Inside the Great Walk-Through Aviary at the heart of the SAFARI PARK, the black heron chicks hatched naturally. According to the global zoo database ZIMS, this is an absolute world first.
“Based on all available records, no other zoo has ever succeeded in breeding this species. In our case, it happened entirely naturally – the parents built their nest high in a tree inside the aviary and took care of everything on their own,” explains zoologist Michal Podhrázský.

The exceptional chicks hatched on September 26 and 27. There were originally three, but two survived.

“Although everything was going smoothly, the weather turned against us. We knew that the coming frosty nights posed a serious risk for such small chicks. At the same time, we were afraid that any interference during nesting could irreversibly disrupt the process — if forced to move, the parents might abandon their young altogether,” adds Podhrázský.

One chick failed to thrive and eventually died, but the other two did well. They survived two freezing nights unscathed and soon began to leave the nest, exploring nearby branches.
“At that moment, we intervened and caught the young herons. Our keepers know every bird in their care, so using their identification rings, they were also able to capture the parents and move them together with the chicks into the indoor facilities of the Tropical Swamp House. There, the parents immediately resumed caring for their young. Everything is developing well, and all signs indicate that the world’s first successful breeding of black herons in any ZIMS zoo will be completed right here in Dvůr Králové,” says Michal Podhrázský. The attached photos were taken during this “evacuation.”

The rest of the flock — five adult birds — can still be seen in the Tropical Swamp House. As temperatures remain relatively mild, they continue to fly out into the Great Walk-Through Aviary.

Black herons are exceptionally popular birds, even among people who may not know their proper name. They went viral on social media thanks to videos showing their unique hunting technique: using their wings to form a “canopy” or “umbrella” over the water surface while patiently waiting for fish or other unsuspecting prey to swim underneath — then striking with lightning speed using their sharp beak. Visitors to the SAFARI PARK can occasionally observe this remarkable behavior from the adult herons on display.

SAFARI PARK Dvůr Králové is among Europe’s leading heron breeders. These birds are not easy to care for — yet the zoo successfully manages European breeding programs for both the Goliath and Purple Heron species.