Jurong Bird Park: No Angry Birds Here

It is the largest bird park in the world.  With 4 large free-flight aviaries and home to 5,000 birds of 380 species, the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore is truly a happy place for birds and visitors alike. It also features interactive feeding sessions and bird shows. Definitely, no angry birds around.

As soon as you enter the park, you will be greeted by colorful parrots and macaws ready to have their photo ops with you. They are like colorful gems with their bright yellow, blue and red feathers.

Flamingo Pool and Flamingo Lake

Do you know that flamingos get their colors from their diet of aqueous bacteria and beta-carotene. The brighter the color is, the healthier and more attractive to the opposite sex a flamingo is.

Bright flamingos at the Flamingo Pool

Pink flamingos at the Flamingo Lake

A flamingo feeding on aqueous bacteria

Pelican Cove

The Jurong Bird Park also houses the most comprehensive collection of pelicans including the endangered, and the largest of the pelicans, the Dalmatian Pelican (see if you can spot it here)! You can marvel at the scooping abilities of these birds at the underwater viewing gallery or just hang out with them at the Pelican Cove. They are very friendly!

Pelicans relaxing at their own cove

They didn’t stop bugging  this trainer until he showed that there were no more fish left.

Parrot Paradise

I have never seen so much parrots in my entire life! Their beautiful colors and cute antics make these creatures an easy favorite for visitors. There was one parrot who kept on saying “hi” and “hello” to us. I hate the fact that they are caged but knowing that, in this way, the endangered species are kept safe from illegal wildlife trade is a relief.

They love the cameras!

3 Idiots—bird edition

African Waterfall Aviary

A 30-meter man-made waterfall is the heart of the largest walk-in aviary in the world with 1,000 free-flying native birds from Africa. The feeling of being surrounded by thick forest and sculpture installations of African culture is the closest you can get to an African experience right here in Singapore.

The African Waterfall Aviary

Rich African culture on display

Wetlands and Riverine

Aside from flying, there are bird species who like to spend most of their time on water. These parts of the park are homes to unique bird species and variety of ducks.

Shoebill

Marabou Stork

Ducks

Dinosaur Descendants

There was a special place for species whose features could be easily traced to its ancestors.

They are a bit shy.

I knew I should have been a paleontologist.

No eggs were broken during this shot.

Lory Loft

This is my favorite as it has the most interactive display in the park. A 9-storey aviary of lush greenery allows visitors to have the colorful and friendly lories feed right out of their hands.

Penguin Coast

These adorable penguins are too cute (too cute that they inspired me to make a comic strip especially for them) that when it was time to take them back to the inner pool (we stayed at the park until their closing time), visitors, including myself, let out a deep sigh. See you next time, dear penguins!

Royal Ramble

This area is dedicated to highly ornate birds like the Crowned Pigeon, Scarlet Ibis and Spoonbills.

Crowned Pigeons

Scarlet Ibis

Birds n Buddies Show

Beautiful and intelligent birds show off their antics at the Birds n Buddies Show held at the Pools Amphitheatre. Cockatoos, macaws, pelicans, flamingos and a singing parrot will surely amaze you.

The stage with one of the bird park’s mascots

Visitors were invited to interact with the birds.

Trainers were as friendly as the birds.

This intelligent bird took the money and returned it.

Showing off their agility.

Kings of the Skies

This show gives an opportunity for visitors to journey back in time and witness the ancient art of falconry. Flying hunters display their accuracy and agility in stimulated hunts complete with costumes. (Note: I’m confused about the difference among eagles, hawks and falcons. I just know that eagles are the biggest and have the widest wingspans of all and falcons are the smallest. If you are familiar with these, you can help me by confirming or correcting the captions I’ve written below. Thanks in advance!)

A Mongolian hunter with his falcon

A falcon successfully caught a prey in mid-flight

The wings of this eagle dwarfed the show-master.

Eagle in flight

Hawks in flight.

Eyeing its food

Got it!

Vultures preying on a scale model of animal carrion

A vulture ready to attack

Vulture

Owl

Hawk

That concludes our half-day at the Jurong Bird Park. Since we came at 2 in the afternoon, we were not able to spend more time admiring the hornbills and toucans, Southeast Ssian birds, jungle jewels and the mandarin duck. But that’s alright, it gives us a reason to go back to this amazing bird paradise.

Entrance to the park

Travel Tips:

1. Bring drinking water and snacks. There’s a couple of restaurants but it’s better to bring your own as you don’t want to spend time walking back to the restaurant when your tummy growls. Anyway, there are lots of designated areas for resting and picnicking inside the park.

2. Bring umbrellas to protect you from unexpected downpour and extreme heat. You don’t want the erratic weather to ruin your day, do you?

3. How to get there? The cheapest way is via MRT. Suppose that you are coming from the Changi International Airport, take the train (East West Line) and alight at the Boon Lay station. It takes about an hour to reach the station. You don’t have to change train lines. Once there, go directly to the Boon Lay Bus Interchange and take Bus Number 194 or 251. It would probably cost you around 4SGD for both the train and the bus. Click here to calculate travel time and cost. If you are a tourist, you can avail of the Singapore Tourist Pass that gives you unlimited ride for all Singapore’s buses and trains.

4. Entrance Fee is 18SGD for adults and 12SGD for children (those below 3 years old are free). Check their Park Hopper Specials to get discounts.

5. It is open from 8:30am to 6:00pm daily and it is best to spend at least half a day exploring the park.

6. Don’t miss the bird shows. King of the Skies Show at Hawk Walk every 10:00am and 4:00pm, Birds n Buddies Show at Pools Amphitheatre at 11:00am and 3:00pm and Lunch with Parrots at Songbird Terrace every 1:00pm.

7. Visit their official website. It is pretty comprehensive and you will get a lot of information about the Singapore Bird Park and other parks and protected areas in Singapore.

Related Articles on Singapore’s Parks:

An Urban Sanctuary: Singapore Botanic Gardens
Flowers in Focus at the National Orchid Garden
Healing Flowers at the Healing Garden