Zhao yun
Well-Known Member
I've been to Bird Paradise more than 10 times over the last year or so, and it was with some shock that I realised that there is no review of the bird park, probably because the more prolific reviewers have yet to arrive to see the park in all its great splendour. However, the park is essentially divided into two parts. The "mega aviary " area is the one which everyone is excitedly speaking of. However, there is an area in which most of the rarities are housed, which looks like WeltVogelPark Walsrode, aka small breeding aviaries housing a handful of species. Both sections have their charm, but the most important section is the " Walsrode area " if you plan to look for as many rarities as possible in a limited time.
The first mega aviary is the Heart of Africa aviary. This aviary is an absolute gem, which is an immersive landscape that is also functional for the inhabitants. Within the aviary, more than 800 birds of 80 species. The other unique selling point is that the aviary is big enough to ensure that all the large birds housed within have the space to fly, unlike in most cases where they are either wing-clipped on a field or occasionally housed in aviaries without enough flying room. Within nine months of opening, the plants have grown to fill the space beautifully, and the undergrowth is denser than in most aviaries, allowing ground-dwelling birds to hide within the dark folds of the vegetation. In fact, the main gripe I have is the ugly barrier between the land and the water areas. It is essentially just a strip of concrete between the ponds and the land. In this respect, Jurong was much better in terms of terms of this transition, but it has the advantage of being 50 years old. The exhibit allowed the birds to hide, making each encounter exciting.
The next exhibit was Wings of Asia. The paddy field theme was particularly novel and was a breath of fresh air. The building location was also perfectly chosen, with the aviary built on a kampung (village), thus having multiple commonly grown fruit trees which are associated with such areas. Another unique thing was the presence of a flighted lesser adjutant stork. However, the Black-necked Stork is not flighted in the aviary as it probably attacked another bird. Within the aviary, there is also a bamboo grove, which gives the immersion another leg up.
Crimson Wetlands was a replication of the Pantanal and other flooded grasslands in South America. Fully-flighted macaws are a selling point of this exhibit (looking at you, big US zoos with parrot-on stick exhibits), as was the presence of flighted flamingos. The landscaping was a mix of reeds and grasses, with the occasional tree. As for the collection, the parrot collection was particularly noteworthy, and they provided a beautiful scene with multicoloured birds streaking across the air.
The Amazonian Jewels aviary was an exhibit that focused on the inhabitants instead of the exhibits. The species list was rather interesting, with the crown taken by the Andean cock of the rock with only 3 other holders in the EAZA. The green Oropendola was a close second, as my research showed that there were only 4 holders in the EAZA. Anyway, the species list was a beautiful smattering of a few good birds, creating a dazzling spectacle. The exhibitry was also not lacking in any way, just not as majestic or immersive as compared to the first 3 exhibits.
Songs of the Forest was a grand aviary with a focus on Southeast Asian songbirds. The signage emphasised the silent forests across Southeast Asia due to songbird poaching. However, one of the many showstoppers is the cotton pygmy geese, of which there is only one holder in Europe? Not sure because ZTL only lists Mandai but the Zoochat gallery lists Prague. Anyway, the collection is epic, and will still hold up without the Pygmy Goose, with Straw-headed Bulbul (3 collections in Asia), and a host of others. All in all, a nice aviary with a good collection.
Lory Loft is a rather cookie-cutter exhibit for a veritable horde of lorikeets, with a northern cassowary as the shining rarity (9 global holders, 2 Europe, 7 Asia) However, there is a twist as it is actually themed well in comparison to most "lorikeet landings" in other zoos. Mysterious Papua is rather similar, with a different cassowary and a few island pigeons. However, except for the Northern Cassowaries, the collection is relatively bland, but that's probably because I have no appreciation for pigeons and doves. No offence whatsoever, but they are just not appealing. However, the choice of pandanus is a good one, which gives the habitat a nice flair.
Finally, the Australian Outback is a well-themed Australian habitat, which has a decent species lineup, as well as tasteful decor and accurate planting. The plant list includes the grass tree, eucalyptus and a few grasses and underbrush. The highlights are the ducks and probably some of the cockatoos. Not very sure as the Austrailia forum and all the photos make holdings tracking a nightmare. The theming is rather interesting, with some pieces from the Lory Loft aviary at Jurong.
Penguin Cove has most of the mechanical parts exposed but is a rather unique experience. The exhibit is now a bit of a farce, and the attempt to house terns failed as they mostly roost in the machinery instead of having actually natural places to perch. The kelp in the water portion was removed as the gentoo penguins were eating it. However, the birds are healthy enough, so I shall not comment further.
Winged Sanctuary is the "Walsrode block" area, which houses all the tantalising rarities such as the Phillippine eagle, Luzon bleeding heart and Kagu. However, the exhibits are all meshed up, which is a photography nightmare. Other than that, the exhibit for the hooded vultures, ground hornbills and large Asian hornbills is rather small, with little flight space.
