FEATHERED fathers are set to be honoured at a popular Cotswold attraction this Father's Day.
There will be a special focus on the male birds at Birdland, in Bourton, for Father’s Day on Sunday, June 18.
Staff will pay tribute to some of the finest feathered fathers, including holding a talks programme which highlights some of Birdland’s most hard-working dads.
Male incubation is especially common in ratites, which are large flightless birds such as cassowaries, emus and rheas.
The females typically mate with several males and lay eggs in different nests to increase the chance of success.
Birdland’s cassowary is currently laying eggs so visitors to the park this week are likely to see the hard-working father incubating for up to 50 days.
Successful cassowary hatches are rare – there were only two in Europe last year.
In some cases, such as the park’s King penguins, the parents share the incubation of their single egg – taking turns to keep the egg warm on top of their feet.
Alistair Keen, head keeper, said: “Some of our most prominent birds are male, such as Seth, the oldest male King penguin in Europe, Asia or Australia. He is the last remaining penguin to star in the movie Batman Returns.”
Birdland cares for more than 500 birds, ranging from the UK’s only breeding colony of king penguins and awesome birds of prey to parrots, cassowaries and cranes in a mix of free-flying and aviary displays.
The park also incorporates indoor enclosures for a variety of exotic birds and other wildlife alongside a host of other features and attractions; including the dinosaur-themed Jurassic Journey.
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