Dave Miller knows how to make flamingos dance.

At the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, the daily dance of the pink birds is always a big hit, but audience participation is needed. Mr. Miller also knows how to get children and adults to "honk" and clap to get the dance started.

Mr. Miller, of Chartiers in Washington County, trains and cares for the birds who live in the Wetlands of the Americas exhibit -- one of the most popular because the birds fly free in the wetlands habitat, a happy sight for bird-lovers.

Aviary visitors walk along a paved path, while Mr. Miller and other aviary employees discreetly watch to make sure that everything goes well.

"Limit your movements," he tells visitors, "because the birds are watching you."

His comments come as a group of children, moms and dads assemble at 1 p.m. for the regular afternoon feeding.

"Every day we have to find every bird in this room to make sure they are healthy. The best way to do that is to call each one," Mr. Miller tells the audience.

More than 100 birds live in the aviary wetlands, representing 50 species. While he tells the audience what will happen during the show, birds circle over his head because they know what's coming.

Mr. Miller stands next to a food cart that contains live wax worms and meal worms, fruit, sunflower seeds and sardine-size raw fish.

A young boy named Ian volunteer to pick up a slimy fish. Following Mr. Miller's instructions, he holds the fish above his head. An Inca tern flies over, grabs the fish and flies on without even slowing down.

A golden conure named Woodstock comes when she is called and perches on a tree branch. She gets a treat for that. Woodstock does a somersault, much to the delight of the audience, and gets a sunflower seed.

Other birds are weighed -- and rewarded -- during the show to make sure they have not lost or gained weight.

"Have you ever seen flamingos dance?" Mr. Miller asks. Members of the audience follow him to the railing that overlooks the pond. Five flamingos look up at him expectantly.

"We are going to honk like flamingos to try to make them dance," Mr. Miller says.

Mr. Miller gets the children and adults to step up the honking, and then he leads them in a round of rhythmic clapping.

The flamingos start by picking their feet up and down. Then, nearly in unison, they spread their wings, wave and end by doing what looks like a group bow to the audience.

The dancing is actually a ritual the birds use to attract mates, explains Erin Estell, manager of community outreach and education. The Aviary flamingos do not breed because flamingos need to be part of a very large flock to breed and reproduce, she says.

The flamingos are rewarded with food from the audience, while a young brown pelican named Ralph looks on. Mr. Miller supplies the kids with fish, which the children throw to Ralph.

"Every experience these birds have with the public makes their life a little more interesting," Mr. Miller says.

He has worked for the Aviary for nearly eight years, and he clearly loves his work.

"I never have a bad day with the animals. Every day I feel fortunate," says Mr. Miller, who attended Robert Morris University and Miami University.

For information about daily feedings, outdoor shows and other events, see the Aviary Web site at www.aviary.org or call 412-323-7235.