Birdworld in Farnham, Surrey launched the Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament in spring, a brand new exhibit created in collaboration with the World Owl Trust to educate and raise awareness of these magnificent birds.
The beautifully crafted display has been carefully designed to incorporate many elements of the fantasy author’s Discworld novels, and visitors familiar with the books can easily recognise a number of references throughout the aviaries.
The impressive new exhibition houses nine species of fascinating owls that are flourishing in their new mystical surroundings. The summer months saw a number of owl pairings resulting in the successful laying of eggs, with keepers at Birdworld delighted to see the hatching and fledging of one brown wood owl and one spectacled owl chick.
Brown wood owls are closely related to the UK’s native tawny owl and are very secretive by nature. They are native to South Asia and consume a wide variety of prey, including fruit bats.
In comparison, the spectacled owl is the largest species of tropical owl in the world. Native to Central and South America the bird is named after the ‘spectacles’ or rings of white feathers around their eyes. Although their population numbers remain high, all rainforest animals are threatened by habitat loss.
The two fast-growing chicks have been a great hit with recent visitors to the park and have helped to educate and raise awareness of these beautiful birds of prey and the essential work of the World Owl Trust.
For more information on visiting the Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament at Birdworld go to www.birdworld.co.uk
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