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Cotswolds’ Birdland to pay tribute to ‘feathered fathers’ this Father’s Day
Staff at one of the Cotswold’s top attractions will pay tribute to some of their “finest feathered fathers” as part of a celebration for Father’s Day this weekend. With plenty of fathers looking after their young at Birdland in Bourton-on-the-Water, there is plenty to celebrate.
Last week one of the male king penguins at the zoo was celebrated as the most popular penguin in the world, this weekend, attention turns to the unsung heroes of the park. Early summer is always an especially busy time for the Birdland team, with eggs and chicks hatching and fledging across the sanctuary, but there will be a special focus on the male of the species to mark Father’s Day on Sunday, June 18.
Activities at the family-friendly avian zoo include a programme of talks which highlights some of Birdland’s most hard-working dads. These talks will include an explanation behind why some fathers in the aerial animal kingdom are literally left holding the baby.
Male incubation is especially common in ratites, which are large flightless birds such as cassowaries, emus and rheas. The females typically mate with several males and lay eggs in different nests to increase the chance of success. Birdland’s cassowary is currently laying eggs so visitors to the park this week are likely to see the hard-working father incubating for up to 50 days.
Successful cassowary hatches are rare, there were only two in Europe last year. In some cases, such as the park’s King penguins, the parents share incubation of their single egg – taking it in turns to keep the egg warm on top of their feet.
Head Keeper, Alistair Keen, said: “Some of our most prominent birds are male, such as Seth, the oldest male King penguin in Europe, Asia or Australia. He is the last remaining penguin to star in the movie Batman Returns.”
Birdland, in Bourton-on-the-Water, is home to one of the largest collections of exotic birds in the UK. Located in the heart of the Cotswolds, the park’s combination of wildlife, woodland, riverside and gardens have made it a favourite destination for a day out in the county.
The avian zoo cares for more than 500 birds, ranging from the UK’s only breeding colony of king penguins and awesome birds of prey to parrots, cassowaries and cranes in a mix of free-flying and aviary displays.
The park also incorporates indoor enclosures for its collection of exotic birds and other wildlife, alongside a host of other features and attractions; including the dinosaur-themed Jurassic Journey toward the end of the park enclosure. You can find out more about what’s going on at Birdland on their website.
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