Outdoor Exhibit Animals
These animals are on permanent display in the outdoor enclosures. We’re frequently asked if we bring any of the animals in for the winter, but all of these animals naturally stay active through Massachusetts winters and therefore are not brought inside.
Animal Biographies
Learn More About These Animals...
Snowy Owl (Bubo scadiaca)
Wingspan: about 52 inches / 130 centimeters
Weight: about 4 pounds / 1,800 grams
- Snowy Owls appear in Massachusetts nearly every winter. Read about our Snowy Owl Project >
- Most of the visiting owls are young birds born in the summer.
- Climate change in the Arctic may affect these birds’ ability to survive.
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus viginianus)
Height: 32 – 40 inches / 80 – 100 centimeters
Weight: 125 – 300 pounds / 57 to 137 kilograms
- These forest animals use their white tails to signal when danger is near.
- White-tailed deer have a better sense of smell than a dog, but very poor vision.
- Massachusetts’ large population of deer is having a negative effect on other forest organisms.
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Wingspan: About 49 inches / 120 centimeters
Weight: about 2 ½ pounds / 1,000 grams
- The red tail that gives this hawk its name doesn’t appear until the bird is at least one year old. The first set of tail feathers is brown and striped.
- Red-tailed Hawks’ unforgettable raspy scream is used to frighten trespassers and impress females.
- These hawks are becoming more successful at surviving in urban habitats.
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Wingspan: about 67 inches / 170 centimeters
Weight: about 4 pounds / 1,800 grams
- Turkey Vultures are among the few birds with a good sense of smell. They use this sense to discover their main source of food, the remains of animals that have already died.
- The vulture’s bare head prevents harmful bacteria from building up on their feathers.
- Turkey Vultures are social and will share food. Local vultures may swoop by during your visit!
Learn more about turkey vultures
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Wingspan: about 80 inches / 2 meters
Weight: about 9 ½ pounds / 4,300 grams
- After disappearing from Massachusetts in 1904, the Bald eagle was successfully reintroduced to the Commonwealth in the 1980’s.
- It takes approximately five years for a Bald Eagle to become a mature adult with a pure white head and tail, and yellow eyes and beak.
- Bald Eagles build extremely large nests, and will reuse their nests after adding additional sticks. The largest nest on record had been used for nearly thirty years and weighed about two tons!
River Otter (Lutra canadensis)
Length: 35 – 50 inches / 90 – 130 centimeters
Weight: 11 – 30 pounds / 5 – 14 kilograms
- River Otters are usually solitary hunters, in nearly constant motion as they search for food.
- Like other members of the weasel family, Otters use musk to mark their territory. The musky, fishy smell is noticeable by humans.
- An otter’s thick fur keeps a layer of air trapped next to its skin. This insulation allows the otter to swim in the cold waters of winter.
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
Length: 18 to 36 inches (45 to 90 centimeters)
Weight: 6-1/2 to 30 pounds (3 to 14 kilograms)
- Largest of the foxes, the Red Fox also has the longest legs in proportion to the rest of its body compared to the other members of the dog family.
- Red Foxes are great leapers, able to cover as much as sixteen feet in a single bound.
- Not all Red Foxes are red: some have a dark stripe on their back and black undersides (Cross Fox), some are black with a white tail tip (Silver Fox), and a very few are brownish with short, wooly fur (Samson Fox).