Weltvogelpark Walsrode news from Walsrode 2025

Daniel Sörensen

Daniel Sörensen

"The Walsrode Guy"
Premium Member
5+ year member
A new year means a new thread! Here are a few new species that I saw during today's visit:
- Russet-crowned motmot (Momotus mexicanus)
- White-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica)
- Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea)
- Painted bunting (Passerina ciris) - The last painted bunting died, so this is now a new pair.
- Violaceous euphonia (Euphonia violacea)
- Black-breasted thrush (Turdus dissimilis) - On show again.
- White-shouldered starling (Sturnia sinensis)

There are also some new ones that are not on show yet:
- Dusky turtle-dove (Streptopelia lugens) - from Zoo Plzen.
- Montserrat oriole (Icterus oberi) - from Zoo Plzen.
- Javanese green peafowl (Pavo muticus muticus) - A zookeeper told me earlier that the old ones died off, so as they are now on zootierliste again it should be new birds.


I am also not sure anymore which ring-necked pheasant subspecies I already reported last year, so here is a list of all the subspecies they currently keep (to my knowledge), most of them new:
- Chinese ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus torquatus)
- Khivan pheasant (Phasianus colchicus chrysomelas)
- Mongolian ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus)
- Korean ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus karpowi)
- Manchurian ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus pallasi)
- Northern green pheasant (Phasianus versicolor robustipes)
- Persian pheasant (Phasianus colchicus persicus)
- Zarudny's pheasant (Phasianus colchicus zarudnyi)
- Bianchi's pheasant (Phasianus colchicus bianchii)
- Taiwan ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus formosanus)
- Southern Caucasian pheasant (Phasianus colchicus colchicus)
Only mongolicus and formosanus are currently on show.

Other news:
- There are now two Arborophila javanica on show, and I recently heard that they received a female, which means they should have at least 1.1 now, or possibly 2.1.
- They have now taken down one or two aviaries in the European area (the large corner aviary that used to house oriental storks, and the aviary next to it), and some of these birds are now kept elsewhere in the park or behind the scenes. The whole European area is closed off, but you can still see the progress from other parts of the park.
- There is now a toco toucan (Ramphastos toco) on show in Pukara (The other ones seem to be kept inside/off show because of the cold weather).
- The subspecies status of Walsrode's Ural owls now seems to be public: one is a Western Ural owl (Strix uralensis liturata) and the other one is a South European Ural owl (Strix uralensis macroura).
 
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Not much new today species-wise, but I did see a Montserrat oriole (Icterus oberi) and White-crested turaco (Tauraco leucolophus). The turacos arrived recently from Köln.
Also, it seems like they sadly only have 0,2 Crimson topaz (Topaza pella) left.
 
I had some nice hours today at the park!

Species-wise, I saw 4 new species today:
• Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)
• Lineated kalij (Lophura leucomelanos lineata)
• Northern green pheasant (Phasianus versicolor robustipes)
• Green peafowl (Pavo muticus) - Likely the same subspecies that are still listed on Zootierliste, but the previous birds were said to have passed away. These seem to be new individuals.

Very exciting! None of these species are signed yet.

Other news:
• A lot of vegetation has been cut back across the park, with significant trimming of large rhododendrons and tree removal. Several aviaries have been refurbished, especially in the Fasanerie, where many overgrown enclosures have been trimmed, and new plants have been added.
• In the Fasanerie, not only has the vegetation changed, but also the species! Some species have been replaced, and I haven’t been able to find them elsewhere in the park. One example is the bare-eyed pigeon (Patagioenas corensis), which I noticed is now also on display at Zoo Plzeň since some week back - did they move there?
The largest aviary in the Fasanerie, which previously housed hornbills, has been slightly remodeled and now houses multiple species, including Malaysian great argus (Argusianus argus argus), Bronze-tailed peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron chalcurum), and grey-capped emerald dove (Chalcophaps indica), among others.
There have been other changes in the Fasanerie, but most involve species being moved around.
• The European area construction has progressed since my last visit. The entire middle enclosure looks "cleaned up" now, with large trees, rhododendrons, and other foliage removed.
• One pair of the reported white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) is now signed, but as West Peruvian doves (Zenaida meloda). This seems to be correct, as a breeder told me that there are apparently no pure Zenaida asiatica in Europe - all of them are actually Zenaida meloda (don't quote me on this though, I have no idea).
 
