Sara Hallager is Curator of Birds at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, where she leads the strategic planning, implementation, and daily management of the Zoo’s avian programs. Her responsibilities span bird welfare and husbandry, reproductive and conservation programs, exhibition development, and interpretive public engagement across the Zoo’s bird collection. She brings nearly 40 years of experience in avian management within zoological institutions.

Throughout her career, Hallager has held numerous leadership roles within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and currently serves as Co-Chair of AZA’s SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) North American Songbirds program. She is also an active member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Bustard Specialist Group, serving as Secretary, and is a long-standing advocate for ratite, bustard, and native songbird conservation.

Sara Hallager is Curator of Birds at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, where she leads the strategic planning, implementation, and daily management of the Zoo’s avian programs. Her responsibilities span bird welfare and husbandry, reproductive and conservation programs, exhibition development, and interpretive public engagement across the Zoo’s bird collection. She brings nearly 40 years of experience in avian management within zoological institutions.

Throughout her career, Hallager has held numerous leadership roles within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and currently serves as Co-Chair of AZA’s SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) North American Songbirds program. She is also an active member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Bustard Specialist Group, serving as Secretary, and is a long-standing advocate for ratite, bustard, and native songbird conservation.

Article

• Marcello, Giuseppe M., Holder, Kali A., Hallager, Sara, Norton, Benjamin B., Backues, Kay A., Tyler, Anna E., Zeitlin, Ayo, Murray-Hiteshew, Evan, and Murray, Suzan. 2023. "Intralesional application of ribavirin in two American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) with poxvirus infection." Journal of comparative pathology, 201 49–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpa.2022.11.004. 2023
• Scarpignato, Amy L., Stein, Kristie A., Cohen, Emily B., Marra, Peter P., Kearns, Laura J., Hallager, Sara, and Tonra, Christopher M. 2021. "Full annual cycle tracking of Black-crowned Night-Herons suggests wintering areas do not explain differences in colony population trends." Journal of Field Ornithology, https://doi.org/10.1111/jofo.12369. 2021
• Hallager, Sara. 2019. "Working Towards a Bright Future for Native Songbirds: The North American Songbird Working Group." Animal Keepers' Forum, 46, (4&5), 116–119. 2019
• Marrow, Judilee C., Hallager, Sara, Sander, Samantha J., Sander, William, Hanselmann, Rhea, and Murray, Suzan. 2018. "Comparison of Circulating Iron, Total Iron Binding Capacity, and Percent Transferrin Saturation in Wild and Captive Kori Bustards (Ardeotis Kori)." Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 49, (2) 450–453. https://doi.org/10.1638/2017-0168.1. 2018
• Smith, Lori, Hallager, Sara, Kendrick, Erin, Hope, Katharine, and Danner, Raymond M. 2018. "Husbandry of wild-caught song sparrows (Melospiza melodia)." Zoo biology, 37, (3) 206–209. https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21415. 2018
• Hutchins, Michael, Marra, Peter P., Diebold, Ed, Kreger, Michael D., Sheppard, Christine, Hallager, Sara, and Lynch, Colleen. 2018. "The evolving role of zoological parks and aquariums in migratory bird conservation." Zoo biology, 37, (5) 360–368. https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21438. 2018
• Hallager, Sara, Kreger, M., and Schneider, T. 2017. "Partners in North American Songbird Conservation." AZA Connect, 20–25. 2017
• Hallager, Sara. 2017. "The kori bustard Species Survival Plan: Ensuring a Future for a Gentle Giant." AZA Connect, (June), 18. 2017
• Augustine, Lauren and Hallager, Sara. 2017. "Using Advanced Reproductive Technologies to Assess Avian and Reptilian Infertility." Animal Keepers' Forum, 44, (6), 170–172. 2017
• Greenberg, R. and Hallager, Sara. 2016. "Animal Care Manuals – Guiding Positive Animal Welfare." AZA Connect, (March), 2016
• Patil, Pramod, Rahmani, Asad R., and Hallager, Sara. 2013. "Behavioural ethogram of the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps (Vigors) 1831." The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 110, (1). 2013
• Hanselmann, Rhea, Hallager, Sara, Murray, Suzan, and Mazet, Jonna A. K. 2013. "Causes of morbidity and mortality in captive Kori bustards (Ardeotis kori) in the United States." Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 44, (2) 348–363. 2013
• Penfold, Linda M., Hallager, Sara, Boylan, Jeanette, de Wit, Martine, Metrione, Lara C., and Oliva, Marcie. 2013. "Differences in Fecal Androgen Patterns of Breeding and Nonbreeding Kori Bustards (Ardeotis kori)." Zoo biology, 32, (1) 54–62. https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21034. 2013
• Hallager, Sara, Plasse, C., Van Lint, W., and Hibbard, C. 2013. "Turning Thinking Globally into Acting Globally." AZA Connect, (August), 2013
• Sweeney, R., Hallager, Sara, and Sarro, Steven J. 2013. "We Can Have it All: Balancing Education Birds with Sustainable Populations." AZA Connect, (February), 2013
• Hallager, Sara. 2011. "Big Birds with Big Problems!." Animal Keepers' Forum, 38, (11), 568–573. 2011
• Miller, Joshua M., Hallager, Sara, Monfort, Steven L., Newby, John, Bishop, Kelley, Tidmus, Scott A., Black, Peter, Houston, Bill, Matthee, Conrad A., and Fleischer, Robert C. 2011. "Phylogeographic analysis of nuclear and mtDNA supports subspecies designations in the ostrich (Struthio camelus)." Conservation Genetics, 12, (2) 423–431. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-010-0149-x. 2011
• Hallager, Sara. 2009. "The Distraction Behavior of a Female Kori Bustard." Avicultural Magazine, 115, (3), 116–118. 2009
• Lichtenberg, Elinor M. and Hallager, Sara. 2007. "A description of commonly observed behaviors for the kori bustard (Ardeotis kori)." Journal of Ethology, 26, (1) 17–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-006-0030-z. 2007
• Hallager, Sara and Lichtenberg, E. M. 2007. "New display behaviour in male Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori struthiunculus)." Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 119, (4) 750–755. https://doi.org/10.1676/06-012.1. 2007
• Fernandes, Nandita and Hallager, Sara. 2007. "Sunning Behavior in Kori Bustards (Ardeotis kori) at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park." Avicultural Magazine, 113, (4), 145–152. 2007

Chapter

• Siegel, C., Hallager, Sara, and Bailey, T. 2007. "Bustards." In Encyclopedia of Aviculture. Holland, Glen, editor. Hancock House Publishers. 2007
• Hallager, Sara. 2007. "Seriemas." In Encyclopedia of Aviculture. Holland, Glen, editor. 2007

Report

• Hallager, Sara, Rodriguez-Clark, Kathryn M., and Mickelberg, Jennifer. 2021. Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori). AZA Species Survival Plan Candidate Program Population Analysis & Breeding and Transfer Plan. Chicago, IL: Population Management Center of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 2021
• Hallager, Sara, Boylan, Jeanette, Fripp, Deborah, and Torgerson-White, Lauri. 2021. Report on Ex situ Kori Bustard Breeding and Behavior. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 2021

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