Eagle, which admittedly I don't even care for that much, but they're exceptionally common in captivity (even outside of North America, somewhat to my surprise) and perhaps more than any other bird, would probably leave a lot of people feeling personally slighted were they to be absent. Personally, I'd prefer the Steller's Sea Eagle, with its jaw-droppingly impressive beak, but if I'm being honest, the Bald Eagle is sort of untouchable in its category. Either way, I think it would be nicely complemented by the animal nerd's favorite Harpy Eagle. These are incredibly cool birds, visually distinctive, not exactly common in zoos but I think desirable enough to offset this as a solid oddball pick.
Hawks: Oh no, here we have another situation where there's a notable real-world America vs Europe split between the Red-Tailed Hawk and the Common Buzzard. They're very similar looking and would fill pretty much the same exact purpose within a zoo. I think we do need a hawk, but definitely do not need two species that are so similar, so I'll selfishly prop up the Red-Tailed Hawk simply due to personal (American) preference. And also Animorphs.
Vultures: I feel like it would be very easy to give these things some disproportionately high representation. I think at minimum we need one old world vulture and one new world... and perhaps two new world. Personally, most of the old world vultures are largely interchangeable to me, with no real defining features to elevate one about the other, so I'll suggest Ruppell's Griffon Vulture as a nice classical-looking vulture to tick that box. For the new world species, I think we absolutely need a condor. The Californian Condor is notable for its size and especially its conservation success story, but the Andean Condor is considerably more common in captivity so I think it would be my preference. I also think the King Vulture would be an incredible inclusion as a rare colorful bird of prey. So yeah, I think I'd be good with three vultures.
Falcons: Easiest answer ever: the Peregrine Falcon, no notes. Iconic for its dive speed, found all over the world, no other falcons would be necessary.
Caracaras: Crested Caracara might be neat, they look cool and are decently well-represented in zoos, but I don't think they're essential by any stretch.
Mousebirds: bro thinks he's on the team
This time I know many haha. I'm just going to say the ones I've seen more often and are probably the most well-known by the general public
Owls: Eurasian eagle owl and snowy owl
Eagles: Golden eagle, bald eagle, Steller sea eagle
Hawk: peregrine hawk
Vulture: bearded vulture, Griffon vulture
Owls - There are tons of good options already mentioned that I would agree with - the Eurasian eagle, barn, snowy, burrowing and spectacled owls would all make my list. But one additional species I would choose is the Northern white-faced owl, a really attractive smaller owl from the savannahs of East Africa. A few zoos have kept them, in both indoor and outdoor enclosures, mixed with aardvarks. Although no longer kept in North America, they are very common in Europe.
Diurnal birds of prey - Starting with the eagles, I would be tempted to say that the golden eagle is the most essential, simply because it represents such an enormous global range. The bald eagle is obviously the main representative for North America, so I feel that one has to be added. Finally, I want a couple of more tropical eagle species - the bateleur is probably the most beautiful of the eagles, is native to the African savannah and is common in captivity. Finally, the harpy eagle would be an excellent representative for the South American jungle.
In terms of hawks, the one species I think is absolutely necessary is the Harris's hawk. Definitely the most commonly-kept species of hawk in European zoos, which would represent both North and South America. Wouldn't mind a goshawk, Eurasian buzzard, red-tailed hawk or African harrier-hawk, but the Harris's is most important to me.
For vultures, I would say that the Ruppell's griffon vulture is an ideal species for African displays, the Egyptian vulture can represent not only Africa but also Europe and Asia, the Andean condor should be included as a show-stopper South American species and the turkey vulture representing both North and South America.
It probably goes without saying, but also put the secretary bird in.
Falcons and caracaras - In my opinion, most falcons should only be added if there are free-flying bird displays included in the game, as that is basically the only context I have seen most of them kept at zoos. The peregrine is the most obvious option, but I do have a real love for the lanner and saker falcons. The Mauritius kestrel has a fascinating conservation history, but isn't kept anywhere outside its native range today.
As for the caracaras, I would be really tempted to add the striated caracara - they are the one species I have seen a lot of in captivity, are a sub-Antarctic species (they live on the Falklands and the Patagonian coast) and in many ways are an interesting convergent evolution of the New Zealand kea parrot - a mischievous and highly intelligent social species that spends a lot of time walking on the ground.
Mousebirds - I have seen the speckled mousebird quite a few times, and they are lovely if rather understated birds with some fascinating behaviours (they hang by their feet to bask in the sun, for example) but they are nowhere near the top of my list.
Birds of Prey
Owls
The Essentials:
-Snowy Owl: One of the most common zoo animals out there and a nowbrainer inclusion
-Barn Owl: Barn owls as a whole have an insane range covering almost the entire world. As has been said before they luckily all look pretty much the same so what exact species we get is that important imo
The Good Additons:
-Screech Owl: Funky, small american option
-Eagle Owl: the most well known eurasian one
Thoughts: I think two owls are the minimum. Imo there is no way around the snowy owl, but we also need a temperate one where id chose the barn owl as they are literally everywhere
NW and OW Vultures
The Essentials:
-Andean Condor: Household name and biggest flying bird, nobrainer inclusion
-Eurasian Griffon: Covers europe, asia and africa. Arguably the most vulture looking vulture aswell as the most commonly kept overall
The Good Additons:
-Turkey Vulture: Most common NW vulture in captivity
-Egyptian Vulture: Distinct
-Bearded Vulture: Distinct and pretty
Thoughts: I think having one NW and one OW vulture is essential, and i think the two i put in essential should be the chosen ones as they cover the most bases. After those two the turkey vulture would be the next one on the prio list imo to get an NA species.
