KL Bird Park

Thursday 11/26/2009

The Traders Hotel offers tram service from the hotel entrance, through the park, to the mall and entrance to the train station.  It's really a souped up golf cart -- whee!  We took the tram to the train and then tried to navigate on foot to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park.  We quickly reaffirmed that getting anywhere in KL on foot is really challenging.  We checked at a local hotel near the train station to figure out the best route to the park -- taxi was the overwhelming refrain.  We ultimately succumbed on our plan to get some exercise and found a cab outside of the Central Train Station.  Some areas of the City use a coupon system for the cabs.  The prices are negotiated up front at a kiosk, you pay the clerk, and then pay your cab driver with the voucher.  I think this is meant to cut down on price gouging. 

We finally arrived at the Bird Park which was amazing.  It's the world's largest free flight walk-through aviary.  We saw storks, peacocks strutting their stuff, ostriches, flamingos, and various regional horn-billed birds all in close range.  At one point the cacophony was almost deafening.  We were never able to figure out which birds were making all the racket.  At first it seemed like it was coming from the peacocks but then that seemed wrong. It ultimately seemed to be coming from a set of smaller, shyer birds that were more challenging to pinpoint.  Regardless, it really added to the ambiance.

We also had the opportunity to feed ostriches and emus at a special feeding station.  The Bird Park provided extra long pieces of greenery that the birds liked so we wouldn't have to put our hands too close.

We also were able to pay a few ringgits and feed the parrots in their enclosure.  That was simply insane.  The curator handed me a cup of what seemed like coconut milk and a handful of seeds.  The birds descended upon me and started eating away.  The big red birds perched on my arms and seemed to like the liquids.  Some of the green birds perched on my shoulders and hands so I could feed them seeds.  One brave bird even alighted on my enormous hat.  I couldn't see him but I could feel him.  All the while, Scott was laughing, bird free, and snapping pictures.