BIRDS OF EDEN

There is nothing so wonderful as to be surprised by the unexpected. When we get a rare vacation - once every second year - we choose to do as little as possible. Having a few days at the ocean while someone else tended the homestead was such a blessing and we planned to do exactly nothing . Then we heard about the world famous Birds of Eden and decided to take a drive. It was like time travelling back to the beginning. The bird life in this special sanctuary is indescribable. I was delighted to see some of my indigenous favourites such as the Southern yellow billed hornbill.

The peculiar call of the beautiful green to blue Knysna lourie (or Green Touraco) was not difficult to miss. Although their call blended perfectly in a symphony of different bird sounds. Birds of Eden is the world's largest free flight aviary and bird sanctuary. Like the yellow billed Hornbill that prefers foraging on the ground, we also watched the Grey Crowned Crane strutting haughtily about.

Because so many of the birds are raised in caged environments, where their flying was limited, part of their rehabilitation teaches them to build up muscle strength and learn flight control - even landing. It is special to see birds (so often displayed in a cage in someone's home) happily gazing down from the tree tops or lazily gliding overhead.

The hideously beautiful blue Helmeted Guinea Fowl runs around the forest floor. As well as the common guinea fowl. The most colourful birds, in plummage as well as song, can be spotted under the dome.

We saw the shy female Green Pheasant. This plump golden girl with her stripes of black was constantly foraging in on the forest floor.

There is an abundance of the Golden Pheasant (also aptly called the Rainbow Pheasant) We were amused by their casual manner of strutting up and down the walkways as if they too were viewing the birds of Eden!

Most of the sanctuary is explored via a suspended wooden walkway that meanders for over a kilometre through the dome. Most of the time the birds seem unconcerned about the human intruders with their camera flashes and gurgles of delight.

Strictly speaking not all the feathered residents are wild. Many have been rescued from caged environments. Which explains why one sees so many parrots and parakeets. Their human imprinting in extremely small environments needs to be replaced with social interaction with other birds in a more natural setting.

Often caged birds get pinioned. This heartless act compromises a bird as they can no longer fly. In this instance Birds of Eden cannot rescue and reintroduce them to their natural habitat. But on the whole thousands of birds are given a wonderful new life.

The health and happiness of the Birds of Eden testify to their wonderful new life.

Much of the rehabilitation is instinctual. Such as species recognition. Where to find food, water, shelter. Also which part of the aviary is most suitable to their needs. However there are certain things that need to be taught.

It is hard to imagine these beautiful creatures anywhere except this more natural habitat. How wonderful that in 15 odd years since opening, Birds of Eden have had this peaceful sanctuary to be what they were created to be.

Birds of Eden is housed under a unique mesh dome 55 metres above the floor spanning over 2.3 hectares of indigenous forest! The dome is suspended between nearly 30 masts. The masts vary in length and don't merely hold up the dome but are also lofty perches for any number of birds.

The entire atmosphere is much like a rainforest. Wherever you wander over the suspended wooden walkway you hear the calming trickle of water.

It is very lush and green being home to a wide variety of birds that prefer the trees as well as those that prefer the ground. Then, of course there are the water birds.

There are also a number little herbivorous mammals, such as little duikers, bush buck, bush babies as well as bats.

The dome isn't all forest. There is an oasis especially developed for waterfowl. Here we found not mere ducks but a variety of Flamingo, Cranes, Spoonbills and the more timid Scarlet Ibis.

The flow of marshland to woodland to waterways shows consideration of each of the birds needs. This is evident in the fact that Birds of Eden houses over 3500 birds which cover over 200 species!

Being the southern tip of Africa there are some incredibly beautiful places to visit that are still virtually untouched by modern human - shall we call it - development. There are also other special places that rehab wild animals. Close to Birds of Eden is MonkeyLand as well as Jukani - a haven for predators. Birds of Eden Sanctuary is such a place.

I could've spent all week there. Birds of Eden truly has a sense of stepping back to the beginning. Peace. Harmony. A glitch in time where reality takes a back seat. Or perhaps this is reality.