The Peacock House/Aviary

The Peacock House/Aviary. . This structure, the last remaining portion of the Aviary Complex, served as the Peacock House. The original cluster of buildings included the Jay, Pheasant, and Parrot Houses as well as an aviary connected to a vast flying cage 30 feet high and 50 feet across. Construction of the aviaries began in 1902 and was completed by 1912. Hundreds of birds, prime examples of around 250 distinct species, were housed within the Sonnenberg aviaries. These included rare species like the Indian Spur-winged Plover. The aviaries were heated by hot-water pipes, providing a comfortable environment for the birds during the colder months. , This is the only remaining structure of the Aviary Complex. The full complex once consisted of five buildings with a large, dome-shaped flying cage. , Rare species from across the globe, like the Gray Java Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Bulbil, and the Indian Spur-winged Plover, pictured above, were housed at the aviary. , A male white peacock roams an enclosure of the aviary complex. These birds are not albinos but possess a genetic mutation called leucism, which causes the lack of pigment in the plumage. , his is one of many receipts in the site’s archives for the purchase of birds. From 1902 to 1924 Mark Clark Thompson spent over $20,000 buying birds, the rough equivalent of over $260,000 in the year 2014.