World Waterfowl Day
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo invites you to celebrate the inaugural World Waterfowl Day with us on Saturday, January 18!
Established in memory of Mike Lubbock, cofounder of Sylvan Heights Bird Park and one of the world's leaders in waterfowl conservation, the event aims to inspire public appreciation and awareness of the 170+ species of ducks, geese, swans, and screamers who belong to the "waterfowl" classification. At our World Waterfowl Day event, guests will have the opportunity to attend informative talks from bird keepers, learn about current waterfowl research, and get involved in waterfowl conservation efforts. Crafts and worksheets will also be available.
This event is included with zoo admission and FREE to zoo members!
In Memory of “The Waterfowl Man”
This tribute is an edited version of a biography available on the Sylvan Heights Bird Park website. For more information of Lubbock’s incredible career and legacy, please visit Sylvan Heights Bird park's website.
World Waterfowl Day, January 17, is meant to be a day of celebration for and appreciation of the amazing 170+ species of ducks, geese, swans, and screamers classified as “waterfowl.” The day was also founded to honor the memory and legacy of Michael “Mike” Lubbock (1944-2024), a leading ornithologist and waterfowl conservationist. During his incredible and award-winning career, Lubbock had a direct role in the recovery of several waterfowl species, including the Torrent Duck, Orinoco Goose, Merida Teal, White-winged Wood Duck, and critically endangered Brazilian Merganser. In 1985, he established his own avian collection in North Carolina. By 2003, with the guidance of the North Carolina Zoological Society, Lubbock began planning what would eventually become the Sylvan Heights Bird Park, which opened in 2006. With 260 species of birds and nearly 70,000 visitors per year, Sylvan Heights Bird Park is now the largest and most biologically significant waterfowl collection in the world. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo honors the life and lasting legacy of Lubbock. His inspirational work lives on through the conservation of waterfowl around the world.
