Celebrate World Penguin Day at Birdland Park & Gardens on the 25 April where the newly renovated Penguin Shore is home to the UK's only breeding group of King Penguins as well as a comical group of Humboldts! Enjoy twice-daily Penguin Feeds and talks from Head Keeper, and surrogate Penguin Dad, Alistair Keen. Watching the Penguin Feeding is a very special experience and an extremely close encounter! Watch Keepers feed the two species of Penguins at Birdland their nutritious fish supper at 11am & 2.30pm daily. They are fed buckets of Herring and Sprats, both the King Penguins and Humboldt's favourites respectively. Whilst watching the feeding hear lots of exciting facts, be introduced to each of the penguins – some of whom are famous film stars! The engaging and informative talks offer the opportunity to find out more than ever about the residents.
Find out more about the oldest pair of King Penguins at Birdland - Seth & Missy who are losing their winter feathers ready to show off their summer beach bodies. Missy, aged approximately 39, & Seth, 36, have paired up every year for the past few seasons and court each other throughout the summer.
Penguins plump up prior to shedding their feathers storing the extra energy needed to produce a beautifully sleek summer plume. Penguin feathers are unlike many other birds with four layers of feathering. King Penguins have 70 feathers per every square inch. The outer layer of feathers are oiled and waterproof, and the inner three layers are down feathers, which act as very effective insulation as the bitter cold which they look to lose as the weather gets warmer.
Plus meet Spike the King Penguin, who has almost 2500 Facebook fans and is a regular tweeter about his life in the Cotswolds, and his half-sister Charlotte hatched last year. Both chicks were hand-reared by Alistair Keen the Head Keeper and get up to lots of funny antics.
