The construction of the aviary and our home was accomplished at the same time. This exterior view faces the East, ensuring the flock will appreciate the rising sun in the morning through the sliding glass doors and windows. The door leads to one of two large patio areas, plus a waterfall dropping into two large koi ponds. Another set of windows faces the South, ensuring continued natural filtered lighting during the passing of the day.

The south side of the aviary has been planted with seasonal trees to ensure shade during the summer and fall months, while offering partial sunlight during the winter months of the year. The eves protrude 42 inches from the exterior walls of the aviary/home minimizing direct sunlight into windowed areas, while also serving to minimize rain upon them. Conversely, when the sun sets in the West, the aviary is fully protected from direct sunrays and resulting heat during the summer months.

Above is the interior of the aviary, the size of which is 15-feet wide X 24-feet long. The flooring is 3/4-inch thick slate tile over a concrete base having a slope of one-quarter inch per foot from all walls, ensuring water drainage into a 6-inch diameter underground drainage located in the center floor of the aviary. The slate tile has been sealed with three coats of sealer to ensure its continued ability to shed water and debris into the drain.

The interior vertical heights of the walls are; the East wall is 8-1/2-feet high, the West wall is 12-1/2-feet high. The West wall has an electric heater with thermostat, a water-bib outlet, and two large windows for viewing the birds from within the office. Walls and ceiling are of stucco construction. The wooden framed windows and stucco surfaces have all been sealed with three coats of sealer, followed by three coats of rubberized & fiberglass stranded waterproof paint. All of which facilitates weekly clean up of cages and the aviary.

Within the ceiling are two full-spectrum lighting fixtures, two Panasonic air exhausts fans and two sets of electrical outlets. The North wall contains a full-length glass door and a window, offering viewing of the flock and aviary from the game and family rooms from within the home. The walls and ceilings are insulated for purposes of enhancing sound abatement to the interior and exterior of the home, with all windows being double paned. That does not mean to say that some neighbors who are as close a six to seven hundred feet away cannot hear Serrano, as the windows are generally left open. Fortunately, the quantity and type of trees and shrubbery on the property serve to muffle the noise level prior to reaching the neighbor's ears.

If you'd like to know more about the aviary, please email me at dick@mymacaws.com