Barclay Hotel put a large birdcage in their lobby, the first ever in a hotel, in January 1945. The cage was filled with canaries, finches and other song birds which went in tune with the string music that was played daily on the Barclay Terrace. This cage soon became a well known fixture associated with the hotel, and Barclay announced that birds belonging to guests could be housed in the lobby at no additional charge. At one point, as many as 200 birds were being held in the Barclay lobby.