Taronga is celebrating all things feathered during the Zoo’s second annual Bird Festival, from September 28 – October 31.

 Throughout October, Taronga bird keepers will be showcasing their unique birds to highlight how birds enrich our lives and what people can do to encourage native birds in their own backyards.

 Taronga Bird Keeper, Katie Horsburgh, says: “This month we would like to share with our visitors the incredible diversity of the unique birds we have here in Australia – from cockatoos to finches, penguins and pelicans, and even the secretive cassowary.”

 “Believe it or not in our increasingly urbanised society, bird watching, or twitching, is one of the most rapidly growing past-times in the world. This shows that people are still looking to connect with nature and the environment around them.”

 “The Bird Festival is lots of fun for the kids! We are holding a twitchathon challenge, with a special zoo map so kids can spot birds along the trail. There will be colourful bird hats to wear along the way while they learn all about our feathered friends.”

There’s something for twitchers of all ages to discover during special bird keeper talks and tours as well as an exciting Twitchathon challenge to take you through our vibrant Rainforest, Wetlands and Blue Mountain aviaries.

 Daily free presentations at the bird exhibits mean guests can learn about the Cassowary, Little Penguins, Australian bush-birds, Condors and maybe even help feed the pelicans! Plus the not-to-be missed Free Flight Bird Presentation is on daily at 12pm and 3pm.

 Taronga supports the Regent Honeyeater National Recovery Plan which recently saw the successful breeding and release of over 70 birds into the wild. Regent Honeyeaters are critically endangered with estimates of only 500 to 1500 birds left in the bush.

 More details about the Bird Festival including timetables are available here.