There will be much chirping and tweeting when scores of children visit the Johannesburg Zoo on Eco Birds Day.
ABOUT 1 000 learners from schools around Johannesburg will be bused into the Johannesburg Zoo on Eco Birds Day, 25 May, to learn about the importance of birds to the environment.

There are over species of birds at the zooThere are 644 individual birds at the zooThere will be plenty of fun for the children, with 644 individual birds on show, ranging from the critically endangered wattled crane to the more common cockatoo.

The youngsters will have a chance to get up close and personal with the zoo’s owls, Gerry and Stentson, and watch them flapping their giant but silent wings and showing off their beautiful feathers. They will also be enthralled by amazing stories that will be told about these nocturnal birds and will learn how to make owl boxes and contribute towards preserving the declining owl population.

A bio facts table will encourage the learners to use their senses as they touch, see and smell different feathers and view bird skeletons and eggs. They will also learn about the different ways in which birds use their beaks and bills.

“We will have a bird walk per school from nine in the morning and the bird demonstration at 10.30am,” says Letta Madlala, the zoo’s brand and communications manager.

On the more terrestrial side, entertainment will be provided by Rand Water, whose puppet show has children laughing out loud as they learn about conservation “in a funny way”, says Madlala, and a group of gumboot dancers from Mondeor will also be on hand to entertain the young learners.

Tickets for the Eco Bird Day are R55 per person. However, free tickets and transportation will be provided for some participating schools.

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