08/28/2026
Yesterday we said goodbye to a staple of our Harmony Hideaway exhibit: Marvin the black-bellied whistling duck.
Death is never an easy subject, especially when it means saying goodbye to a long-time friend. At 16 years old, Marvin touched the hearts of many keepers here at EPZ, including the Harmony Hideaway Area Lead Kara, who had this to say about our whistling friend:
"What can I say about Marvin that everyone doesn't already know? He was such a popular exhibit staple for Harmony Hideaway and was well known for his ability to light up a room with his heartwarming whistles and head bobs. The way he would tippy-tappy across the room to greet his keepers whenever they called his name was the highlight of our days. He touched so many lives over the 8 years that he has been with us at EPZ across many departments. Marvin started out in Education as an Ambassador animal from 2018 to 2021, during which he sometimes participated in duck encounters in the DC classroom. Since then, he has lived in Harmony Hideaway, greeting guests with his cheerful demeanor. He could usually be found sleeping on the pathway (directly under your feet) or swimming around the pond with his favorite buddy Mavis, showing off all of his duck dabbling skills. He was also a fan favorite among the entire vet staff, as he was always so welcoming and willing to accept any and all care they provided him over the years. To say he will be missed is a severe understatement, as he truly was what felt like the heart of Harmony Hideaway.
We are going to greatly miss him and hope that he finds peace knowing that he was surrounded by so much love."
