Since Latin america seems like the main topic and argueably the most likely next pack:
Here are my Top 4 most wanted birds for a Latin america pack.
Number 1: The muscovy duck
With the recent addition of the swan the floodgates of waterfowly goodness have been opened. And what better species to follow up the swan than the muscovy duck. Because these fellows have ALOT going for them. 1. They are incredibly common zoo animals, not only ducks in general but this species specificly. 2. They have a gigantic range spreading across entire central and south america, only being absent in the andes and patagonia. 3. They double as a wild and domestic species when given the right color morphs, and while the domestic form is by far the more common one, the wild form isnt really rare by any means either. Making them also usefull for those players not really fond of domestics. 4. Tying in with the previous point, they have alot of color variations ranging from entirely black, almost greeish, white, brown, beige, grey and various combinations of them. And while im not usually a fan of colorvariations, here they got another cool perk: You could use different morph of muscovies in different bodies of water around your zoo whithout making it obvious that youre just reusing the same animal again and again, making having only a single duck in PZ alot more bareable. Other than those traits they have the general usefullness of ducks with applications for ponds, farm and petting zoo areas, habitat mates for the flamingos and cranes, well anything that wouldnt eat them really, and dedicated waterfowl exhibits.
All of this makes the muscovy duck my most wanted SA/LA bird and one of my most wanted birds in general. Sadly its not enough to make it my most wanted ducks because mandarin is love.
Number 2: The southern screamer
The next spot takes the southern screamer, a bird that is also a waterfowl eventhough they really dont look like it. These guys are really common in zoo around me, which certainly makes them carve a little place for them in my heart. They are pretty big and kinda odd looking birds coming from the pantanal area and inhabit the vast tropical and subtropical wetlands of south america. Which would make them the ideal habitat companions for capybaras, but i have also seen them being kept with maras, tapir and SA camelids. Making them a cool and slightly more colorfull and unique alternative to the rhea and providing some more variety among the birds we have in game. They would also provide a small, lowkey filler animal for SA themed areas, something thats still rather lacking.
Number 3: The rosate spoonbill
These guys should need no introduction, amazingly colorfull birds with very unique looking beaks. They also have a very big distrubtion ranging from the southern USA, the carribean, central americas coasts and vast streches of south america making it a more usefull alternative to the cuban flamingo who have much more restricted range, while still providing a bird option to both americas and also having the deep pink coloration. And while rosate spoonbills are capable fliers and are commonly kept in aviaries with various other birds, i think they would be perfectly fine habitat animals for Planet Zoo purposes.
Number 4: The ocellated turkey
Talking about beautiful birds huh? Allow me to present argueably one of the most beautiful birds on the planet. Other than their colorfull plumages they unfortunately dont have to much to offer, they come from a rather small area in mexico and arent zoo mainstays, although they are kept in some. They have some conservational value due to extensive habitat loss and trophy hunting. Whats cool about them is that in contrast to peafowls and other fowl species both sexes of ocellated turkeys are this pretty.
All in all they dont have all the amazing perks of muscovies or the others, but they have something really special about them that i cant really put my finger on which makes them a really desireable oddball bird pick for a Latin america pack in my book.
Here are my Top 4 most wanted birds for a Latin america pack.
Number 1: The muscovy duck
With the recent addition of the swan the floodgates of waterfowly goodness have been opened. And what better species to follow up the swan than the muscovy duck. Because these fellows have ALOT going for them. 1. They are incredibly common zoo animals, not only ducks in general but this species specificly. 2. They have a gigantic range spreading across entire central and south america, only being absent in the andes and patagonia. 3. They double as a wild and domestic species when given the right color morphs, and while the domestic form is by far the more common one, the wild form isnt really rare by any means either. Making them also usefull for those players not really fond of domestics. 4. Tying in with the previous point, they have alot of color variations ranging from entirely black, almost greeish, white, brown, beige, grey and various combinations of them. And while im not usually a fan of colorvariations, here they got another cool perk: You could use different morph of muscovies in different bodies of water around your zoo whithout making it obvious that youre just reusing the same animal again and again, making having only a single duck in PZ alot more bareable. Other than those traits they have the general usefullness of ducks with applications for ponds, farm and petting zoo areas, habitat mates for the flamingos and cranes, well anything that wouldnt eat them really, and dedicated waterfowl exhibits.
All of this makes the muscovy duck my most wanted SA/LA bird and one of my most wanted birds in general. Sadly its not enough to make it my most wanted ducks because mandarin is love.
Number 2: The southern screamer
The next spot takes the southern screamer, a bird that is also a waterfowl eventhough they really dont look like it. These guys are really common in zoo around me, which certainly makes them carve a little place for them in my heart. They are pretty big and kinda odd looking birds coming from the pantanal area and inhabit the vast tropical and subtropical wetlands of south america. Which would make them the ideal habitat companions for capybaras, but i have also seen them being kept with maras, tapir and SA camelids. Making them a cool and slightly more colorfull and unique alternative to the rhea and providing some more variety among the birds we have in game. They would also provide a small, lowkey filler animal for SA themed areas, something thats still rather lacking.
Number 3: The rosate spoonbill
These guys should need no introduction, amazingly colorfull birds with very unique looking beaks. They also have a very big distrubtion ranging from the southern USA, the carribean, central americas coasts and vast streches of south america making it a more usefull alternative to the cuban flamingo who have much more restricted range, while still providing a bird option to both americas and also having the deep pink coloration. And while rosate spoonbills are capable fliers and are commonly kept in aviaries with various other birds, i think they would be perfectly fine habitat animals for Planet Zoo purposes.
Number 4: The ocellated turkey
Talking about beautiful birds huh? Allow me to present argueably one of the most beautiful birds on the planet. Other than their colorfull plumages they unfortunately dont have to much to offer, they come from a rather small area in mexico and arent zoo mainstays, although they are kept in some. They have some conservational value due to extensive habitat loss and trophy hunting. Whats cool about them is that in contrast to peafowls and other fowl species both sexes of ocellated turkeys are this pretty.
All in all they dont have all the amazing perks of muscovies or the others, but they have something really special about them that i cant really put my finger on which makes them a really desireable oddball bird pick for a Latin america pack in my book.
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