Roger Williams Park Zoo asking for public’s help in finding two exotic birds

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Two exotic birds at the Roger Williams Park Zoo escaped last Thursday during the heavy storms.

The zoo is now asking for the public’s help to get the birds home.

The blue-throated piping guans, named Monster and Chip, are father and son and escaped from the zoo’s rainforest exhibit last Thursday.

“It’s stressing to know that you’ve gone home, and you have left work, and you’ve got animals that are left unaccounted for,” Chief Zoological Officer Amy Roberts said. “It’s very hard on all of us.”

Officials said many people gathered in the rainforest exhibit during the bad storms last week, and when people were walking out, Monster and Chip escaped.

This is a picture of the rainforest exhibit at the Roger Williams Park Zoo. (WLNE)

“Not too crazy with the amount of times people are in and out,” Cranston resident Tony Habchi said. “But it’s not surprising.”

Roberts said the birds were last seen last night, but by the time the zoo keepers got to the location, they were gone.

“We know we have seen them in the treetops eating leaves,” Roberts added. “They are a bird that likes to stay in the upper canopy, so I think they are locally going to be in the tops of trees and unfortunately very hard to see.”

This is a picture of a blue-throated piping guan (Roger Williams Park Zoo).

The zoo said the birds are not dangerous to people or pets, although they are not trained, so it’s best not to call to them.

“They are a South American species, so it is definitely not a bird you are going to see locally,” Roberts added.

“They kind of look like a long, lean chicken with white and blue on them,” she continued. “They are very distinct, and I think if you see them, you will know it’s a zoo animal and not a native bird.”

Anyone who may see the missing guans, is asked by the zoo to take a picture and send it to their email here.

You can also call the zoo during business hours at 401- 785-3510.