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Daniel Sörensen said:
One pair of the reported white-winged doves (Zenaida asiatica) is now signed, but as West Peruvian doves (Zenaida meloda). This seems to be correct, as a breeder told me that there are apparently no pure Zenaida asiatica in Europe - all of them are actually Zenaida meloda (don't question me on this though, I have no idea).
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That looks like a correct observation. I never realized White-winged dove had a sister species. Apparently one of the easiest differences is their song. Having heard the "white-winged doves" of Burgers' Zoo my whole life, they sound nothing like a true white-winged dove on Xeno-Canto. They are a very good match with Zenaida meloda though! So good call from Walsrode.
 
New birds on show:
- Eastern Oriental turtle-dove (Streptopelia orientalis orientalis)
- Sebastopol goose (Anser anser f. domestica)
They have also received some African marsh owls (Asio capensis) from a private breeder in Italy, via Zoo Plzeň, if I understood correctly. But they are not on show yet.

There also seem to be a lot of birds being moved around at the moment and several empty aviaries, so my species list from last year is no longer very accurate in several parts of the park, such as the Fasanerie and Uhu-Burg.

I also noticed that several species previously kept free-flying in the Jungle Trail are now housed in aviaries in the Fasanerie and Blick hinter die Kulissen. This also makes the rumor I heard - one I was hoping wasn’t true - seem more likely: that the Jungle Trail is too rotten to repair and is set to be dismantled starting this year. It has been closed since November 2024, and there’s a risk that your last visit to the Jungle Trail was your final one. Let's hope this rumor isn't true and that they've somehow secured the funds to instead repair the rotten building.

Something else sad I've heard is that they now have only one horned screamer (Anhima cornuta) left, a female, which seems odd since they used to breed them quite regularly.
 
Daniel Sörensen said:
New birds on show:
- Eastern Oriental turtle-dove (Streptopelia orientalis orientalis)
- Sebastopol goose (Anser anser f. domestica)
They have also received some African marsh owls (Asio capensis) from a private breeder in Italy, via Zoo Plzeň, if I understood correctly. But they are not on show yet.

There also seem to be a lot of birds being moved around at the moment and several empty aviaries, so my species list from last year is no longer very accurate in several parts of the park, such as the Fasanerie and Uhu-Burg.

I also noticed that several species previously kept free-flying in the Jungle Trail are now housed in aviaries in the Fasanerie and Blick hinter die Kulissen. This also makes the rumor I heard - one I was hoping wasn’t true - seem more likely: that the Jungle Trail is too rotten to repair and is set to be dismantled starting this year. It has been closed since November 2024, and there’s a risk that your last visit to the Jungle Trail was your final one. Let's hope this rumor isn't true and that they've somehow secured the funds to instead repair the rotten building.

Something else sad I've heard is that they now have only one horned screamer (Anhima cornuta) left, a female, which seems odd since they used to breed them quite regularly.
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Did those African marsh owl come from the Monticello breeding center? I remember reading about it in Czech threads
 
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Not much news, but I’ll post these here before I forget:

New species, not on show yet:
- Copper sunbird (Cinnyris cupreus)
- Italian grey partridge (Perdix perdix italica) - I heard about these a while ago, but now that they’re public in Zoo Grapevine, I’m posting them here as well.

Returning species:
- Rock pratincole (Glareola nuchalis) – The last birds were sent to Wilhelma in 2023. However, in 2024, they apparently received eggs from a private breeder and successfully hatched new birds, which are not on show yet.
- Buffy fish-owl (Ketupa ketupu) – Walsrode’s last bird(s) passed away and/or moved, leaving some months without buffy fish-owls. However, in 2024, new birds arrived from Prague Zoo. Not on show yet.
- Painted bunting (Passerina ciris) – The last bird passed away in 2024, but they now have new birds on show in Pukara.

Other news:
- Another species from the Jungle Trail has now left the park: Walsrode’s last Mindanao wrinkled hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus leucocephalus) recently moved to Zoo Plzeň.
 
Daniel Sörensen said:
Not much news, but I’ll post these here before I forget:

New species, not on show yet:
- Copper sunbird (Cinnyris cupreus)
- Italian grey partridge (Perdix perdix italica) - I heard about these a while ago, but now that they’re public in Zoo Grapevine, I’m posting them here as well.

Returning species:
- Rock pratincole (Glareola nuchalis) – The last birds were sent to Wilhelma in 2023. However, in 2024, they apparently received eggs from a private breeder and successfully hatched new birds, which are not on show yet.
- Buffy fish-owl (Ketupa ketupu) – Walsrode’s last bird(s) passed away and/or moved, leaving some months without buffy fish-owls. However, in 2024, new birds arrived from Prague Zoo. Not on show yet.
- Painted bunting (Passerina ciris) – The last bird passed away in 2024, but they now have new birds on show in Pukara.

