Excitement ‘hatches’ in the Umgeni Bird Park

SPRING is officially in the air at the Umgeni River Bird Park as dozens of the 700-odd birds have begun their mating rituals.

In the last few weeks, staff at the Durban North facility have been thrilled with the arrival of several new chicks. “The weather has suddenly changed and now the breeding season has just completely taken us by surprise. Usually breeding season starts in September, but this year the birds have decided to start pairing up early. The last time we noted such an early breeding season was in 1999,” said Grant Aggett-Cox, the park’s education manager.

Some of the newly-hatched nestlings include two barn owls, two macaws and three African greys. Staff are also anxiously awaiting the arrival of four swans and two great hornbill chicks.

Most of the excitement, however, surrounds the marabou stork hatchlings, fathered by the famous Clyde with his new partner, Jemima. The first-time parents were matched up in April last year, and although Jemima laid three eggs a few months after the duo had been paired, they were found to be infertile.

Clyde, who was bred in a Johannesburg zoo in 2000, was hand-raised by Aggett-Cox. The famed bird had been one of the park’s show birds for approximately 12 years. In 2012 he retired to one of the permanent enclosures, and staff began their search for a mate. Two years later he was matched with Jemima and the pair instantly connected.

The first of their offspring hatched on Tuesday last week and the second made an appearance on Wednesday.

According to Aggett-Cox, members of the public will be able to catch a proper glimpse of the babies in four weeks’ time when they begin to follow their parents. At the moment they are well hidden within the enclosure, under the watchful eyes of their proud parents.

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