Open Wide! Proud Parents Feed Their Chick at SeaWorld Orlando

A tawny frogmouth chick, hatched April 11, gets fed by its mother, while the father looks on. In less than a year, six chicks have been hatched at SeaWorld and all are now thriving.

Until recently, the population of tawny frogmouths in North American zoos was facing extinction -- and breeding programs were largely unsuccessful. SeaWorld worked with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to develop a program to sustain the species' growth.

SeaWorld aviculturists have bred an unprecedented 24 chicks over the past 10 years. Typically as a part of this program, chicks are hand-reared by aviculturists to ensure they receive the best care during their first few fragile weeks. Through years of research, SeaWorld has made it possible for this chick to be raised by its parents.

Tawny frogmouths are native to the forested savannas and open woodlands of Australia. When fully grown, the insect-eating birds will be between 9 and 21 inches tall. To discover SeaWorld Vacation Packages