Other news:
- Another species from the Jungle Trail has now left the park: Walsrode’s last Mindanao wrinkled hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus leucocephalus) recently moved to Zoo Plzeň.
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Sounds great
 
The park has now officially spoken out about the Jungle Trail. They’ve stated that they can no longer keep the building open due to safety concerns, as it is in too risky of a condition. Whether the building will be demolished or repurposed remains uncertain, and this is still being evaluated by the park. Some of the animals are being relocated to other areas within the park, while others will move to other parks.

There are plans for a new attraction/area for the main season of 2025, where the construction is taking place in the European area. A section named 'Lüneburger Heide' is set to open this spring, showcasing local animals and flora. The 'Welli-Paradies' is also being expanded, with at least the wallaby enclosure being completed.
 
That´s a pity, I hope they can solve the problems and reopen the area, or to build a similar one, although I doubt since that would need a too big investment. Is a big loss for the park.
 
The winter season is officially over, and today marks the first open day of the main season!

New species on show:
- African marsh owls (Asio capensis)
- Ornate lorikeet (Saudareos ornata) Back on show
- Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus)
- Lesser bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea minor) Back on show

Other updates:
- Even more species have been relocated throughout the park. Additionally, more species from the Jungle Trail can now be seen in the Paradieshalle and Blick hinter die Kulissen.
- Some of the statues/carvings from the Jungle Trail have been moved to the entrance of the Paradieshalle.
- The European area is now open, although construction is still ongoing. Visitors can walk through the construction zone.
- The entire park is now accessible, except for the Jungle Trail.
- All signage and text have been removed from the Jungle Trail, including the iconic main sign, entrance/exit signs, and push/pull signs. The area has been sealed off with a new, more permanent fence.
- Extensive foliage trimming has been carried out both inside aviaries and throughout the park, making the areas brighter and more open. This also includes the free-flight hall in the Paradieshalle, where older foliage has been cut back and new African plants have been planted.
- Several aviaries remain empty, including some in the Uhu-Burg, Patagonian area, European area, and Paradieshalle. These will likely be filled again soon.
- The two Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) pairs are now signed as Lineated kalij (L. l. lineata) and Black-breasted kalij (L. l. lathami). However, breeders have stated online that both pairs are subspecies hybrids (likely lineata × crawfurdi and lathami × leucomelanos). Please do not ass them as pure on Zootierliste.
- Both the rare Iberian grey partridge (Perdix perdix hispaniensis) and Transcaspian rock pigeon (Columba livia neglecta) are now signed with their subspecies status.
 
Daniel Sörensen said:
Black-breasted thrush (Turdus dissimilis) - On show again.
- White-shouldered starling (Sturnia sinensis)
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Daniel Sörensen said:
Kalij pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)
• Lineated kalij (Lophura leucomelanos lineata)
• Northern green pheasant (Phasianus versicolor robustipes)
• Green peafowl (Pavo muticus)
Click to expand...

Daniel Sörensen said:
Eastern Oriental turtle-dove (Streptopelia orientalis orientalis)
- Sebastopol goose (Anser anser f. domestica)
Click to expand...

Daniel Sörensen said:
Copper sunbird (Cinnyris cupreus)
- Italian grey partridge (Perdix perdix italica)
Click to expand...

Daniel Sörensen said:
African marsh owls (Asio capensis)
- Ornate lorikeet (Saudareos ornata) Back on show
- Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus)
- Lesser bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea minor)
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May I ask where they're kept ?
 
Paul.Haerle said:
May I ask where they're kept ?
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The Kalij pheasants are kept as a pair (1.1) in the Fasanerie and another pair (1.1) in the aviary outside the Jungle Trail. The green pheasant, green peafowl, African marsh owls, and red junglefowl are also kept in the Fasanerie. The paradise bird is housed in the bird-of-paradise aviaries. The white-shouldered starling is either in the fasanerie unsigned, or no longer on show.
 
Daniel Sörensen said:
The Kalij pheasants are kept as a pair (1.1) in the Fasanerie and another pair (1.1) in the aviary outside the Jungle Trail. The green pheasant, green peafowl, African marsh owls, and red junglefowl are also kept in the Fasanerie. The paradise bird is housed in the bird-of-paradise aviaries. The white-shouldered starling is either in the fasanerie unsigned, or no longer on show.
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Thank you very much
 
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