I don't believe anyone doubted waterfowl were a possibility. The mute swan was an obvious choice. There are reasonable guesses and unreasonable ones. Pheasants, waterfowl, penguins, pelicans, flamingos, cranes - these are reasonable guesses. Owls are not. Despite their primary behaviour being recognised as burrowing, burrowing owls do in fact fly, and regularly too. Like puffins, which are also an unreasonable guess. After a quick google, I couldn't find an example of burrowing owls kept in an open-air habitat like many of the other mentioned birds (same as puffins, which are always kept in aviaries, being accomplished fliers and all).
I get that mindset, but I think some of the more recent pushes in zoological facilities to keep flamingos and other birds in mesh in closures can dispute that a little.
Yes flamingos and swans aren’t known for flying, and most zoos do clip their feathers to prevent it. But in terms of planet zoo I don’t think it will be as much of a factor, and even some zoological facilities I have visited also seem to do the same.
I know a number of aquariums and zoos I have been to have kept puffins, and you don’t really see them fly as much as they do swim. Are they kept in open air habitats? No. But, with a little imagination you can build indoor habitats, or use the metal chainlink pieces to make a pseudo-indoors habitat. I know many zoos when creating bird habitats will keep it open air, but make the human side darker so they don’t fly out. I think that can be recreated in game. Or maybe in a free update we get a perching feature, which can be adding to the peacock for base game players.
Obviously realism matters, but as far as realism goes in Planet Zoo that matters only as much as it would affect gameplay. I can understand that small flying birds like budgies, or try flying birds like an eagle or toucan, may not work in Planet Zoo. There are plenty of birds that can realistically work on the ground, even if they are known to be flyers:
- Secretary bird is #1 on the wishlist right now, and is known to make massive nests in trees. Something that can’t be done in game, but with a little elbow grease it can probably be created.
- Kori bustards, grey crowned crane, and southern ground hornbill, all are kept on the ground but can also fly. For the sake of realism (like the flamingos) we can just say the flight feathers are clipped.
- A number of waterfowl, can also fly, but can realistically be kept in place.
- Scarlet ibis, roseate spoonbill, burrowing owl, screamers, and trumpeter birds all fall in this category too.
- Victoria crowned pigeon is another great example, as well as the red legged seriema.
- Likewise storks also nest in trees, but I think can have a place in game.
- Then you obviously have the regular groundbirds, turkeys, capercaillies, guineafowl, quail, etc.
I get the mindset of what is realistic, but add a little climbing/ perching, and I think a number of birds can work in game. To be honest it would be such a minor addition, and if we got brachiation and deep diving, think we could get it. Let birds use climbing pieces, and it would look convincing enough.
Also im of the opinion that it would better to get these animals in game than not at all, even if the burrowing owl can spend its time flying. If some kid wants to make a square habitat and throw some burrowing owls in there then I say go for it! Planet Zoo is a creative game, and I’m sure ways can be made to make birds seem more realistic. Though I do think true flight will never happen in PZ as it is now.