Most of our fish are Koi, relatives of carp. Koi were initially bred for their unique coloring over 400 years ago in Japan. They are now popular in hundreds of varieties all over the world.

Oldtimers
A few famous Koi have lived to be 200 years old and almost 5 feet long! On average, they live 30-60 years and are 2-3 feet long.

Billions of Babies
Koi lay thousands of eggs at once. Usually half of these survive to produce baby fish. As with many domestic fish, the eggs and baby Koi must be immediately separated from their parents or they may be eaten.

Tree Frogs
The Bolz Conservatory has recently acquired several tree frogs. If you are lucky, you might see one.

Each day several tropical birds can be seen and heard in the Bolz Conservatory. Can you find them all on your visit?

Common Quail

Coturnix coturnix, Europe, Asia,

parts of Africa

7 in (18 cm)

Dark brown, speckled buff and black.

Diamond Dove

Geopelia cuneata, N. and C. Australia

8 in (20 cm)

Head, neck and breast silvery-gray,

back pale brown. Red eye ring.

Orange-cheeked Waxbill

Estrilda melpoda, West and Central Africa

4 in (10 cm)

Red-buff with creamy underside.

Distinctive red stripe above eye.

Domestic Canary

Serinus canarius, Canary Islands

5 in (13 cm)

Entirely yellow, ranging from

pale to yellow-orange.

Blue-faced Parrot Finch

Erythrura trichroa, Limited to the east

of the Cape York Peninsula, Australia.

4 ½ in (12 cm)

Grass-green body, blue face and

throat, red tail.

Fascinating Fowl Facts

Stone Supper
Quails swallow rocks to help them digest their food. These stones act like teeth in their muscular gizzard, chewing up hard seeds.

Bath Time
Birds take baths! Our Conservatory quails dust their feathers in sand or mulch, and the waxbills and canaries bathe in their water dish.

Best Dressed Nest
Birds collect plant material in their beaks to build their nests. Many birds use stringy Spanish Moss and the hairs of the Thatch Palm. Can you find other plants that may be useful for making a nest?

Dad Feeds Mom
A male canary regurgitates food into a female’s beak first during courtship and later while she sits on the nest, raising the young.

Ground Bound
Quails spend all of their time on the ground and generally fly only in emergencies.

Singing for Space
Why do birds sing? A male bird sings to let other birds know that the food and females in his territory belongs to him.

Photographs and graphic production by Betsy True of the Department of Medical Illustration, University of Wisconsin Medical School.