EASTER ARRIVAL FOR BIRDLAND

Celebrating an early Easter arrival at Birdland in Bourton-on-the-Water – a pair of Black-necked swans has hatched a chick.
Native to South America, the pretty pair of swans arrived in late 2010 from a private breeder and quickly settled in to their new home on the Trout Pond.
The beautiful fluffy cygnet can be admired swimming around the pond with mum and dad always in close attendance; and if the cygnet ever gets too tired, can be seen hitching a ride on one of its parents’ backs.
Staff at Birdland are immensely excited by the new arrival and are avidly watching its development – where it will be two years before its striking black neck develops.

More Eggs Under Watch!

The Birdland team are also currently monitoring Humboldt penguin residents Myrtle and her partner Chloe (who was hand-reared at Birdland and thought to be a female until he fathered chick 2 years ago!) as they are sitting tight on their 2 eggs, swapping incubation duties every couple of days. Humboldts are caring parents and share the job of incubating their eggs for about 40 days. They are continuing to build a nest around the eggs which will be due to hatch sometime around Easter.  Once the chick is born they take turns to forage for food whilst the other cares for the chick. It isn’t until the chick is about 2 months old that they can be left during the day.  Also sitting on eggs are Emerald Doves, Blacksmith Plovers and Bartletts Bleeding Heart Pigeons.