Open park for birds at Vandalur zoo inaugurated
Posted on: 23/Dec/2013 2:42:37 PM
A one-hectare open park for birds at Vandalur zoo was inaugurated on Saturday.
In the enclosures, the zoo has kept 150 birds for visitors to see. The new aviary will be a natural habitat - without nets to restrict birds from flying away - to attract the birds.
This designated area will have special feed which will attract birds from within the 602 hectare area of the park.
Other attractions for the winged visitors include nests, small ponds, flowering plants and trees. To attract different species of birds, a variety of feed has been provided. For the granivore species like parrots, pigeons and doves (which feed on seeds and grains), the feed will consist of wheat, rice, sunflower seeds, groundnut, corn and bread crumbs. Fruit-bearing trees like figs, custard-apple and papaya have been provided for the frugivore birds like the great Indian hornbill. Different fruits like apple, grapes, sweet lime and bananas will also be provided.
To draw insectivorous birds like pipits, thrushes and fly catchers, cow dung, dry leaves and birches will be kept as food. Various flowering plants have been grown for nectivores like hummingbirds and sunbirds. For piscivorous birds like elgits whose diet consists mainly of fish, shallow water ponds with fishes have been provided.
Around 25 nests have been built for the birds. Holes have been made in more than 25 palm trees to provide shelter. Twigs, wooden sticks and coconut husks have been spread in the area to allow the birds to build their dwellings. To inform peoplple about the rare migratory birds which visit the park, pictures of ashy prinia, ashy woodswallow, blue-faced malkoha, small blue kingfisher, greater coucal, green bee-eater, Indian peafowl, oriental magpie robin and purple sunbird are on display around the park.