Accipitridae: "Eagles", "Hawks" and the like
The Essentials:
-Bald Eagle: Yeah, no brainer
-Golden Eagle: The most widely distributed eagle covering essentially the whole northern hemisphere
-Harpy: Not really common in zoos, but to cool to leave out
The Good Additions:
-Bataleur Eagle: cool species from africa
-Harris Hawk: really common in zoos
-Stellers Sea Eagle: Cool species
Falcons and Caracaras
The Essentials:
-Peregrine Falcon: Famous species, commonly kept, widely distributed on pretty every continent. Whats not to love?
The Good Additions:
-Crested Caracara: Cool species
-European kestrel: Tiny and pretty species
Closing thought: Birds of prey are ofcours, together with parrots, the most essential grouping of aviary birds and therefore should be well covered. My choices are for the most part pretty northern hemisphere centric, but i think thats fair since in comparison to the southern continents you dont have to much else like parrots, hornbills, toucans etc. Speaking of toucans i kinda missed the previous round, will for sure add that in coming days
Owls
The Essentials:
-Snowy Owl: One of the most common zoo animals out there and a nowbrainer inclusion
-Barn Owl: Barn owls as a whole have an insane range covering almost the entire world. As has been said before they luckily all look pretty much the same so what exact species we get is that important imo
The Good Additons:
-Screech Owl: Funky, small american option
-Eagle Owl: the most well known eurasian one
Thoughts: I think two owls are the minimum. Imo there is no way around the snowy owl, but we also need a temperate one where id chose the barn owl as they are literally everywhere
NW and OW Vultures
The Essentials:
-Andean Condor: Household name and biggest flying bird, nobrainer inclusion
-Eurasian Griffon: Covers europe, asia and africa. Arguably the most vulture looking vulture aswell as the most commonly kept overall
The Good Additons:
-Turkey Vulture: Most common NW vulture in captivity
-Egyptian Vulture: Distinct
-Bearded Vulture: Distinct and pretty
Thoughts: I think having one NW and one OW vulture is essential, and i think the two i put in essential should be the chosen ones as they cover the most bases. After those two the turkey vulture would be the next one on the prio list imo to get an NA species.
Accipitridae: "Eagles", "Hawks" and the like
The Essentials:
-Bald Eagle: Yeah, no brainer
-Golden Eagle: The most widely distributed eagle covering essentially the whole northern hemisphere
-Harpy: Not really common in zoos, but to cool to leave out
The Good Additions:
-Bataleur Eagle: cool species from africa
-Harris Hawk: really common in zoos
-Stellers Sea Eagle: Cool species
Falcons and Caracaras
The Essentials:
-Peregrine Falcon: Famous species, commonly kept, widely distributed on pretty every continent. Whats not to love?
The Good Additions:
-Crested Caracara: Cool species
-European kestrel: Tiny and pretty species
Closing thought: Birds of prey are ofcours, together with parrots, the most essential grouping of aviary birds and therefore should be well covered. My choices are for the most part pretty northern hemisphere centric, but i think thats fair since in comparison to the southern continents you dont have to much else like parrots, hornbills, toucans etc. Speaking of toucans i kinda missed the previous round, will for sure add that in coming days
Musteloids: Honeybadger is genuinly great for taxonomic representation, adding a very different flavor from otters and the european badger, but now that we have two aquatic and two terrestrial mustelids its really time for a marten to show up. Yellow throated is the best option imo, due to it being the largest, most colorfull and among those with the most diverse range, living in everything between tropical rainforest, mountain slopes and cold boreal forests, but dont sleep on the beech marten and its excellent range and biome versatility. To me those two would perfectly round out the mustelids.
Antelopes: we are good, finally. I wouldnt say no to a very large antelope from africa like the common ealand or another small one like a duiker, but overall id say we are gucci now
Elephants: Can we do a new tier for overrepresented, please delete one? Cause thats what the elephants are and we all know which one is the one to much
Canines: Was great, is greater, i can offically not think of any canine where id nod my head and go "yeah not my jam but good". Every other canine from this point on is the niche of a niche. Bat eared fox? Niche fenec fox. Black Backed Jackal? Niche painted dog. Gray Fox? Niche red fox. I could go on but you get the point.
Deer: Id still like a south east asian dear like the sambar and a small one like pudu, muntjac or hog deer, but the peres davids deer is a good step in the right direction and was a missing key species for this group
Old World monkeys: Better, much better even, if we get a generic langur like the gray langur or the javan langur we are genuinly guccy for asian primates. More wouldnt be opposed, but who would have guessed that asia would be the first area with a decent monkey line up?