Conservancy pushes awareness of bird park ‘gem’
The Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary is officially known as the Umdoni Bird Park. It is known for its amazing biodiversity and teems with small wildlife. At least 120 bird species, a great variety of butterflies, insects and frogs and the many indigenous plants ensure constant interest while visitors enjoy self-guided walks through the park.
AMANZIMTOTI Conservancy has produced and is distributing a flyer on the bird park via the Amanzimtoti Bird Park Sanctuary Facebook page.
“There is a small group of interested local residents, committed to improving both the facilities of the bird park and encouraging visitors. It was decided to produce a flyer, which Toti Conservancy has distributed widely, both to our members, and through the Facebook page. The bird park is a little gem in our midst, and we hope that more local residents will take time to enjoy all there is to see in this unique reserve,” said Toti Conservancy treasurer, Corinne Winson.
The Amanzimtoti Bird Sanctuary is officially known as the Umdoni Bird Park. It is known for its amazing biodiversity and teems with small wildlife. At least 120 bird species, a great variety of butterflies, insects and frogs and the many indigenous plants ensure constant interest while visitors enjoy self-guided walks through the park.
The small catchment dam was built in 1944 to supply water to the growing number of hotels and boarding houses on Toti’s beachfront, the first water supply to this popular tourist destination.
The area surrounding the dam was set aside as a bird sanctuary in the 1950s.
A tea kiosk established in the 1980s and run for a number of years by various charities and other groups was recently re-opened by Amanzimtoti Trauma Unit. Wednesday mornings see a growing number of visitors enjoying refreshments in the relaxed atmosphere of open water, rolling lawns, well-established trees and gardens.
There is a variety of water bird with resident Egyptian and spur-winged geese, white-faced whistling ducks and visitors such as pelicans, egrets, herons and African spoonbills.
However, it is the more secretive bush and forest birds that delight visiting and local birders. The possibility of sighting ‘specials’ such as the elusive white-eared barbet or Narina-Trogon sees birders and photographers returning. The palmnut vulture has been selected as one of the flagship species of the bird park, as has the endangered spotted ground-thrush.
Visit the bird park in Umdoni Road.
