Exhibit
Rocky Shore
Explore the rocky shore — where barnacles wave their feathery legs in the currents and brilliant ochre stars cling to rocks amid crashing waves.
View exhibit
Sandy Shore & Aviary
Investigate a world of mud flats and marshes rich with life
Watch our long-legged birds ply the sands as they forage for insects, just as they would in the wild. Then look as flounders lie flat and bat rays skim gracefully along the sandy floor.
Feel the ocean breeze and hear crashing waves in our Aviary.
Two black-necked stilts in our Aviary.
In this exhibit
Bat ray
A bat ray flaps its batlike wings (pectoral fins) to swim gracefully through the water — and help it uncover prey hiding in the sand.
Black oystercatcher
Despite its name, this brownish-black bird with large feet seldom eats oysters.
Western snowy plover
The snowy plover nests in shallow nooks in the sand — sometimes even using human footprints to keep its eggs.
More Sandy Shore & Aviary exhibit animals
Cool facts
Bay ghost shrimp
Mud is the ghost shrimp's favorite meal. It eats a bucketful of earth every few weeks, and you can see them in action in our exhibit.
Sea hare
A squishy sea hare can reach 10 pounds. They're named "hares" for their earlike appendages.
Story
The ol' bird's still got it
You won't bird-lieve it! Our birds reach old, old age thanks to the hard work and gentle love of our dedicated Animal Care team. Learn more about how we care for our geriatric avian friends and meet our eldest birds.
Keep exploring exhibits
Our living exhibits offer you a window into the world beneath the waves.
