Weaverbird Interactive Camera

For the Bronx Zoo’s World of Birds, this project was a unique system of interactive stations that allow visitors a chance to see, close up, the remarkable skill of weaverbirds, who use their beaks to actually knot materials together and weave them into their nests; they are the only known species with this ability.

The interactive stations feature touch screen interfaces that control multiple closed-circuit cameras, allowing users to silently zoom in and track the birds as they constantly build, repair and rebuild their nests. The cameras are designed to be as low-maintenance as possible and are highly impact-resistant. The programs of the stations themselves need little care to remain fully operational. This high-visitor-volume installation has been in use for eight years.

Designed at Chermayeff & Geismar Inc.