Jurong Bird Park

With my Groupon expiring, I finally hiked it out to the west side and visited the well-known Jurong Bird Park. 50 acres of lush scenery and squawking fowl awaited me on this rainy Saturday.

The natural beauty of the park blew me away, and the exhibits blended in wonderfully with the foliage of the area. Thus, walking from place to place was a treat itself. From flamingos to falcons, the park had species of all shapes, sizes, and colors (see the pics below). The two shows I attended, though clearly crafted for a younger audience, were tons of fun, as the birds swooped just over the heads of the crowd and performed some very nice tricks.

2-3 hours is plenty of time to take in all of the exhibits and shows. I did not do the tram ride, but it didn't go to any areas that could not be reached on foot (unlike the Night Safari, where some of the most exotic animals were only on the tram route). One note of caution - if you are nursing a headache of any sort, the bird park is probably not an ideal destination. Combine the chatter of the birds and the squeal of many children running amok, and you have a perfect recipe for minor migraines.

Time to let the pictures do the talking:

10 points for Gryffindor

Soaring through the air

The macaw sits in the back, laughing at his flightless friends

All dressed up with nowhere to go

Ready for his late afternoon snack

The falconer makes a grand entrance, with his trusty falcon perched on his glove

Always watching...always

A parrot! And a blue parrot!

I felt like I was interrupting a first date

These feeding stations with fruit were scattered throughout the Waterfall Aviary

The waterfall was a pretty awesome backdrop

One more time

This guy was a major punk in his enclosure, scaring off all of the other birds

The crowned pigeons were great models all day

Up close and personal in the Lory Loft

My favorite shot of the afternoon

After the afternoon, I made an important realization - when I reach old man status, there is a strong possibility that I will be the guy who goes to the local park every day to feed the pigeons. Jurong Bird Park definitely makes my top 5 places to visit in Singapore.