The National Aviary on Pittsburgh’s North Side is still going strong after 70 years. Recently, its Wetlands exhibit underwent a historic transformation.

The National Aviary’s largest habitat, the Wetlands, first opened its doors in 1969. It’s home to a variety of species, including American Flamingos and Brown Pelicans, and lesser-known birds like Boat-billed Herons and Sunbitterns. The Wetlands also houses several species that are vulnerable to extinction. After more than 50 years of wear and tear, Aviary staff determined the habitat needed a makeover.

The Wetlands exhibit at Pittsburgh’s National Aviary is home to diverse species, from familiar favorites to lesser-known birds.

Since 1952 the National Aviary, in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s North Side, has been home to formidable flocks of our fine feathered friends. Visitors can commune with about 500 birds of more than 150 species — from the African Penguin to the Bald Eagle.

Danik Dancause of Walker Glass and Textures explains the science behind bird-friendly glass and why reducing bird collisions with glass is essential.

In 2020, the National Aviary introduced visitors to its newest glass-enclosed event space known as The Garden Room, which is designed to accommodate a variety of gatherings that are traditionally in popular demand at the facility. The Garden Room is especially noteworthy for its wide expanses of AviProtek^® E glass by Walker Glass and Textures, the only bird-friendly glass that combines acid-etched visual markers on the first surface of an insulating glass unit (IGU) with Solarban^® solar control, low-e coatings by Vitro Architectural Glass on the second surface to create an energy-efficient, bird-safe glazing solution.

The Garden Room, the newest event space at the National Aviary, features stunning expanses of bird-friendly, energy-efficient AviProtek® E glass.

Located in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s North Side, the National Aviary is home to a diverse collection of more than 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world. Founded in 1952, it remains America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds.

To provide the safest and most efficient habitat for the Tropical Rainforest’s birds, Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) provided 19,600 square-feet of Starphire Ultra-Clear^® glass featuring AviProtek^® bird-friendly Velour acid-etched finish by Walker Glass to deliver a variety of performance features. In this video, Architectural Manager Emily Dritz describes the myriad of unique traits that contribute to efficient glass for birds and visitors alike, as well as the key players in the installation process.

The National Aviary’s Tropical Rainforest exhibit has long been the home of countless tropical birds. Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) provided 19,600 square-feet of Starphire Ultra-Clear^® glass featuring AviProtek^® bird-friendly Velour acid-etched finish by Walker Glass in an effort to provide these birds an even safer home for years to come. In this video, National Aviary Director of Buildings and Grounds Keith Sines explains the importance of ensuring the safety of birds and staff, challenges in preparation of the installation, and why bird-friendly glass is so important.

For over half a century, the Tropical Rainforest exhibit has remained a Pittsburgh treasure and its silhouette has become just as famous as the birds. When Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) provided 19,600 square-feet of Starphire Ultra-Clear^® glass featuring AviProtek^® bird-friendly Velour acid-etched finish by Walker Glass, it wished to maintain the building that visitors have come to cherish. In this video, Executive Director of the National Aviary Cheryl Tracy talks about the significance of the Tropical Rainforest’s transformation and why bird-friendly glass is necessary.

Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) is dedicated to preserving the natural world, and is proud to provide 19,600 square-feet of Starphire Ultra-Clear^® glass, featuring AviProtek^® bird-friendly Velour acid-etched finish by Walker Glass, to the Tropical Rainforest exhibit at the National Aviary. In this video, Renovation Services Inc. CEO and Owner Melissa Wiegand describes her past experience with observatories, installation challenges and the benefits of bird-friendly glass.

The Tropical Rainforest at the National Aviary is an icon to Pittsburgh residents and bird enthusiasts alike. That’s why Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) is proud to preserve the Aviary’s identity as it supplies 19,600 square-feet of Starphire Ultra-Clear^® glass, featuring AviProtek^® bird-friendly Velour acid-etched finish by Walker Glass. In this video, WTW Principal, Aviary Board of Trustees Member and Volunteer Tom Wiley discusses the history of the exhibit, its cultural significance and the positive attributes that bird-friendly glass provides.