The Bird House was built as a Reptile House to replace the 1849 reptile house, the world's first. It was built 1882-83 by Charles Brown Trollope, architect; Holland and Hannen, builders. It cost £9,175. It was in part funded through the sale to P T Barnum of Jumbo the elephant. It was converted 1927-28 by P E C Lain, architect, to a scheme devised by David Seth-Smith, Curator of Birds and Mammals, and a committee of ornithologists. Small bird aviaries were inserted in 1974 by John Toovey, architect. North service block added.

In 2008 is was rebuilt as the Blackburn Pavilion.

The Buildings of London Zoo