Bird Paradise

Bird Paradise
1°24′25″N103°46′52″E
Date opened	8 May 2023 (soft opening) 15 November 2023 (grand opening)
Location	Mandai,Singapore 20 Mandai Lake Road, Singapore 729825
Land area	17 ha (42 acres)
No.of animals	3,500
No.of species	400
Public transit access	138 927
Website	www.mandai/en/bird-paradise.html

Bird Paradiseis anaviarylocated inMandai,Singapore. Opened on 8 May 2023, it replaced theJurong Bird Parkand forms a part of theMandai Wildlife Reserve,consisting of theSingapore Zoo,Night SafariandRiver Wondersand the upcoming Rainforest Wild Park. Bird Paradise covers approximately 17 hectares (42 acres), with larger and double the walk-in aviaries than the previous Jurong Bird Park.The aviary was designed by Singaporean architectural firm,RSP Architects Planners & Engineers.

History

In 2016, theMandai Wildlife Groupannounced that Jurong Bird Park would be closed and the entire collection would be relocated to a different, similarly sized park at Mandai Lake Road by 2020. This would result in the consolidation of the three existing Singapore wildlife parks with the new Rainforest Wild Park, and form a fully-integrated nature and wildlife district, collectively referred to as the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.

In 2021, the group announced that the park's successor in Mandai would be named Bird Paradise.It was also announced that the park's grand opening would be slightly delayed due to challenging construction site conditions, and the ongoing impact of the taperingCOVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, it was announced that Jurong Bird Park would be closed on 3 January 2023, in an effort to accelerate the relocation to Bird Paradise, Mandai.

Bird Paradise officially opened to the general public on 8 May 2023, with ticket pre-sales commencing on 24 April 2023.

Animals and exhibits

Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove

Penguin Coveis one of the world's largest simulated Antarctic exhibits. Featuring coldsaltwaterpools forking,gentoo,humboldtandnorthern rockhopperpenguins,the exhibit simulates conditions near theSouth Pole.The building consists of two levels, one for observing the birds whilst swimming (via underwater viewing galleries), and another above the water level simulating a windswept, cold beach for the birds to roost and nest on. The exhibit utilises specially-timed lighting systems for the birds' well-being, intending to replicate the 24-hour summer daylight of the poles, or, depending on the time of year, the 24-hours of darkness (polar winter). This exhibit has earned the Platinum BCA Green Mark Award for green innovation.

Winged Sanctuary

TheWinged Sanctuaryhouses the park's collection of over 20 species ofhornbillsand other endangered tropical birds, such as the Bali myna, the Palawan peacock-pheasant and the Philippine eagle (also known as the monkey-eating eagle). The area consists of tall and densely-planted steel-mesh screen aviaries. Species include:

• Abyssinian ground-hornbill

• African grey hornbill

• African pygmy falcon

• Bali myna

• Bare-faced curassow

• Black hornbill

• Burrowing owl

• Chestnut-eared araçari

• Crowned hornbill

• Eastern crested guineafowl

• Great pied hornbill

• Guianan cock-of-the-rock

• King bird-of-paradise

• Knobbed hornbill

• Lesser bird-of-paradise

• Luzon hornbill

• Malayan crested fireback

• Malayan peacock-pheasant

• Mountain peacock-pheasant

• Oriental pied hornbill

• Palawan peacock-pheasant

• Papuan Blyth's hornbill

• Philippine eagle

• Piping hornbill

• Raggiana bird-of-paradise

• Red-billed toucan

• Rhinoceros hornbilll

• Silvery-cheeked hornbill

• Southern ground-hornbill

• Sulawesi hornbill

• Trumpeter hornbill

• Twelve-wired bird-of-paradise

• Vietnamese pheasant

• Vulturine guineafowl

• White-crowned hornbill

• Wreathed hornbill

• Wrinkled hornbill

Shaw Foundation Australian Outback

This aviary mimics the semi-arid environment of the Australianoutback,as well as semi-tropical portions of Papua New Guinea and Northeastern Australia. The landscaping consists primarily ofeucalyptusand ficus trees,termitemounds andAboriginalcave paintings. In addition to the many birds, visitors may observe Bennett's (or red-necked) wallabies here. Species of interest are:

• Australian king parrot

• Australian ringneck

• Bluebonnet

• Cockatiel

• Crimson rosella

• Eastern rosella

• Emu

• Galah cockatoo

• Golden-shouldered parrot

• Laughing kookaburra

• Major Mitchell's cockatoo

• Pale-headed rosella

• Papuan eclectus parrot

• Princess parrot

• Rainbow lorikeet

• Red-capped parrot

• Red-necked wallaby

• Red-rumped parrot

• Red-tailed black cockatoo

• Regent parrot

• Superb parrot

• Tawny frogmouth

Mysterious Papua

This unique aviary replicates the coastal, tropical forests ofPapua New Guinea,with some species from Northern Australia and other nearby islands. Within the aviary are buildings styled after the huts of the PapuanKorowaipeople, and viewing galleries inspired bySepikhouses. Species inside include:

• Black lory

• Blue-eyed cockatoo

• Blue-winged kookaburra

• Citron-crested cockatoo

• Green-naped pheasant-pigeon

• Metallic pigeon

• Nicobar pigeon

• Palm cockatoo

• Pied imperial pigeon

• Salmon-crested cockatoo

• Solomon corella

• Southern cassowary

• Tanimbar corella

• White cockatoo

• Yellow-crested cockatoo

• Yellow-streaked lory

Lory Loft

This is a continuation of an aviary of the same name at the former Jurong Bird Park, housing many species ofpsittaciformes.Notably, there is a large breeding population of blue-eyed cockatoos, as well as:

