A POPULAR family attraction has welcomed new feathery additions just before the summer break.
Birdland Park and Gardens, located in Bourton-on-the-Water, has seen an influx of new arrivals to its centre, including three flamingo chicks.
The chicks are currently grey and are expected to turn pink within a couple of years because they get their salmon colour from the food they eat.
Also new to the park are nine Humboldt penguins - a medium-sized penguin usually found in South America.
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Three male and three female Humboldts had arrived from Chessington World of Adventures, whilst a further three males came from Weymouth Sea Life Centre.
The Cotswolds attraction had received its new feathery additions just in time for the school holidays, from July 22 to September 3.
Birdland manager Simon Cox welcomed the new chicks and said: "A summer’s day out in beautiful Bourton-on-the-Water is a must for families visiting the Cotswolds, and there aren’t many other villages where you can also see a penguin and come face to face with a host of exotic bird life from across the globe."
Alongside seeing the new additions, visitors can get enjoy watching daily penguin, pelican and flamingo feeding displays and discover all about the different species, what they like to eat, who is the most mischievous of the flock and other insights from Birdland’s team of keepers.
Birdland’s Penguin Shore enclosure, which underwent a dramatic redesign in 2022, is home to Birdland’s resident celebrity, Spike the King Penguin.
The 16-year-old star won the title of Most Popular Penguin in the World, which was revealed exclusively live on the BBC programme The One Show.
His subsequent coronation ceremony was then reported on by BBC 5 Live radio presenter Colin Murray, who is a big fan of the park.
The award got Spike to levels of popularity, and on Facebook, he has racked up more than 18,000 Facebook followers.
Over the years, Spike has become one of the country’s best-known penguins, starring alongside the legendary Sir David Attenborough as part of the ‘Natural Curiosities’ series.
Other television highlights include a live appearance on BBC Breakfast earlier this week, ‘Penguins Make You Laugh Out Loud’ and ‘Junior Vets’.
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