Zurich Switzerland-1963: White Pelicans Spreading Their Wings Behind a Park Bench

Archive Intelligence

Archive brief fit

Fits requests for 1960s zoo footage, European leisure travel or captive birds, as a short animal-behaviour insert for history, education or travel productions.

Period detail

The heavy blue cast, soft focus and grain of the 8mm colour stock, plus the simple wire fencing and wooden bench, may show the look of a zoo circa 1963.

Home-movie behavior

A visitor's camera stops on the path to catch pelicans stretching their wings, the kind of moment a family recorded during a day out.

What appears in frame

White pelicans with spread wings, a resting bird on the grass, a wire fence, a post with a small blue box, a wooden bench with a red end and a planted bed beside a sunlit path.

Film character

Small-gauge colour film with a strong blue cast, fine grain, soft focus and bright dappled highlights, filmed from a steady but handheld position.

Edit role

Works as a cutaway or memory beat inside a zoo-visit sequence, or as a light transition between animal shots.

Historical context

Zoo Zürich opened on the Zürichberg in 1929, and this shot shows a bird enclosure seen from its public walkway during a family visit.

Research note

No people are visible; the film's copyright is separate from any interest of Zoo Zürich in its grounds and animals, so check usage terms for commercial projects.

Research search match

vintage pelicans spreading wings, 1960s Zoo Zürich home movie, 8mm zoo birds footage, Swiss zoo archival film

Archive pairing path

Pair with the flamingo flock, penguin parade and Zoobähnli train from the same reel, then other Zurich footage circa 1963, then period zoo-bird shots.