• Black-capped lory

• Blue-eyed cockatoo

• Brown lory

• Chattering lory

• Coconut lorikeet

• Dusky lory

• Goldie's lorikeet

• Iris lorikeet

• Northern cassowary

• Pesquet's parrot

• Purple-bellied lory

• Purple-naped lory

• Red-collared lorikeet

• Red lory

• Yellow-bibbed lory

Amazonian Jewels

Amazonian Jewelsis a lushly-planted aviary replicating the rainforests ofCentralandSouth Americaand theCaribbean,featuring species such as thecock-of-the-rock,cracids,curassows,macaws,toucans,quetzalandoropendolas.There is also a viewing area resembling a large tree stump, as well as numerous New Worldaroidsandbromeliadsplanted throughout. Species of interest are:

• Andean cock-of-the-rock

• Bare-faced curassow

• Blue-headed macaw

• Blue-winged macaw

• Golden-collared macaw

• Golden-headed quetzal

• Green jay

• Green oropendola

• Helmeted curassow

• Military macaw

• Moriche oriole

• Montserrat oriole

• Red-shouldered macaw

• Saffron toucanet

• Toco toucan

• Yellow oriole

Songs of the Forest

Songs of the Forestfeatures vulnerable, threatened and endangeredsongbirds(among other species) ofSoutheast Asia,such as thestraw-headed bulbul,Bali mynaand thefairy bluebird.The exhibit shines a spotlight on the globalblack markettrade of endangered birds, an issue which requires urgent attention. Species of interest are:

• Asian fairy-bluebird

• Bali myna

• Barred cuckoo-dove

• Black-winged myna

• Brahminy starling

• Coleto

• Crested partridge

• Golden-crested myna

• Green junglefowl

• Grosbeak starling

• Iberian magpie

• Javan pied starling

• Luzon bleeding-heart

• Mikado pheasant

• Mountain bamboo partridge

• Red-vented bulbul

• Red-whiskered bulbul

• Red-winged laughingthrush

• Rosy starling

• Sri Lankan junglefowl

• Straw-headed bulbul

• White-throated laughingthrush

• White-necklaced partridge

Hong Leong Foundation Crimson Wetlands

Crimson Wetlandsrecreates the wetland habitats of South America and the Caribbean. Its main attraction is a very large pool with a plunging waterfall, overlooking a lake for the park's flock ofAmerican flamingoes,along with typical New World waterbirds such as theroseate spoonbillandscarlet ibis(the national bird ofTrinidad and Tobago), as well asturtlesof South America. There is a simulatedclaywall where various parrots gather to nest and extract nutrients by chewing the clay, as a form ofmineral lick.Species include:

• American flamingo

• Blue-throated macaw

• Burrowing owl

• Chestnut-fronted macaw

• Great curassow

• Great green macaw

• Hyacinth macaw

• Patagonian mara

• Red-and-green macaw

• Red-fronted macaw

• Roseate spoonbill

• Scarlet ibis

• Scarlet macaw

• Southern screamer

• White ibis

• Yellow-spotted river turtle

Kuok Group Wings of Asia

This aviary replicates aBalineseorIndonesianlandscape, with dense trees,bambooand simulatedrice terraces.There are elevated walkways where visitors can experience the aviary via two different levels. Species include:

• Blyth's hornbill

• Green peafowl

• Lesser adjutant stork

• Milky stork

• Oriental pied hornbill(rotated for keeper talks)

• Rufous hornbill(rotated for keeper talks)

Nyungwe Forest-Heart of Africa

Heart of Africais the largest aviary at Bird Paradise.It was inspired by the denseNyungwe ForestofRwandainEast Africa.Similar toWings of Asia,Heart of Africa has varioussuspension bridgesand elevated walkways, enabling visitors to see birds at varied heights, from theforest floorto thetreetops.Species of interest include:

• Black-casqued hornbill

• Congo pied hornbill

• Von der Decken's hornbill

• Western long-tailed hornbill

• Piping hornbill

• Trumpeter hornbill

• Northern Red-billed Hornbill

• Shoebill stork

• Greater flamingo

• Lesser flamingo

Presentations

Sky Amphitheatre at Bird Paradise

Bird Paradise has two live shows,Predators on WingsandWings of the World,both of which are presented periodically throughout each day at the park's Sky Amphitheatre.

Wings of the Worldfeatures many ambassador animals that were part of previous shows at the Jurong location. Some notable birds include ‘Sunny’, agreat pied hornbilland the mascot of Bird Paradise (along with several otherOriental pied hornbills), ‘Amigo’ theyellow-naped amazonparrot who sings in three languages, and a 50-year-oldsulphur-crested cockatoo.

Predators on Wingsdisplays the power and might of some of the world's birds of prey. Species to look out for include theAmerican bald eagle,Harris' hawk,theturkey vulture,and thewhite-bellied sea eagle.

Transportation

Public transportation

Like the adjacentSingapore Zoo,Night SafariandRiver Wondersparks, Bird Paradise is located west of the reserve and has its own bus stop. There are two bus services — 138 and 927. Service 138 connects to the nearestSpringleaf MRT station,as well asAng Mo Kio MRT station,while Service 927 connects to theChoa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station.Additionally, bus service 171 stops nearby the reserve, but doesn't pass through.

See also

• Jurong Bird Park

External links

• Official website