New nesting site for Flamingos at Birdland
Birdland keepers have been busy building and renovating a new nesting site for their flock of flamingos. The flock of flamingos will be benefitting from some expert ‘up-cycling’ and special interior design created to encourage them to pair up and nest.
With all hands to the deck and the waders donned, Simon Blackwell – Park Manager – had taken to the digger along with keepers and spades to re-design the space. The current flamingo site has been dug up, the mud flats have also raised to secure against tidal flooding which has been particularly important since the bad storms over the winter when part of the nesting site was damaged.
The wading birds have produced chicks previously and keepers are looking forward to welcoming little chicks into the Park. Flamingos are traditionally monogamous birds that lay only a single egg each year and if that egg is lost or broken then they typically won’t lay any more, making the new nesting site even more important.
Interestingly flamingo chicks are born grey or white and take up to three years to reach their mature pink, orange or red plumage.
Simon Blackwell said, “Renovating the flamingo nesting site was an important part of the renovation project for 2014. The new nesting site will hopefully encourage the flamingos to start laying eggs over the summer and they are already beginning to take an interest in the work completed.
After the storms there had been some damage to the existing site which meant restoration work was imperative for the summer. We are looking forward to hopefully seeing some new chicks arrive after our hard work.”
More exciting additions to Birdland’s offering are expected over the coming months enhancing visitor experience.
Birdland Park & Gardens is open every day from 10am.
Explore Gloucestershire
1 August 2014
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