After Monkeyland we trekked next door to the Bird of Eden aviary.
What a place! Picture an enormously massive netted box as tall as a fifteen storey building and two hectares large.
It is the largest free flight bird aviary in the world.
My attempt to be bird-like at the entrance... ha
It is set up beautifully. A massive tropical forest greets you when you first set foot on the outdoor path. There are birds everywhere, sitting in trees and feeders, and flying around through the canopy. The foliage is lush and betrays every shade of green possible. I felt like I was in the middle of a tropical rainforest! It was just so pretty.
Wooden ramps take you around the aviary. We were lucky enough to be there towards the end of a weekday, so we practically had the place to ourselves. It was beyond relaxing to stroll around such stunning surroundings, never mind seeing (and hearing!) all the exotic birds.
There are over 220 different types of bird species living at the sanctuary!
One of my favorites was the Knysna Lourie. This bird won the genetics lottery. It is simply stunning, don't you agree?:
Knysna Lourie perched for some grub
As much as Didier tried to lure the Lourie over, it just didn't happen
To keep the plants and animals happy, cleverly hidden bands of mist sprayed continuously. As functional as I realize this is, it actually ended up adding a unique twist to the walk. It not only refreshed your face but added to the overall drama of the forest.
The sanctuary was very well-kept and well designed. I don't know how these folks kept the walkways free of massive amounts of bird poop, but they did it!
By the end of the walk, you are high above the ground near the tip top of the canopy. The brilliant thing? Along the way, you don't even notice the incline.
Ducks atop the archway. I thought it was funny.
I can't begin to list off the different bird species we saw... just trust me that there were a lot and many took my breath away. I'd say a good 75% of them I had never seen or heard of before. That always is a great feeling: encountering an animal that is completely new to you. It reminds you how big the world is and how much of it you have yet to see.
Mylene was especially great with the animals. She would coo and whistle to them and they'd just sit and cock their head her way. Between her and Dids, we could pretty much name any creature that flew our way. Luckily for me, they both have extensive animal knowledge :)
Mylene and I whistling to the little parrots
One of the best moments of the day was when we reached the apex of the walk. The canopy opened up to us and it felt like you were on the top of the world.
From this vantage point, we could see many different birds than were hanging out on the lower branches. A stunning family of about a dozen red and blue macaws kept flying over our heads. Up to this point, the only time I had ever seen macaws was in a cage or sitting on a perch, so this was quite the thrill! They would call out loudly and then shoot overhead in a flock of shocking color. It took my breath away.
The canopy, where a flock of macaws took turns bolting from corner to corner.
Mylene spotted a large spider's web attached to the rope of the walkway.
When we reached the uppermost area of the walkway, a large pond opened up where we were treated to a large population of ducks and geese.
Guess what I spotted??
A couple of Canadian Geese! Score!
Three Canadian Geese, mugging for the camera ;)
The geese were mostly peaceful but this one bird was crazy. He kept honking at us and running around in circles. Didier couldn't resist antagonizing him on, even though I was sure he was going to get a sharp beak in the face at any second.
So lush.
Along with a large duck and geese pond, the top of the enclosure boasted a beautiful flamingo pond. It was here that we also spotted an albino guinea fowl and a couple of blue duiker (day-ker).
And just when we thought there couldn't be any more surprises, a massive duck pond and restaurant came into view. You could tell the ducks were used to people, they were super friendly. One made us laugh, he kept trying to bite his tail and would fly around and around until he tipped sideways into the water.
After a quick coffee, we finished up our walk and made our way to the car. Between Monkeyland and the Birds of Paradise, it was a full day of animal wonderful-lness! :)
Taking in one last amazing view
3 comments:
That sound like it was so much fun. I loved the pictures they're all so pretty. that is soo cool that canada geese are over there. sounds like that was a fun adventure. i also think its crazy that the walkways are clear of bird poop with so many birds there.
Thanks for your comments, Kristin! Wish you were here to visit the bird sanctuary with me. I know your parents would have especially loved it!
Wow, Canada Geese! There are lots right now at the Tax Centre as you would know Marie. They are protecting their young so everyone is careful not to be attacked in the parking lot! Love Mom (heart)
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