Have a Hoot at Birdland to Celebrate International Owl Awareness Day

Birdland is celebrating International Owl Awareness Day on Sunday 4th August with a host of owl-tastic activities and the arrival of a pair of fluffy snowy owl chicks.
Keepers at the Bourton-on-the-Water wildlife attraction will be leading special owl-themed talks throughout the day and during the Meet the Keeper sessions visitors can have a close encounter with the Park’s Chaco owl, running from 12.15pm.
Birdland is also looking after a pair of newly-hatch ow chicks.
Head Keeper Alistair Keen, who oversees the breeding programmes at the wildlife park, said: “We’re delighted with how well the two snowy owl chicks are doing after hatching out recently, especially as their parents had not successfully reared any young for several years.
“Although they’ve arrived in the midst of the heatwave we’re experiencing, they are coping well and taking advantage of the shade and long grasses here at the park,” he added.
Younger visitors can embark on a fact-finding mission across the park to find out more about strigiformes, the scientific name for owls, as well as discovering how they catch their prey at night and finding out what’s inside an owl pellet.
There are more than 200 species of owls worldwide and they can be found in virtually all terrestrial habitats; from deserts and icy tundra to rainforests and high mountains.
Birdland is home to a variety of strigiformes ranging from snowy owls and Mackinder’s eagle owls to northern white-faced owls and burrowing owls in their aviaries around the Park, spot the differences between the species and learn more about them during their visit.
As well as its more exotic inhabitants Birdland and the surrounding Nature Area, also has its own resident group of native tawny owls.
All five UK species of owl have
been spotted in Gloucestershire making it the perfect location to enjoy
International Owl Awareness Day.
Top Five Fun Owl Facts
- Contrary to popular belief owls cannot turn their head all the way around. However they can manage a pretty impressive 270 degrees!
- Barn owls are the most widespread of owls, found on every continent.
- A group of owls is known as a Parliament
- Owls don’t have eyeballs, they’re more like eye tubes. As a result they can’t really move or roll their eyes. That’s why they have heightened mobility in their necks.
- Owls are very quiet in flight, almost silent, compared to other birds of prey.
Visit us here at Birdland daily from 10am throughout the summer and remember to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates on our residents on days when you can’t be here!