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When we arrived at the Vienna Zoo, the first animal that greeted us was this non-captive Hooded Crow. The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) (also called hoodie) is a Eurasian bird species in the Corvus genus. Widely distributed, it is also known locally as Scotch Crow and Danish Crow. In Ireland, it is called caróg liath or Grey Crow, just as in the Slavic languages and in Danish. In German, it is called "mist crow" ("Nebelkrähe"). Found across Northern, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe, as well as parts of the Middle East, it is an ashy grey bird with black head, throat, wings, tail, and thigh feathers, as well as a black bill, eyes and feet. Like other corvids, it is an omnivorous and opportunistic forager and feeder.
Tiergarten Schönbrunn or Vienna Zoo is a zoo located on the grounds of the famous Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Adrian van Stekhoven at the order of the then Holy Roman Emperor, Francis I, husband of Maria Theresia, to serve as an imperial menagerie and is the oldest continuously operating zoo in the world. It was centered around a pavilion meant for imperial breakfasts. Therefore, thirteen animal enclosures in the form of cut cake pieces were established around this central pavilion. Today, Tiergarten Schönbrunn is considered and regards itself as a scientifically administered zoo which sees its main purpose as a center for species conservation and general nature conservation as well as in the fulfillment of the education mandate given to it by the legislation. The still preserved buildings of the baroque era, which have been complemented in the last years by elements of modern zoo architecture, still convey a good impression of the 18th century menagerie-buildings after the Versailles model.