All in all, Bird Paradise is a great park with a few flaws that are probably just me nitpicking. The education and signage are well-written, and the air-conditioned aviary nodes mostly contain information about the birds, thus forcing people escaping from the heat to read a bit of the signage. The park also participates in many conservation projects such as the Silent Forest project and many of the EEPs, promoting a better world for the future.
The first mega aviary is the Heart of Africa aviary. This aviary is an absolute gem, which is an immersive landscape that is also functional for the inhabitants. Within the aviary, more than 800 birds of 80 species. The other unique selling point is that the aviary is big enough to ensure that all the large birds housed within have the space to fly, unlike in most cases where they are either wing-clipped on a field or occasionally housed in aviaries without enough flying room. Within nine months of opening, the plants have grown to fill the space beautifully, and the undergrowth is denser than in most aviaries, allowing ground-dwelling birds to hide within the dark folds of the vegetation. In fact, the main gripe I have is the ugly barrier between the land and the water areas. It is essentially just a strip of concrete between the ponds and the land. In this respect, Jurong was much better in terms of terms of this transition, but it has the advantage of being 50 years old. The exhibit allowed the birds to hide, making each encounter exciting.
The next exhibit was Wings of Asia. The paddy field theme was particularly novel and was a breath of fresh air. The building location was also perfectly chosen, with the aviary built on a kampung (village), thus having multiple commonly grown fruit trees which are associated with such areas. Another unique thing was the presence of a flighted lesser adjutant stork. However, the Black-necked Stork is not flighted in the aviary as it probably attacked another bird. Within the aviary, there is also a bamboo grove, which gives the immersion another leg up.
Crimson Wetlands was a replication of the Pantanal and other flooded grasslands in South America. Fully-flighted macaws are a selling point of this exhibit (looking at you, big US zoos with parrot-on stick exhibits), as was the presence of flighted flamingos. The landscaping was a mix of reeds and grasses, with the occasional tree. As for the collection, the parrot collection was particularly noteworthy, and they provided a beautiful scene with multicoloured birds streaking across the air.
The Amazonian Jewels aviary was an exhibit that focused on the inhabitants instead of the exhibits. The species list was rather interesting, with the crown taken by the Andean cock of the rock with only 3 other holders in the EAZA. The green Oropendola was a close second, as my research showed that there were only 4 holders in the EAZA. Anyway, the species list was a beautiful smattering of a few good birds, creating a dazzling spectacle. The exhibitry was also not lacking in any way, just not as majestic or immersive as compared to the first 3 exhibits.
Songs of the Forest was a grand aviary with a focus on Southeast Asian songbirds. The signage emphasised the silent forests across Southeast Asia due to songbird poaching. However, one of the many showstoppers is the cotton pygmy geese, of which there is only one holder in Europe? Not sure because ZTL only lists Mandai but the Zoochat gallery lists Prague. Anyway, the collection is epic, and will still hold up without the Pygmy Goose, with Straw-headed Bulbul (3 collections in Asia), and a host of others. All in all, a nice aviary with a good collection.
Lory Loft is a rather cookie-cutter exhibit for a veritable horde of lorikeets, with a northern cassowary as the shining rarity (9 global holders, 2 Europe, 7 Asia) However, there is a twist as it is actually themed well in comparison to most "lorikeet landings" in other zoos. Mysterious Papua is rather similar, with a different cassowary and a few island pigeons. However, except for the Northern Cassowaries, the collection is relatively bland, but that's probably because I have no appreciation for pigeons and doves. No offence whatsoever, but they are just not appealing. However, the choice of pandanus is a good one, which gives the habitat a nice flair.
Finally, the Australian Outback is a well-themed Australian habitat, which has a decent species lineup, as well as tasteful decor and accurate planting. The plant list includes the grass tree, eucalyptus and a few grasses and underbrush. The highlights are the ducks and probably some of the cockatoos. Not very sure as the Austrailia forum and all the photos make holdings tracking a nightmare. The theming is rather interesting, with some pieces from the Lory Loft aviary at Jurong.
Penguin Cove has most of the mechanical parts exposed but is a rather unique experience. The exhibit is now a bit of a farce, and the attempt to house terns failed as they mostly roost in the machinery instead of having actually natural places to perch. The kelp in the water portion was removed as the gentoo penguins were eating it. However, the birds are healthy enough, so I shall not comment further.
Winged Sanctuary is the "Walsrode block" area, which houses all the tantalising rarities such as the Phillippine eagle, Luzon bleeding heart and Kagu. However, the exhibits are all meshed up, which is a photography nightmare. Other than that, the exhibit for the hooded vultures, ground hornbills and large Asian hornbills is rather small, with little flight space.
All in all, Bird Paradise is a great park with a few flaws that are probably just me nitpicking. The education and signage are well-written, and the air-conditioned aviary nodes mostly contain information about the birds, thus forcing people escaping from the heat to read a bit of the signage. The park also participates in many conservation projects such as the Silent Forest project and many of the EEPs, promoting a better world for the future.
